The best time and method for pruning grapes

Grape pruning is a key technical measure in vineyard management, which has a direct impact on the healthy growth, yield and quality of grapes. Let’s learn about the best time and method for grape pruning.

1. Best time to prune

Winter pruning of grapes is crucial to the annual production of the vineyard. It not only affects the health of the plants, but is also a key step to ensure a good harvest and quality of grapes next year. Considering the climatic conditions in the south, the best time for winter pruning of grapes is usually from late December to the end of January. For greenhouse -induced cultivation, pruning should be completed before film covering in mid-to-late January to adapt to specific cultivation needs.

2. Pruning points at different growth stages

1. Pruning of newly planted grape plants

For fully grown plants: For trees with a diameter of more than 0.6 cm, retain 6-8 fruiting mother vines for each plant, and prune 3-5 buds depending on the fullness of the winter buds, while cutting off other side shoots.

Plants with standard main vine growth: When the length of the main vines on both sides reaches 80-90cm and the diameter of the top is above 0.6cm, when pruning, you only need to cut off the side shoots other than the main vine and keep the main vines on both sides.

Plants with substandard main vine growth: If the main vine does not reach 80-90cm in length, or reaches that length but the top diameter does not reach 0.6cm, it should be cut off from the point where it reaches 0.6cm thick, and all other side shoots should be cut off.

2. Pruning of mature grape plants

Varieties with well differentiated flower buds: Prune the fruiting mother vines from both sides of the bifurcation of the main trunk at an interval of about 30 cm, leaving 2-3 buds on each vine, and retain 12 fruiting mother vines on each tree.

For varieties with medium flower bud differentiation: from both sides of the bifurcation of the main trunk, leave 8-10 vines with a diameter of more than 0.8 cm, good maturity and full buds on each tree, and leave 8-10 buds for pruning. At the same time, you can leave 2-4 weak vines on both sides of the main trunk fork and 2-3 buds for short pruning to cultivate renewal vines.

Varieties with poor flower bud differentiation: From both sides of the bifurcation of the main trunk, leave 12-16 vines with a diameter of more than 0.8 cm, good maturity and full buds on each tree, and leave 10-12 buds for pruning. Similarly, you can leave 2-4 weak vines on both sides of the main trunk bifurcation and cut them short with 2-3 buds to cultivate renewal vines.

In short, grape pruning is a key technology in vineyard management, which has a profound impact on the growth stage of the plant and its final yield and quality.