Prune a vine: how to do it and when

When deciding when to prune a vine , the same rule applies as in the vast majority of plants: the vine must be pruned when it is in vegetative rest . Otherwise, the plant has not stored its nutrients properly, and can become weak and lose a lot of energy with pruning. Thus, the usual pruning season will always be between the end of its fruiting season and the beginning of spring , before it regains its activity.

In this regard, there are those who advise pruning between the end of winter and the beginning of spring, since the plant produces a somewhat later but more abundant and optimal fruiting.

There are two types of pruning a vine : formation pruning and fruiting pruning.

Formation pruning is carried out during the first years of the vine’s life, and its function is to give the plant a suitable shape and structure. This shape will vary depending on the function you want to give your vine, it is not the same to seek a maximum production of grapes than, for example, a vine that provides shade in a garden.

Fruiting pruning is carried out on older plants that already have a suitable base shape, and its objective is for the plant to grow healthy and bear good fruit.

How to prune a young vine

The pruning is performed during the first 3 to 4 years of the vine. Pruning should be carried out in the first winter after planting, although if your vine is too small and still weak, you can wait until the following year.

In the first formation pruning, choose the strongest and straightest branch of your vine, which will become its main branch. You should prune all the other weak branches to the base, and also prune the main shoot leaving 2 buds if it is a black grape vine, or 3 if they are white grapes. In the next formation pruning, choose the strongest shoot again and cut the rest, leaving the main one about 30 cm in length. In addition, here it will be convenient to tie the branch to a guide or support, and when it grows enough to reach the height of the same, pinch it so that it branches, and clamp those same branches the following year, about 25 cm in length.

There are other types of training pruning, but this is the most used to get vines that give a good amount of fruit without reaching too high.

How to prune an old vine

The fruiting pruning is carried out on vines that already have their desired basic structure, and they only need adequate maintenance to eliminate parts in poor condition and that their branches do not shade each other.

To continue stimulating vine growth, you should prune older wooden branches that are no longer producing new shoots. Also prune any branches or parts that appear to be diseased or in poor condition, and remove new shoots that will cross the main branches or may hinder their growth by blocking the light.

In this other AgroCorrn post we will tell you more about Vine Maintenance .

If the main objective of your vine is to provide shade rather than fruit, the formation pruning should be completely different.

Steps to prune a vine for shade

Leave only the strongest stem of your vine, tied to a support so that it rises over it, and eliminates the lateral shoots that appear until the vine reaches the desired height, from where its growth and leafiness will be stimulated on the supports that you place so that they provide adequate shade when you finish covering them.

Here you can learn more about How to easily make a trellis .

The harvest or collection of the grapes depends on when the pruning of the vine has been carried out and on the weather conditions of the area and the season.

However, the usual thing is that it starts well into the summer, around the middle or end of July, and lasts until September.

If you want to read more articles similar to Pruning a vine: how to do it and when , we recommend that you enter our category of Outdoor Plants .