How to Prune GrapevinesPart One

Introduction

Pruning is one of the most important operations carried out in the vineyard and is one of the most expensive and time consuming

Introduction

Pruning time gives the opportunity to:• Regulate the form and size of the vine• Regulate the vigour of the vine• Regulate the quantity (yield) and quality of the

grapes

It Starts in the Bud

The bud contains the shoot, the leaves, tendrils and flowers, ready to burst and grow in spring A bud is found in the nodes of grapevine shootsThese buds appear single but in fact, comprise at least three 'true' buds and a lateral bud

Bud

Node

Shoots

• In spring the main bud bursts to become a shoot

Tendril

Leaf

Flowers• The shoot will produce the flowers that become the fruit

Shoots

As well as producing fruit for this season the shoot develops the buds for next seasons growthLater on the shoots harden, turn brown and become canes

The shoot………. becomes the cane

Canes

• A shoot becomes a cane after periderm formation

• From these canes will come the shoots that will carry the crop for the next season

• But canes will only produce fruit if they come from buds that have been left deliberately (if you can count them)

• Otherwise....

They are Watershoots

The difference between a watershoot and a count shoot is....

Watershoots

Count shoots from count nodes

Watershoots from nowhere

Therefore…

• Pruning is a matter of leaving count nodes• Count nodes are the nodes that you

deliberately leave at pruning • Count nodes are always from wood (canes)

that grew in the last season• These canes come from count nodes from the

previous season• They are not from watershoots

Recap……• Nodes contain buds• The main bud bursts to become a shoot• The new shoot produces the flowers

which become the fruit• At the same time the new buds are

forming in the shoot• Shoots become canes when they turn

brown• Only canes that come from deliberately

left buds are used for pruning which are found on count nodes

Before we move on

Basal budA bud at the base of a

caneThey don’t normally

burst in the same season as buds at nodes

These can remain dormant for many years

But when they do burst they produce....

Blind budsBuds that don’t burst

Watershoots

• Watershoots come from buds that have been dormant

• But during this time they lose the fruitfulness

• And that’s why they look like they come from nowhere!

One last thing!

• Bud swell and bleeding• Bud swell is when the buds swell and

become fluffy just before budburst

Bleeding

• When a cane, spur or cordon is cut close to bud burst time the cut 'bleeds'

• Bleeding is due to increased sap flow within the vine, which brings carbohydrate from the roots and trunks

• It can also bleed early on in the pruning season if it rains heavily followed by warm weather

Next…..Cane Pruning