HI ALL When i moved to my farm this summer there were grape vines here What do i have to do to them so i will have them again next year? I love grapes...Do i have to trim them down or what? any advice kelly

-- KELLY (MILKGOATTTTS12@AOL.COM), November 26, 2000

Answers

How to prune grape vines depends on what type of grapes they are and how they have been pruned in the past. I can't tell you how to do it, but describing what you have may help the next person know where to start,

-- paul (p@ledgewood-consulting.com), November 26, 2000.

See if you can find a local vineyard, introduce yourself and explain your situation. I'm sure they will help, you might also try the local extension office and see if there are any master gardeners in your area that have experience with grape vines. I prune in February or March when the vines are dormant, some prune in the fall but I feel fall pruning is risking winter damage. There are a lot of exceptions and specifications for different cultivar types, the training system used, age of the vines, pruning for max. light & exposure, etc, but generally speaking, for a home arbor or vineyard, you will want to prune half the canes on any given vine back to one or two buds, these become your renewal spurs for next year's growth and fruit. The other canes should have 4 to 12 buds each, these are your fruiting canes for this year. A nature vine should have 4 to 6 fruiting canes and 4 to 6 renewal spurs. So each vine will have, once pruned, the main trunk with four say four branches (canes) trained (tied) to the trellis/wire/post arms/etc. Each vine will also have four to six very short branches (renewal spurs). I know this may be hard to visualize, especially when you have vines that have been neglected and are growing all over the place. It you can't get any local help try to get, from the Ohio State Extension Service, bulletins 591 and 815, both deal with grape production & cultivation. Good luck.

Bob

-- Robert (STBARB@usa.net), November 29, 2000.