Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
strongest shoot reaches about 2 or 3 feet and you feel that it is healthy, pinch or prune off
the other smaller shoots.
When at least two shoots of the vines grow above the fruiting wire by at least 6 inches,
choose the shoot on the left closest to the fruiting wire and the shoot on the right closest
to the fruiting wire. Tie these strong shoots to the wire; they will become your cordons or
arms (the horizontal part of the vine). Once these shoots are clearly strong enough for you
to see they will make good cordons, you can pinch or prune off the other vertical shoots.
As the shoots continue to grow, keep tying each one to the fruiting wire until it reaches the
center of the wire between the two grape stakes closest to the vine (this may not happen in
the first year).
As each cordon begins to take definition (which will probably happen during the
second year), you will select the strongest and most upright shoots along the cordon, about
a hand's width apart. These will become your spurs.
Pinch off any little clusters of grapes in the first year so you direct the plant's energy
into the roots, vines, cordons, and shoots.
Pruning
Your vines' leaves will start to turn yellow, red, and then brown in late fall. Don't worry,
they haven't died—they are just taking a winter rest. They will be back in the spring. You
will prune in late winter; January or February in warmer areas; later in cold-winter areas.
Your pruning this year will depend on how much of your trunk and cordons developed
during the first growing season.
You will probably not have enough growth on the cordons in the first year to develop
spurs. If a plant does have the basis for a spur, then skip ahead to instructions for second-
year pruning for that plant. However, do not leave a spur on a cordon that has not developed
a barklike surface. If the cordon does not have a barklike skin, prune off all spurs on the
cordon.
