Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Flower bud
New season's
growth
Figure 4.92 Cut back the canes from the recent season to
two buds. The growth from these buds will carry next
year's crop.
Last year's
cane
In following years repeat the same procedure
always pruning to leave a stub of two buds to
form next season's growth. See Figure 4.93.
Figure 4.91 Grapes fruit on growth arising from buds that
were formed the previous season. Last year's cane has
been twisted around the support and the new growth
carries the new canes and flower/fruiting buds.
Cane pruning
Some grape varieties do not produce fruiting
growth from the basal two buds that are
relied on for spur pruning, so cane pruning is
the method used. Cultivars such as sultana/
Thompson's seedless, sauvignon blanc,
chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and
Grenache should be trained in this manner.
Cane pruning also yields fewer bunches of
higher quality grapes.
As the season progresses, long canes will
grow from the buds on the secured canes.
This new growth will carry the fruit. This
fruit should not be allowed to mature so
that the energy of the plant goes into
establishment of the vines' framework,
rather than fruit production. Cut off 60%
of the f flowers and wait two to three years
when the vine has established for a
reasonable harvest.
This method can also apply to any weak
growing vines as it maximises leaf coverage in
spring, which in turn strengthens the plant.
Much will depend on your climate so seek out
some local knowledge.
In winter, cut out completely any thin, weak
or crowded growth, leaving growth that is as
least the thickness of a pencil with
approximately 15 to 20 cm between them.
Prune back the selected canes that were
formed that season to two buds. Next season,
the growth arising from these buds will carry
the year's crop (see Figure 4.92).
The same procedure applies for cane-pruned
vines for the development of the trunk. When
the time comes for developing the
horizontally trained 'arms' prune these back
Search WWH ::




Custom Search