Pruning Vines in Europe

Pruning Vines in Europe's most north westerly vineyard.

Summer prune; rub out shoots so that only one shoot grows per node

1. Vines trained on wire supports

Here, late December, January or early February is a good time to do this, earlier, and the vine is not dormant, by March the sap is rising and growth has started. Over the last few years growth in the poly croft has hardly stopped. When growth starts and the buds appear thin to one growing bud to each node (leaf joint)

Equal strength is then built up in all branches

The main rod should ideally divide for the first support wires about 1 meter from the ground and each divide for the second set of wire supports about1.6meters from the ground. Plants will not always do as they are told though so side shoots have to be trained. This basic framework has to be laid when the vine is 1 - 2 years old.

Using side shoots to establish the lower framework will lead to a weaker vine with most of the strength going to the upper rods.

All side shoots must be removed. Cut them off leaving about 12 mm (half an inch) of the old side shoot showing but cut off the bud on the side shoot. Grapes are only produced on new wood. The vine should now look like the pictures above.

Vines need to be pruned very hard, an under pruned vine will produce a lot of leaf, a well pruned vine will produce 20 - 30 bunches of grapes each should weigh 500 - 1000gms (1 - 2 lbs)

Now, with your coffee in your hand,

sit back

and think ,

what you are going to do with all those grapes you cannot eat.......!