Tips for Pruning Grapevines

Tips for pruning grapevines can help you achieve the results you want from your grape vine. Grapevines typically experience four growing seasons. During the first two years, vigorous pruning is necessary to control new growth, support healthy vine growth and give an abundant harvest. grapevines are usually best pruned in the winter months of January and early February, before the first buds appear. Wait until the foliage is fully developed before performing your pruning, otherwise, wait till the buds are fully grown to do your trimming.

1. Be Patient

Tip number one for pruning grapevines is to be patient. Most grapevines will reach their peak growth in the late winter to early spring before slowing down significantly until the end of the third season. Pruning should not be done too early, because it will stunt new growth. Instead, wait till the grapevines have grown to about a foot tall or more and begin pruning.

2. Removing Flowers and Buds

To get started, remove all the lower limbs, except for one or two, and any buds that may have grown to fill in the space between the main trunk and the branches. Do not prune buds until after they have flowered or died back. It is also not recommended to remove all the flowers in a grapevine in order to improve the quality of the fruit produced. Flowing vines will only produce large, low quality berries.

3. Wait for the Grapes to Grow

Pruning grapevines in the fall will help them grow in a healthy and productive direction throughout the year. It is also important to prune frequently in the late summer when the grapes start to turn color from purple to red. However, if you are dealing with a stubborn vine, it is not necessary to prune at all in the fall. Wait for the grapes to grow fully and then cut away the excess growth near the base.

4. Do Not Prune in Fall

The main problem with pruning grapevines in the fall is that the vines often do not receive the appropriate nutrition from their growing conditions to support new growth. During harvest time, grapevines in full bloom receive all the sunlight they need, but during the fall months, the surrounding vegetation is often sparse and offers little in the way of nutrition to the vine. In order to encourage productivity and improve fruit quality, it is best to prune in the spring, allowing vines to receive the proper amount of nutrients.

5. Best Time to Prune

The best time to prune is late winter or early spring, but this will depend on the specific species of grapevine that you are pruning. Some grapevines, such as crabapples, can even be pruned in the fall when the soil is warm and moist. If in doubt, it is best to call a professional.

6. Do Not Remove the Buds

One of the tips for pruning grapevines is that, If your grapevines have buds, one of the most important tips for pruning is not to remove these. When grapes develop buds, they provide the support the vine needs to reach the next year’s production. Removing them prematurely could stunt your vine’s growth. Once the buds are removed, the vine will only reach full bloom later, after the growing season has come to an end. This means you will need to wait until next year to prune your grapevines. This rule also applies to removing existing branches that grow from the buds.

7. Pruning According to Size of Grapevine

Tips for pruning grapevines vary depending on the type of grapevine you have. For example, dwarf varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon should be pruned every two or three years instead of every two or three months. Also, when pruning dwarf grapevines, avoid pruning any buds. Doing so will make the plant prone to disease and pest infestation. The best time to prune these types of grapes would be either late winter or early spring, but this can depend on the variety of grapevine you have as well as the local climate.

8. Minimal Pruning

When pruning grapevines, it’s best to select those requiring minimal pruning to ensure they’ll grow and bloom well for many years to come. These types of grapes typically grow more slowly than others and, thus, require less pruning. Prune all or most of the grapevines at the same time, but leave the largest ones unpruned. Leaving larger branches intact will help them to grow and spread out more evenly.

9. Conclusion

As your vine grows and matures over time, it will become necessary to prune certain parts of the mass. In order to keep your grapevines healthy, you should prune new growth, old growth, and even deadheading if you notice unwanted growth. For large mature grapevines, you may prune all of the plants at the same time in order to keep them uniform in size. However, if you plan to grow several small grapevines, it is best to divide them at different times in order to avoid overcrowding.