10 Tips for Pruning Grape Vines

Why prune your grape vines? If you leave your plants unpruned, the vine produces a large amount of bunches - too many for the vine to nourish properly. Allow your grape vne to grow unpruned during its first year of growth (to establish a strong root system), then prune yearly to ensure a healthy grape vine that produces large, ripe clusters of grapes.

Here are a few tips to make your grape vine pruning a little easier.

1. Timing. The best time to prune is early Spring or late Winter. You need to prune when the plant is dormant, so that you don't damage the canes.

2. Tools. Use sharp cutting tools - dull blades will damage your vines. Use a good gardening shear that has been sharpened properly and gives you a clean cut.

3. Create a "trunk". During the plant's second year, pick the healthiest-looking stem and cut all the side branches adjacent to this main stem. This stem will become the base, or trunk of the grape vine. Some gardeners create two trunks if they have two healthy canes. Don't panic if you think you're cutting too much - it's a general rule that you can cut about 75-90% of the side stems and still have a healthy plant.

4. Canes. Healthy stems have a reddish-brown color and are about the diameter of a pencil. Fruit is formed on the new wood, so you want to cut off the older wood.

5. Mark your canes. Some gardeners mark the "keeper" stems with colored tape or ribbon. That way you don't accidentally cut wood you intend to keep.

6. Keep on pruning. After the first year, pick 2-4 of the larger stems from new wood growth. Cut the smaller stems growing off of these main stems.

7. Train. There are a number of ways to train your vines around a structure such as an arbor. Gardening stores offer a number of metal and wood arbors that work well for grape vines. Many gardeners create two "arms" off the main trunk of the vine.

8. Buds. Aim for 15 buds per cane. You'll have about 50-80 buds per plant for optimal growth.

9. Mulch. After your prune, remember to mulch the vine's trunk to protect the plant from harsh winter weather. A thick layer of compost will also encourage a healthy growth.

10. Compost. Gather all your pruned vines and leaves and add to the compost pile. (If diseased in any way, keep these out of your pile.) Next year, you'll have more compost to protect and nourish your vine.

Taking the time to prune your grape vines will help you have productive, healthy fruit year after year.