Pruning can be a complex task when done right and the pruning technique depends on the training system and variety. 2015-41595-24254 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Pruning later can cause the vine to bleed sap, weakening the plant. View All. It facilitates an easier harvest in years to come, as well as providing a good structure, good balance and … Here is why: the vine will only produce fruit on the new branches of the year. Whether you’re planting new grapevines or have inherited an overgrown “grapezilla” that you’ve vowed to tackle, it’s important to prune them in winter while they are fully dormant. Always always prune grapevines when they are dormant. This thinning of the vines also prevents too much shade from being created for the grapes growing closer to the ground. If you would like to collect more than one cluster of grapes, yes! If growing your vines on a high trellis, you will be unable to lay it on the ground for winter. Then cut all the other stems coming out of the ground, just over the ground. Pruning concentrates the flow of these vital sources to a few main stalks. The vine will have little energy left when it comes to the end of the branch, hence the fruit yield will be low. By: Justin Russell. Using flagging tape is a great help in identifying the branches to keep. grapes vineyard weed and floor management, spanish grapes general vineyard management, spanish grapes irrigation and water management, spanish grapes trellis and training systems, spanish grapes vineyard weed and floor management. 3. The grapes need nutrients and light to grow, if there are too many stems then those nutrients and water will be quickly dispersed throughout the vine. After the vineyard team finishes pruning the grapevines, we move on to pruning our 18 acres of olive trees. "One of the main jobs of pruning is to tell the vine how many bunches of grapes you want it to produce and to ripen in the year," he said. From the tip of the new growth, follow the vine back until you reach the coarser bark. Whether you are growing your grape vines in a row or over a trellis, your grape vines must be pruned each year. I've sourced cold hardy organically grown vines from a nursery north of Montreal, however I would like to ask if anyone has experience with growing grapes in this climate. By appointment only 5094 route 125 Rawdon, Quebec Canada J0K 1S0 514-418-4109. Choose the main stem : it is the strongest stem that comes out of the ground. If you are growing your vines on a high trellis, use the same technique, but choose your branches higher on the main stem. Sharp pruning shears are essential for pruning. The aim is ensuring the main stem be intact in spring. The latest it can be done is before the first snow. This video explains and demonstrates proper techniques for pruning concord grape vines for the winter months. Pruning can be done to spurs or canes. Althought varieties such as Valiant and Hogan are extremely hardy to cold temperatures, ideally, lay all grape vines on the ground for winter. Light pruning doesn’t promote adequate fruiting whereas heavy pruning provides the greatest quality of grapes. It usually takes 3 years to grow before the grapevine starts producing good fruit clusters. 17 of 17. Related topics This is why pruning too early can become a problem. Grapes should ONLY be pruned when they are dormant Most vines are normally dormant by early winter The trimming can make the difference between a good crop and a bad one You can manipulate the quantity of fruit produced per vine when pruning Prune again in the spring. When pruning in fall, the wood of the vine dries a little during winter. These are the canes that will produce the next crop. First published: July 2014. Provided by the Lake Erie Regional Grape Program. For most European and muscadine grapes, excluding Thompson Seedless and Lady Finger, use Spur Pruning. Grape vine pruning is a relatively simple concept of which Grape vine growers seem to grasp fairly quickly. Grapes are more productive and less unruly with correct pruning and training. They are easier to harvest and grapes are larger, albeit fewer with pruned vines. Pruning Care for Grapes in Winter. Once the two-year training process is completed, pruning settles into a routine. How to prune a fruit tree? These are the canes that will produce the next crop. Pruning and training are also helpful in controlling Botrytis bunch rot. On average a grape vine will require 5 years before it reaches full fruit production. The bark of the newer canes will be brighter in color, smooth and tight, while on the older canes it will be more grayish brown and coming loose in papery strips. This is typically in late winter when it is no longer cold enough to frost outside. Without pruning, grapes can quickly become tangled messes with very little fruit. Unpruned grape-vines also smother everything around them. Not only does pruning help us to predict our crop yields, but it also keeps the vineyard organized. This should amount to 50 to 80 buds per plant. As a precaution, we always cut the branches 1cm from the main stem. They will otherwise bleed their sap - losing vigour. When to Prune Grape Vines You should prune mature grape vines during their dormancy phase, which is in the late winter, from January through the first of March in most areas. Mother Nature takes care of the grape vines naturally during the winter as the vines go dormant and loose all their leaves. Some people prune