Last winter I planted a new grapevine then in spring it woke up and grew from 300mm high splits in to two and reached 1500mm high and was really happy. Winter came leaves fell off and it went to sleep over winter. While it was asleep I pruned it back to 1000mm high and strung some cable at 1500mm above.it. Now its springtime again and it has woken up and is sprouting buds and leaves and looks happy but I want it to reach and climb along the 1500mm cable before it goes mad again. Should I not have cut it back it looks like it just wants to go bushy?
juliewn,
Sep 23, 2:34pm
Hi. grapes are strong growers and cutting it back won't have harmed it. train your plant to grow strong leaders this year, and your vine will be in full production next season.
It'll have new growth starting. trim off, just after the first leaf, any that isn't going the way you want it to go. and guide strong growth toward where you want it to grow.
Tie into place the strong growth/leaders, and trim any shoots that come off that strong growth to just after the first leaf.
Why after the first leaf? So fruiting shoots will come from the main leaders in the years to come.
The link below is how I grow my vines. I have several varieties growing here and this works well for me.
This illustrates growing along a fence or wires strung between posts. to grow over a pergola or similar, use the same method, and train the leaders over the pergola, trimming off growth off the leader to one leaf as above.
That will give you a full length of leaders quickly, and the vine is then ready for lots of fruit next year. where every shoot comes off the leader this year, and every leaf-node, will send out growth with flowers then grapes. and you'll enjoy lots of grapes. Enjoy. :-)
Grapes grow on second year canes. Be aware of that. Vineyards have loads of vines along the rows, they are interested in a few bunches, not lots.
Trim it in autumn or winter. then watch it grow like crazy over summer. I trim mine to keep it under control. it's also my deck shade in summer so I leave a certain amount for that reason, and then just cut to keep it from taking over the house.
It will grow like crazy once the weather warms up - and I have trimmed some then too. but remember how it produces it's grapes and make sure you leave at least a couple of the buds that will become next years canes.
cantabman1,
Sep 23, 7:39pm
Be aware NOT to prune now as the sap is rising, and the plant will bleed.
juliewn,
Sep 23, 10:39pm
Lythande. grapes grow on fresh new this-seasons growth, coming off the leaders/canes which are from last years, or previous to that, growth.
Yes. don't prune last or previous season's growth as that will bleed. and will it ever!. been there done that when I wanted to lay down a new leader and trimmed the old one off too late. oops! The vine has continued to grow well and has a full canopy for this new season. thank goodness.
Don't prune last years growth now or through Summer, do trim the new seasons growth to guide the plant as you want it. and to have the grape growth go into flowers/grapes.
jsc1,
Sep 21, 8:46am
Great, thanks everyone.
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