How to prune grapes: features and timing of pruning
When growing grapes with one watering and dressing, you cannot do it. Pruning is also important. By nature, grapes have the property of wild growth. Sometimes it grows so much that the bush is simply not able to "feed" such a number of shoots. As a result, yield suffers. The bunches are getting smaller and the berries are getting smaller. To prevent this, it is important to know how to prune the grapes, as well as when it is best to do it (see. video preparing grapes for winter).
How to determine when to trim?
Trim grapes possible both in spring and autumn. If the bush hibernates without shelter, then it is better to transfer the haircut to early spring. You need to have time to cut the vine before the buds have blossomed, otherwise it will “cry”.
A vineyard that hibernates with shelter can be trimmed in the fall, making it easier to shelter. This should be done a couple of weeks after harvesting. It is impossible to tighten until frost.
How to prune grapes depending on the season
In addition to the spring and autumn pruning, there is work in the vineyard in the summer. Each seasonal procedure has its own characteristics, namely:
- Spring pruning. All shoots that have died out during the winter and sick are removed. A vine that is too thin and thick is also cut. From last year's growth, short replacement knots (2-3 eyes) and a fruit arrow (no more than 10 eyes) are left.
- Summer pruning. At the end of flowering, the bushes are thinned out, removing the foliage where the bunches have tied. During the summer, the grapes are stepchild - the shoots that have grown from young buds are cut off. For stepchildren, only the bottom pair of leaves is left, the rest is cut out. At the end of August, minting is carried out, that is, the pinching of the vine. It will redirect the strength of the grapes to the ripening of berries.
- Autumn pruning. It is carried out in case the bushes will take cover. A couple of centimeters of vines are left above the cropped eye.
Regardless of the time of the procedure, you always need to cut from the bud and from one side of the bush. The replacement knot should be below the fruit vine.
How to prune a young grape bush?
It is necessary to start forming a powerful bush at the very beginning of development, in the first few years of its life. After planting a seedling, he needs to be given the opportunity to grow shoots.
How to prune an annual grape bush?
The first time you need to pick up a pruner should be at the beginning of summer. If the bush has four shoots, you should choose a couple of the thickest and strongest ones. Cut the remaining branches. At the beginning of autumn, the tops of the abandoned vine can be broken off. This will help her mature better. A month later, the bush begins to prepare for wintering. To do this, the vine of the current year should be cut, leaving a maximum of 3 eyes from the ground level.
Young grapes cut in autumn must be covered for the winter.
How to prune a 2 year old bush?
In the second year of cultivation, spring pruning is carried out if the grapes were not cut in the fall. Also leave a couple of last year's shoots, removing the rest.The abandoned vine must be shortened above the third (maximum - fifth) bud.
In the fall, they begin to form the future fruiting bush. Young shoots that have grown over the season from the last year's vine must be cut at different heights. One, shorter (of 3-5 buds), is left for the replacement knot. The second, longer one (from 6 to 10 buds), is left on the fruiting arrow.
In the future, for each year of life, the number of abandoned vines is doubled (instead of 2 - 4). After the beginning of fruiting in the fall, the shoots on which there was a crop are cut out. Instead, there will be a vine that has grown from replacement knots. On it, bunches will be tied in the next season.
Amazing!
Just the essence, no water. The short video contains a lot of useful information.