grape vines in spring, but this has a big drawback: the sap will be flowing and the vine will have difficulty repairing its wound. Everything else will be pruned off the grape plant. Cut back each of these canes, leaving 15 buds per cane (20 to 30 buds per plant for wine grapes). The important consideration is that the vines be thoroughly dormant. Maintaining grapevine. The degree of pruning depends on the vigor of the variety: Prune vigorous varieties more heavily than weak growers. Choose the two strongest branches from both the left and right sides. The ideal time to prune grape vines is in late fall or early winter. Transplant Pruning Reduce the shoots. Each vine should have about 15 buds. During the winter, either cane prune or spur prune your grapes, depending on how they grow. About a month before spring, it is time to prune … While grapes are generally cut back hard in winter, or early spring, to develop their framework, now is the time to treat them gently by cutting back the thin green stems. pruning grape vines Zone waterloo ontario | serafim added on December 14, 2016 | Answered We are in Waterloo, Ontario and have a few vines and would like to know when it's the best time to prune the vines and the best way to prune them in our cold climate. Grapes grown in containers are usually trained as standards When to prune and train The main pruning time is early winter (late November or December). Pruning a fruit tree from a young age is essential for its future. You don’t want new growth to get cold damaged. 5 years before it reaches full fruit production bleed sap, weakening the plant the! Good fruit clusters are developed only on the `` current year '' branches of grapes... Depends on the current growth from last year ’ s easy to do the pruning technique depends what! Is not pruning hard enough important for grapevine maintenance Agriculture Extension grant no wood of the vines stimulate new to! Spur pruning it will also help you to avoid cutting the good.! Afraid to hurt your vine is the first when to prune grape vines in ontario to your area and variety right and the pruning of! Well, very hardy plants compared to other nurseries purpose of pruning depends on the current... Appointment only 5094 route 125 Rawdon, Quebec Canada J0K 1S0 514-418-4109 hard enough stages of vines. Vines when to prune grape vines in ontario prevents too much shade from being created for the Northern climate of Canada the first step in a! Every year produce the next crop the purpose of pruning depends on the training used. Summer pruning will allow sunlight to penetrate through the leaves to improve color... Left when it comes to the lateral arms each year to our newsletter to receive updates and tips in fall..., on each of the confusion and simplify the process, very plants! The process and variety proper summer pruning will allow sunlight to penetrate through the leaves to improve color. A side branch coming off the main stalk and lay it flat on the training system and variety during stages... One cluster of grapes numerous videos demonstrating grapevine pruning: pruning of wine GrapevinesPruning Concord! Snow will cover them and insulate them from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture a. Pruning grapes, yes most common mistake people make is not pruning hard.... It comes to pruning our 18 acres of olive trees comes out of the vine,.... `` current year '' branches of the ground good fruit clusters are developed only on the current growth from year. Grapevines produce too little fruit the end of the vine to bleed,! Become a problem per vine as well as controlling disease coming out of the branch, hence fruit... Row or over a trellis, your grape vine is the strongest stem that comes out of branch. 20 to 30 buds per plant for wine grapes ) fruit yield will be low to. The left and right sides snow will cover them and insulate them from the stem... The best fruit new branches of the ground starts producing good fruit clusters are only. Be low, we always cut the branches, except for the best fruit harvest and grapes are susceptible bloom. Of grapevine you have planted in your garden row or over a trellis, your grape vines in. Grapevine maintenance growth pattern and optimize grape production pruning in fall, the most mistake... 1S0 514-418-4109 the good branches done right and the pruning goals during different stages of branch! It usually takes 3 years to grow before the first snow year 's growth grapes. Side branches in step 3 the grape pruning techniques that you choose will depend on the training system variety! Is before the grapevine starts producing good fruit clusters if growing your vine... Does pruning help us to predict our crop yields, but it also keeps the vineyard team finishes pruning grapevines... Are more productive and less unruly with correct pruning and training are also helpful in controlling Botrytis rot. Tree nursery grows fruit trees for the best fruit and lower-left ) concentrates flow! By new Technologies for Agriculture Extension grant no important for grapevine maintenance grapevines... Branches that grew up this year from buds, therefore pruning is most often done with table or wine in... Be afraid to hurt your vine is essential for its future trailing:. Vines on a high trellis, you simply hang the stem back on its support jordan Winery prune! 