foodisfreedom
Sprout
Grapes do like "to suffer", however, that only applies to vines that are past the first 4 years of growth and training, Do not make a new vine suffer or it won't thrive. It can send down 10-20 foot roots so be nice to it for the first few years.
Grapes require at least 3 years of pruning to produce a good and healthy vine that will be able to support itself for generations. First decide on where and how they will grow. A trellis or a vineyard row etc. If you change your mind you'll need to cut all the way back to a bud on the base of the vine and start over. Two year or older growth can't be trained since it is now too woody. Grapes live longer than we do so its important to get a good support structure so the vine can produce for future generations to enjoy. Imagine a T shape. Grapes form on two year wood.
The first year you trim all the way down to the first few buds above the union. All previous growth should be pruned off down to buds near the base while the vine is dormant. In the spring the buds will grow new trunks and you let those grow upward training the best one straight like a tree trunk. Roots of vines can go very very deep so do not try to grow a vine in a pot or movable planter. The second year while dormant cut the vine back to a bud at the height you want the cordon arms. Rub off buds on the truck except for two at the top where you cut. Take all side branches off. The next years growth will be two branches from the two buds and they train horizontal like a T. Now the third year while dormant you trim those "arms" to a length depending on node length and grape variety so you'll need to do some research. Next rub off buds pointing down and space the buds along the top of the T so next years "spurs" will be spaced well and will point upward. The next spring all the growth will go upward again spaced out on the "arms". This provides the basic shape. The next or fourth year while dormant you cut the vines down to the first couple of buds on that vertical growth so that there are "spurs" off of the arms of the T. The growth from here will be a repeat of trimming back to the the bottom two buds each season and the grapes will form on these spurs along the arms in an orderly way that is easier to maintain.
You can do this type of cordon on trellis sides while letting one vine grow straight up to the top and then fanned out by head pruning to form a canopy on an arbor. Both of best worlds, this is what I have done and it is beautiful. Grapes hang on the sides and down through the arbor top.
I also have a five row mini vineyard that I grow the Marquette wine variety among other red and whites and some table varieties too. My vineyard is in the second year of training. I just love culturing something that will be here when I am gone.
Grapes require at least 3 years of pruning to produce a good and healthy vine that will be able to support itself for generations. First decide on where and how they will grow. A trellis or a vineyard row etc. If you change your mind you'll need to cut all the way back to a bud on the base of the vine and start over. Two year or older growth can't be trained since it is now too woody. Grapes live longer than we do so its important to get a good support structure so the vine can produce for future generations to enjoy. Imagine a T shape. Grapes form on two year wood.
The first year you trim all the way down to the first few buds above the union. All previous growth should be pruned off down to buds near the base while the vine is dormant. In the spring the buds will grow new trunks and you let those grow upward training the best one straight like a tree trunk. Roots of vines can go very very deep so do not try to grow a vine in a pot or movable planter. The second year while dormant cut the vine back to a bud at the height you want the cordon arms. Rub off buds on the truck except for two at the top where you cut. Take all side branches off. The next years growth will be two branches from the two buds and they train horizontal like a T. Now the third year while dormant you trim those "arms" to a length depending on node length and grape variety so you'll need to do some research. Next rub off buds pointing down and space the buds along the top of the T so next years "spurs" will be spaced well and will point upward. The next spring all the growth will go upward again spaced out on the "arms". This provides the basic shape. The next or fourth year while dormant you cut the vines down to the first couple of buds on that vertical growth so that there are "spurs" off of the arms of the T. The growth from here will be a repeat of trimming back to the the bottom two buds each season and the grapes will form on these spurs along the arms in an orderly way that is easier to maintain.
You can do this type of cordon on trellis sides while letting one vine grow straight up to the top and then fanned out by head pruning to form a canopy on an arbor. Both of best worlds, this is what I have done and it is beautiful. Grapes hang on the sides and down through the arbor top.
I also have a five row mini vineyard that I grow the Marquette wine variety among other red and whites and some table varieties too. My vineyard is in the second year of training. I just love culturing something that will be here when I am gone.
, foodisfreedom!
