This pruning was going to be a big deal for me. I was apprehensive about it, as I had read in several articles of pruning guidance that it affects the next grape harvest significantly. After reading about fruiting canes, buds and renewal spurs, I was thoroughly perplexed. After studying the vines, I went ahead and did it as carefully as I could. Ultimately, I calculated that some pruning is better than no pruning at all and I lopped off the vines at what I perceived to be the appropriate points, taking into consideration the age of the vines. In my life, I have seen a few grape vines that have produced grapes year after year, even though the vines weren't pruned. All my reading on the subject said that the vines must be pruned back. I was hoping that however I did it would still be beneficial for the next year's harvest.
Here are some pictures of the completed pruning. If anyone has experience pruning back grape vines and sees additional growth that should be pruned back, please don't hesitate to tell me.
Thanks for visiting my blog, and if you have a suggestion for improvement on my pruning, please share it with me.
Have a great gardening day!
Veggie PAK
Your grapes look great, such a neat and orderly trellace system you have created. I need to work on mine...I'm always a bit hesitant about pruning too.
ReplyDeleteThis looks really good to me. I sure do need to do this to mine!
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of the kniffen system, but it looks a fairly large system, which isn't a problem as long as the vines are well spaced out. In fact modern viticulturist think larger systems are better, whilst the traditional systems in Europe use a quite low, restrictive pruning system. This looks fine to me. You can always prune a bit in summer too if you find that your grape bunches are too shaded. The main principal is to get sunshine onto your grapes. and don't create a dank microclimate within the vine.
ReplyDeleteIt seems fine to me, I'm sure it will work out just great! You've done some excellent pruning!
ReplyDeleteMr. H, Thanks for the compliment. I'm always leery about removing too much growth.
ReplyDeletebecky3086, Thanks! The pruning is supposed to increase the next harvest. I sure hope so.
Heiko, with the Kniffen system, the vines are spaced out vertically in order for the grapes to get air and sun. My bottom wire is 30 inches off the ground, and the top wire is 60 inches off the ground. I think the point is like you say, to avoid creating a microclimate in the vines. This year, I also plan to use the grape leaves in cooking. Specifically, stuffed grape leaves.
Annanas, I hope it works out well. Thanks for the pruning compliment!
My personal and sincere thanks to each of you for taking the time to read my blog and share with me your personal comments.
Veggie PAK
We've had our vines for only one year so we haven't started with pruning yet. What gauge are you using for your wire? We bought galvanized wire for our trellis system because we thought it wasn't going to rust but it did. Strange.
ReplyDeleteGrowing grapes intrigue me. I love how the plants look at all stages of growth!
ReplyDeletemeemsnyc, Get a cup of coffee or tea so you will be ready to read all this. While I cannot tell you the gauge of my wire, I can tell you what it is intended for, and that purpose uses one functional size for all applications. It might cost you $50 for a loose coil of it, (not on a spool), about 24 to 30 inches in diameter. You could always sell the remainder or split the cost with someone that may also need it. I chose to buy and keep a "roll" of it for myself for my grapes and whatever else. The material quality is so high, I even use it to make hooks to hang tools and toys with, but I have to use a rod bender to form the curves in it. The material is single strand "tension wire". It is NOT a series of woven wires. I first saw it when I was a child, and Dad called it "grape wire". I saw it again when I was working as a Warranted Contracting Officer, and I was administering the Annual Chain Link Fence Installation contract. This material is very hard, consequently, it doesn't rust and does NOT bend very easily! If you want to know how I installed mine, let me know via e-mail and I will explain the technique I used. Mine is currently under tension, with two 1/4 inch cable clamps holding each wire at each end.
ReplyDeleteWhen a chain link fence is installed in a security area, this tension wire is actually woven into the diamond shaped fence fabric at the top, and at the bottom of the fence fabric. What it does is prevent anyone from bending the top of the fence over or lifting up the fence at the bottom to crawl under it, to gain access to the secured area. This tension wire doesn't stretch, because of it's density I suppose, hence the purpose for it's use. I bought mine at Lowe's, but any big box hardware store should have it in the chain link fencing department, usually outside by the garden dept. A home gardener can use it in so many applications. It is "just the right thing" to have on hand in so many cases. It is very impressive for long lasting use!
Did you follow some guidelines for planting and spacing? Your local cooperative extension should have publications online telling you how to do it. Look under vegetables, then small garden fruit, or some description like that. I think the biggest deal was the wire spacing. Two wires, one 30 inches off the ground, one 60 inches off the ground. It promotes good air circulation and sun access for the grapes, as mentioned by our good friend Heiko, above.