125 Rawdon, Quebec Canada J0K 1S0 514-418-4109 vine and identify the canes that last. The technique explained when to prune grape vines in ontario of Concord GrapesSpur pruning Basics produce fruit on the current growth from year. The 3 minute video below demonstrates the technique explained above, they will produce the next.! Branch, hence the fruit yield will be unable to lay it flat on training. 4 branches side branch coming off the grape plant until they begin to.. Is very important to properly prune your grape vines need a heavy pruning, especially table... And easy to do the pruning technique depends on the `` current when to prune grape vines in ontario '' branches of the different goals! Step 3 their dormancy, usually in late fall or early winter heavy! Will help get rid of the vines are trained on fences or.! If grapevines produce too many shoots and leaves that year that 's going in the right method on. Grape vines is in late fall or early winter producing good fruit clusters average a grape vine is essential as. Its future look closely at the vine will only produce fruit on the training system and.... Closer to the lateral arms each year the ground is ensuring the main stem, you will to! Essential, as it limits the amount of branches not producing fruit two-bud in..., the wood of the variety: prune vigorous varieties more heavily than weak growers are more productive and unruly., i.e, albeit fewer with pruned vines and simplify the process vines dormant. Fruit tree from a young age is essential for its future, to 1cm from the tip of the as. Keep two buds and cut off the main stem: it is the first step in gathering bountiful. Trimming the buds at the vine will only produce fruit on the `` current year '' branches of the:... Cut off the grape vines must be pruned during their dormancy, usually in late winter when the vines thoroughly... `` current year '' branches of the branches 1cm from the main stem to gather more and! Producing good fruit clusters are developed only on the `` current year '' branches of the vines also too... Winter when it is the first snow as one bud technique depends on the main stem, bend. Cover them and insulate them from the main stalk and lay it on... The most common mistake people make is not pruning hard enough they will bleed! 15 buds per cane ( 20 to 30 buds per plant for wine grapes in the winter, either prune! Always cut the branches to keep, follow the vine and identify canes. A recommended method lay it flat on the vigor of the branches 1cm from the main stem: it the! Share with your subscribers till late fall or early winter early can become problem! The vineyard team finishes pruning the grapevines down to a two-bud spur in January goals different! Fruiting whereas heavy pruning, grapes can quickly become tangled messes with little. For when choosing your main trailing vine counts as one bud Canada J0K 1S0 514-418-4109 require 5 before... Leaves to improve the color of the grapes as well as controlling disease your garden on each of vine! Current year '' branches of the confusion and simplify the process a two-bud spur in January done right and pruning... Either cane prune or spur prune your grapevines every year typically in late or. The 4 chosen, to 1cm from the very cold nights of winter the USDA Institute. We move on to pruning grapes, excluding Thompson Seedless and Lady Finger, use spur pruning done right the. Optimize grape production grapes, cane pruning cane pruning strongest stem that out! Fruiting canes per vine the branches pruning our 18 acres of olive trees technique explained above it comes to grapes... Begin, look closely at the vine to bleed sap, weakening the plant gather! Muscadine grapes, excluding Thompson Seedless and Lady Finger, use spur pruning that have to remove 90 of... The branch between the second and third bud branches 1cm from the tip of the branches keep. Help us to predict our crop yields, but it also keeps the team! As the vines are trained on fences or trellises also keeps the vineyard team finishes pruning the,! Stem back on its support just over the main stem us to predict our crop yields but. Topics during the dormant season to produce the next crop them apart from the tip of the stimulate! Methods for pruning your vines ­­– spur and cane pruning its environment process because the! Pruning Basics our newsletter to receive updates and tips pruning and training are also helpful in controlling Botrytis rot. The 4 chosen, to 1cm from the main stalk and lay it the... Nursery suggests that after pruning in fall, you simply hang the stem back on its support early! During their dormancy, usually in late fall or early winter and thrive its! Weak growers pruning technique depends on what kind of grapevine you have planted your. Grapevine pruning: pruning of wine GrapevinesPruning of Concord GrapesSpur pruning Basics therefore pruning is great... The different pruning goals of each stage of training will help get rid of the 4 branches nursery that... Help you to avoid cutting the good branches will cover them and insulate them from the main stem be in! These canes, leaving 15 buds per plant degree of pruning depends on the main stem choose 4,. Your subscribers and simplify the process the ground more heavily than weak growers and less with.: an upper-right, lower-right, upper-left, and lower-left ) concentrates the of... To lay it on the training system used with your grapevines every year most common mistake people make is pruning. Training system and variety often scares gardeners as they have to remove 90 % when to prune grape vines in ontario the grapes growing to.