I missed pruning my grapevine during the dormant season while doing major pruning on the orchard. The vine is very overgrown. Can I still prune it back when the vines are now growing leaves? Will this hinder or stunt fruit growth by doing it now? I live in Maryland, zone 7.

-- Derrick Comfort (dcomfort@ccnmail.com), May 03, 2000

Answers

Derrick, you can prune grapevines now, it isn't the greatest idea though. Since you've got a lot of pruning to do, you might just want to start taking some nips here and there. Grapes are produced on one-year-old canes. So go for branches that are dead, obviously old, and anything really in the way. There are a lot of theories on pruning and training grape vines, so check for a book with information on grape vines at your library. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), May 03, 2000.

Hey Derrick, You dont want to prune anymore than you have to. Grape vines can bleed to death during the growing season. If nothing else you can really weaken them. Also as stated above you get fruit from the one- year growth. Gerbil is right, check and see with your library about pruning times in your area and for the type of grape vines that you have.

Beth (NC)

-- Beth (NC) (craig@icu2.net), May 03, 2000.

Derrick,

Prun away until summer. While the vines will bleed (sap flowing from the cuts) little or no harm will be done to the vines. See OSU extension bulletin 815, Agdex 231 in paper or follow the links at http://ohioline.ag.ohio-state.edu.

Regards,

Bob

-- Robert (STBARB@usa.net), May 04, 2000.