Grapes are worth the expense of doing it right. Did you know that a planting of grape vines can last for fifty years? Think of all the people that will enjoy the grapes you planted.
Well, I hope my explanation wasn't too lengthy, (but I know it was) but I would rather explain fully than leave someone wondering about why or how something is done. If you would like the guidelines I followed, let me know and I'll email them to you.
Thanks so much for visiting and let me know what you think about it.
Veggie PAK
Holly, I too, like the appearance of the grape vines. My grandparents had several rows of Concord grapes when I was growing up. I loved when they made grape jelly! The house smelled SO good!
ReplyDeleteThe grapes are interesting to watch, because they reach out for anything they can grab onto to grow. I would actually braid the new vines onto the others about every three to four days. They grow vigorously!
Thanks for visiting and sharing your comment.
Veggie PAK
I used to have grapes pruned in the same system you have. Sorry but I can't really give you any comments. I just pruned. I didn't know a lot about it. I did get plenty of grapes, but I don't know really if it was a good yield or not. I eventually gave up on them because I couldn't stand picking them. I had spiders that would take up residence in them and spiders freak me out.
ReplyDeleteHey Veggie PAK, it took me a while to find your blog! I can't believe how much you grow, 1725lb, I am lucky to top 10 kilos!
ReplyDeleteI've no tips for pruning grapes, although I should as I have picked them on farms in Europe several times. My parents have a grape vine that they cut back every year, and every year it comes back with grapes. I don't think they use a particularly scientific method, so what you've done will be fine I'm sure :)
Thanks for the explanation. We do have 2 galvanized wires suspended by two wooden 4x4 posts for our grapevines. Those wire you are using sounds like really good stuff!
ReplyDeleteHere's a peek at ours.
http://nycgardening.blogspot.com/2010/07/grapevines-before-and-after.html
BTW, the comment you left on my blog of the wood stove made me so sad! Breaks my heart that some people don't save vintage appliances. Who would take a sledge hammer to get out such a lovely stove!! Oh my, what a waste! I would take that stove in a heartbeat!!
Daphne, If you just pruned and still got plenty of grapes, you must have pruned "correctly", if there really is such a thing. I suspect that the pruning itself, regardless of which points you prune it at, is the magic that lets the roots grow stronger instead of sending all the life to the vines.
ReplyDeleteAny way that it is done, ending up with "plenty of grapes" would be a success in my book!
Ali, So glad you could visit! I hope everything is somewhat getting back to normal down your way after all the rains.
Since your parents have a grape vine that they prune back each year, could you tell me, do they progressively leave more and more vine each year, or do they prune it back to about the same spot on the vines each year? How they do it would be a good general guideline for me to go by since they get grapes every year. The guidelines that I have gone by don't address grapevines older than four years. Thanks!
meemsnyc, You know, I was thinking that you could probably go to a chain link fence company and buy a couple lengths of this tension wire if you didn't want to invest in a whole loose coil of it. If you do that, make sure you get it with 3 or 4 extra feet on it for working it during installation. If the wire you used rusted already, it may create problems replacing it when the vines are older.
I checked out your grapes. They look great! Nice job on the posts. 4 x 4 in concrete, that's the way to go in my book!
Our family was sad when we heard that about the stove, too. I would have disassembled it and removed it for them had they asked! At least we have it in our memories. No one can take that away. The house that stove was in is on the left side of my profile picture.
Thanks to each of you for visiting and sharing your comments with me. This is like one big vegetable gardening family!
Take Care,
Veggie PAK
They look great. I can't wait to see these vines heavy with grapes this summer. We had grape vines here when we first moved in almost 10 years ago but that was before the gardening bug hit. We had no idea what to do with them. They finally collapsed the arbor and the whole thing was tossed.
ReplyDeleteHey Veggie PAK, no problems, I'll find out for you.
ReplyDeleteCan you remind me though, I'm quite talented at forgetting!
Wendy, I HOPE those vines are heavy with grapes this summer! Sorry to hear about your grapes, but at least you got bit hard by the gardening bug! If any of those vines came back, by some remote chance, (it's hard to get ALL the roots.) you could always start them again, or maybe relocate them, if you were so inclined. Thanks for visiting!
ReplyDeleteVeggie PAK
Ali, Thanks for checking into that info for me, and thanks for visiting!
Veggie PAK