Pruining Grape Vines

I'm a little perplexed on pruining grape vines in late winter, so let me tell you what I have this growing season, and I'd appreciate any suggestions. I use the four cane kniffin system. Currently, each of my four canes are, I think, one year old and brown in color. From these canes are brand new shoots, some which have already grown a couple of feet in length. These new shoots also have some new grapes on them.

This winter, will I remove the brown cane I'm now seeing and use one of these new shoots (currently green) to replace it? Or, will I continue to use this brown cane? If I am to remove this brown cane, should I allow one of these new shoots to grow the length of my wire this season?

I keep reading that grapes grow on the shoots from one year old canes. Does this mean that they won't grow from shoots on two, three, four year old canes? Thanks.

Reply to
gwtx2
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The very best book I have on pruning is an inexpensive book titled "From Vines to Wine" by Jeff Cox. This will answer all your questions and has excellent line drawings taking you through several years of pruning.

Reply to
Paul E. Lehmann

whatever you do, do it quickly. Grapes must be pruned in november. In late winter (in fact now mid spring) they will bleed profusely.

Reply to
simy1

Reply to
Nicole

Not true. You can wait until bud break and still prune. The "bleeding" has been shown not to affect the health of the vine. Even if you prune in November, when the spring sun hits the vines, the pruning cuts will "bleed". This is normal. I have 112 vines in my back yard vineyard here in Central Maryland. I generally prune in February or March but I will be dong some shoot thining in about another week. I had bud break around April 15th - as is usual around here.

Reply to
Paul E. Lehmann

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Reply to
dr-solo

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