I have a grape vine, this its first year and it has grown very well.?

Question

The main object was to provide shade in a very hot conservatory but I was hoping, eventually for some grapes. The growth rate has calmed down a bit and I am told that I will have to cut it back. Advice please.

Answer 1

I have been to many wineries and seen how they cut the grape vines each year. Basically, they train the stalk to form a double T (two stems coming out the top about 4 feet up and two more stems a couple of feet lower). This is then trellised and the small stems that grow out of the main stalk produce the fruit. This is also the preferred vine shape for growing abundant, large fruit. But, you can pretty much train a grape vine to grow wherever you want it to go.

Over winter (even in the warmest climates), grape vines go dormant. And, you don't want to trim them or anything until all the leaves have fallen (usually around December or January). Come spring, the buds on the existing stems will sprout into new stems. This is repeated each year, where buds on last year's stems are allowed to sprout. And, a plant has to be about 5 years old before it will bear fruit.

At this point, you probably have a number of long, thin vines that have sprouted from the main stem. This is fine and these can be trained (tied up along a trellis, pergola, etc.) for growth the next year. Next spring, the buds on the old stem will sprout into new stems and these can also be trained however you want them to go. Eventually (a coupla-few years), you'll have the main stems covering where you want the new growth each year. The buds will then sprout up along where you have the main vines running and they will start producing fruit.

However, because you would be running the vines up onto the conservatory, instead of keeping the vines low to the ground, they probably will not produce as good of fruit as the double T shape they use at wineries.

Answer 2

your desire for shade goes against standard practices for making good fruit. For fruit a winery will prune it back hard and train it on wires to form a T shape. Grapes form on new growth only!

The advice on how to prune for lots of fruit is fine but you'll need to balance that with your desire to cover the conservatory. My advice would be to cut back as much as you feel comfortable while still letting it start to cover the building over the next few years.

make sure you have canes going horizontally - train them that way if need be, then you'll get more new growth.

Answer 3

Allow your grapes to grow wild and woolly during the first year. Begin pruning the second season. Grapes should be pruned in winter or very early spring, before the buds begin to swell. Fruit is produced on year-old wood, which has smooth bark; older stems have rough, shaggy bark.

Answer 4

i agree with most of what paul said but i had a lot of grapes the second and third year after i planted my 1 vine. next spring i will bury a long runner on each side and see if i can make it 3 vines...

Answer 5

I take it you're using rootstock for grapes for wine? Fresh rootstock takes a good 7 years to bear fruit and also need to be cross-pollinated. That's the general rule. For eating-grapes, it's probably shorter. Wine grapes need very careful cultivation.

Answer 6

grapes are usually pruned before they start to leaf again in spring.most fruiting plants will only fruit on new wood.if your grape hasnt fruited yet you dont need to cut it back.if it has fruited grapes need to be cut back to pretty much mature wood in winter.keep the water up to it as this will help in the development of grapes and wont drop them