When is the best time to prune grapes? How to trim?

As we all know, grapes are perennial vine plants that need to renew their branches and vines, and regulate the relationship between vegetative growth and reproductive growth to make the plants grow strong and maintain vigorous fruit-bearing ability, extend the life of the plants and the number of years of fruiting, and achieve the goal of high yield and high quality. So when is the best time to prune grapes? How to trim? Let’s take a look below.

1. When is the best time to prune grapes?

A long time ago, people did not have a good grasp of grape pruning techniques and generally used winter pruning while ignoring all-season pruning. Now, they have changed the old concept and adopted new pruning techniques, using all-season pruning to solve the problems of light and shelf closure. Reasonably control, save, use, supplement and consume nutrients to make the tree reach a state of nutritional balance.

1. Pruning in spring. This is the method of removing buds in the spring season. It removes multiple buds, weak buds, and sprouting buds, which saves nutrients and ensures that all nutrients are supplied to the remaining buds. It is commonly known as nutrient conservation.

2. Pruning in summer. The fruiting branches and nutrient branches are pinched, the side branches are processed, the curling order is pinched, and then the fruit clusters are shaped, and the clusters are thinned out along the clusters.

3. Pruning in autumn. The task in autumn is to pinch off the secondary branches for the second time, remove dense branches, thin branches, and branches with low lignification, adjust the number of branches, ensure that each branch is exposed to light, improve light conditions, and make the frame surface more transparent.

4. Pruning in winter. Winter pruning of grapes involves the largest amount of pruning and the removal of the most branches. Winter pruning is an effective method for determining the yield of the following year.

2. How to prune grapes?

It is determined based on the characteristics of the variety, tree strength, tree age, frame type, and yield. There are thinning pruning, short branch pruning, medium branch pruning, long branch pruning, extra-long branch pruning, double branch renewal, and single branch renewal.

1. Thinning method: It is to remove weak branches and useless branches.

2. Short pruning method: 2-3 bud pruning, which is aimed at newly planted young trees and is a flat pruning method.

3. Middle-sprout pruning method: 3-5 bud pruning is for the parts where the plants are missing. In order to fill up the space and increase the amount of branches and leaves, middle-sprout pruning is used.

4. Long pruning and extra-long pruning of 6-12 buds are generally used to extend the main vine. For example, the main vine cultivated on a small shed needs to be extended to the upper shed.

5. Double branch renewal: Based on last year's pruning, prune the two branches and retain 1-2 buds on each. However, double-branch renewal needs to be carried out when there is space for the main vine. Otherwise, the frame surface will be closed, the number of ineffective leaves will increase, and nutrient consumption will occur.

6. Single branch renewal: This means cutting off one of the original two branches and keeping one branch, and then shortening the remaining branch. This is called single branch renewal.

7. Major renewal and minor renewal: Major renewal is to cut off the old vines from the base, retain a sprout branch, and cultivate it into a fruiting mother vine. Minor renewal involves replacing weaker branches with stronger ones. Keep the tree forever young and extend its fruiting years.

3. Steps for grape pruning

The steps of grape pruning can be summarized in four words: three looks, two thinnings, one cut, four extensions, and five retentions.

1. Three things to look at: first, look at the characteristics of the variety, look at the strength of the tree, and look at the relationship between the trees.

2. Second thinning: remove the bad branches, weak branches, diseased and insect-infested branches, and useless branches.

3. Three-fold pruning: Determine the appropriate amount of branches based on the pruning standards and shorten the one-year-old branches.

4. Fourth extension: extend the main vine of the grapes. The longest length should not exceed the second steel wire of the scaffolding, and the thickness of the cut should be kept at around 0.8CM.

5. Five things to keep: refers to the number of buds to be kept. According to the traditional pruning method, the number of branches to be kept per square meter is 8-12. The most accurate number of buds to be kept is 6-8. It is better to reduce the number than to add more. In other words, leave fewer buds so that nutrients can be concentrated on the remaining buds.

4. Notes on grape pruning

1. The cut should be flat, smooth, and without stubble. The cut should be 1-2CM thick to prevent the winter buds from drying out.

2. Protect the wound by applying wound protectant or white glue.

3. Thin out large branches and leave short stumps to avoid frost damage, and remove the short stumps in the second year.

4. Avoid direct damage to the tree, so as not to harm the tree and cause spring sap flow, which will weaken the tree.

That’s it