Pruning Grapes is a major task - it takes three or four years to train them properly. The idea is to provide a strong root system and a sturdy trunk.
Two of many methods are described here:
| Spur training |
Spur training, used for European Grapes, is easy in the first year. Place an arbour, trellis or other support beside the cutting when you plant it and let the Grapes grow unpruned. When the vines are dormant in the fall, remove all but one sturdy upright branch and cut that one back, leaving only three buds.
In year two, let only those three buds grow, rubbing off any others that develop. When the three branches from those buds are 1 ft. (30 cm) long, choose the most vigorous and remove the other two. When this branch grows above the place on the support where you want it to branch out, cut it at that point, and let tow branches grow. Tie the two branches horizontally to the support. Branches which grow up from these two horizontals should be pinched when they are 8" (20 cm) long.
In year three, let the shoots grow up from the two horizontal branches, spaced about 8" (20 cm) apart. Rub out any buds that develop closer than that. In the fall, prune these upright shoots to two buds.
In year four, you finally get some Grapes. From each of the two buds on the upright shoots, a bearing vine will grow. Pinch back these bearing vines to leave three or four branches of Grapes. In the fall, prune the stronger of the two bearing vines back to the two buds, removing the other completely.
From those two buds, two bearing vines will grow in the fifth year. These you don’t not pinch back. Let them bear as many Grapes as they want. When they are dormant, remove the weaker and prune back the stronger branch to two buds. Repeat this process each year.
| The Kniffin System |
The Kniffin system is designed for American Grapes. Set two 8 ft. (2.4 m) posts 10 ft. (3 m) apart and drive them 18' (45 cm) into the ground. String two heavy wires between the posts, at 3 ft. and 6 ft. (90cm and 1.8 m) above ground level.
In the first year, let the Grapes grow. Train one vigorous vine to grow upright by tying it to the two wires. In the fall, when the vines are dormant, cut off all but this one vine, which will become the trunk.
In the second year, choose four sturdy side branches which will grow from this trunk, and train them along the wires on either side of the trunk. Tie them to the wires. Do not prune during the season, but pinch back any long vines apart from the four you are training. In the fall, remove all but the four main branches.
In the third year, the four trained branches should bear fruit. Rub off any buds that form on the trunk except two near the wire and two near the top. These will grow to replace this year's bearing vines. In the fall, remove the vines which bore Grapes and tie the four replacements to the wire.
In subsequent seasons, repeat Year 3 activities.
