Pruning grapes is the most correct way to increase fruiting. Spring pruning of grapes in a step-by-step description. Is it possible to prune grapes so as not to get in the way?

Pruning grapes in the summer is necessary to preserve their strength, so that the bush does not waste its potential on the formation of “unnecessary” fresh shoots. Let's look at the nuances of summer pruning grape bushes and the recommendations of experienced gardeners. As you know, this crop is characterized by rapid growth; if it is not controlled, then actively growing vines will suck vitality from the roots. We need a harvest - juicy, sweet bunches of grapes, so we need to remove excess branches in a timely manner so that all the nutrients flow to the fruits and not into the shoots.

Summer pruning of grapes is the basis of the future harvest

The main cleaning of the rows is done in the fall, but summer pruning of grapes is no less important - it corrects the growth of the vines and balances the balance between fruitful and empty shoots. The harvesting process will also be more comfortable - you won’t have to wade through the thickets to get the bunches. This process also increases the bush’s endurance and helps it survive the growing season.

If you properly care for young grape bushes in the first years of their life, you will lay a good foundation for future abundant fruiting. A frivolous attitude towards pruning, for example, summer (corrective) pruning, will have a bad effect on the development of the bush, the quality, and taste of the berries. In other words, instead of an abundance of grapes, you will get a chaotically overgrown bush, which, at best, can provide you with shade during the heat.

Multiple fruit shoots on a bush work to increase the number of bunches, but the quality (taste, size) suffers. Also, empty shoots, covered with leaves but without fruits, thicken the bush - these factors reduce the yield. That is why the most important rule for growing grapes is maintaining balance - an acceptable relationship between the vines.

Green grape pruning

It is noteworthy that winegrowers often do not use garden tools for this task. The specificity of the procedure involves the manual removal of young shoots. In fact, this event is of a corrective nature and lasts from June to August, that is, almost the entire summer. If you decide to start growing grapes, be prepared to constantly monitor the bushes, regularly pinch off shoots, and break out excess shoots.

Removal of the lower processes, photo:

Young shoots begin to be removed in June, while fruiting vines are tied to supporting supports - this is done to evenly distribute the weight between empty and fruiting branches. At this time stage, the formation of replacement knots is formed, from which new fruitful vines will grow next summer. Pruning grapes in the summer after flowering is the removal of stepsons - this happens in July. At the same time, the bushes are treated with protective agents against pests and fertilizers are applied. Fertilizing improves the taste of fruits, and pruning lays the foundation for yields for the current and next year.

Shoots that will bear fruit next year, photo:

In the last month of summer, young branches are chased; this process is somewhat reminiscent of pinching. This cuts off the top of the shoot, but the difference is that tapping removes a much larger portion of the branch than pinching. There should be approximately 14 leaves left on the shoot. Also, the minting procedure is carried out much later in time, when the growth activity of the branches begins to gradually decrease. When minting, shoots of fruit shoots, shoots of substitute knots, and branches growing from perennial woody vines are corrected.

The growth of branches stops after minting; all the vital forces of the plant are concentrated in the grape clusters and internodes, which are located below the cut site. Such pruning of grapes has a positive effect on all parts of the bush, the fruits ripen better, and better access of sunlight to the branches and clusters is ensured. In addition, in August, in order to stimulate the activity of the lower part of the root system, some experienced winegrowers recommend cutting off part of the upper roots.

Summer pruning of grapes for beginners

Taking into account the above information, it becomes clear that green pruning is carried out constantly: before the flowering of the clusters, after they fade, during the tying of bunches. As for the antennae, the procedure for removing them can be carried out every day. They act as a kind of clues, since the structure of the grapes resembles a liana. If you tie the branches of bushes to supports, then the tendrils can be pinched off completely.

Pinching is done before the flowering period begins; in other words, the upper segment of a young branch is removed with the help of fingers. The part of the shoot remaining after pinching off is usually about 10 cm (to the border of the beginning of the woody vine). The method is of the same nature as minting, which was mentioned above, only the forces of the plant are activated in future inflorescences. This process has a positive effect on the quality and quantity of future bunches. It should be repeated every 12-14 days.

After the end of the flowering period, around July, green pruning of the grapes is carried out - removing the stepsons. They are shoots that grow from a place located between the leaf and the stem of the branch. If you miss the moment, these shoots will quickly grow, the bush will become dense, and access of sunlight to the fruit will be difficult. In addition, the grapes may get sick, and the berries will lose their sweetness and become sour. There is no need to completely remove the stepson (to the very base), since in a couple of days a new shoot will appear in its place. It will be better if you pinch off part of the stepson, leaving 2 cm of length. Inspections of stepchildren should be carried out weekly.

Lightening a bush is pruning grapes aimed at thinning the crown. In this case, the necessary ventilation and better access to the sun's rays are achieved; this procedure is carried out during the ripening of the bunches. An important point - always remove cut branches, do not leave them on the ground under the grapes. This foliage can harbor pests and bacteria, which will subsequently successfully move onto the bush and infect it.

Don't be afraid to thin out bushes that are too dense, even if there are brushes on the branches being removed. You may lose a little in the quantity of the harvest, but its quality will undoubtedly gain. If the branch is strong, then three or four bunches of grapes can be placed on it; on weak vines, it is recommended to leave one cluster.

Whatever variety is planted, in the first and second years of the bush’s life, all types of pruning are performed in the same way.
Before you start removing excess shoots, decide on the shape of the bush and calculate the order of your actions in advance.
If winters are too cold in your area, the grapes will need protective shelter; its trunk should be very small.
If a fruitful vine has already wintered twice, it should be pruned, as it will no longer produce fruit.
If you trim fruit shoots, be aware that the lowest pair of buds are almost always empty. Leave at least 8 eyes on the arrow.

Caring for grapes and pruning in summer differs from autumn procedures, since it does not affect woody fragments of the bush, but is limited only to green branches, leaves, and ovaries of the clusters.

Still, it is worth mentioning one more technique that allows you to improve the quality of the harvest and reduce the ripening time of fruits. We are talking about ringing - a rather traumatic procedure for the bush. It is allowed to be carried out once every two to three years. Girding is the removal of rings of bark from fruiting branches. The thickness of the removed layer should be no more than 3 mm. Thus, the nutritious juices of the plant are directed to the clusters, as well as to those parts of the vines that are located above the “operated” fragment.

Timely pruning of grapes in the summer is a necessary, useful event, which will only benefit you and the bush itself. A correctly carried out procedure and regular monitoring of the condition of the vineyard with the onset of autumn will bring the expected result, and the grapes will reward you for your efforts with a generous harvest of bulk bunches.

The key to a rich harvest is competent and conscientious care of the plant. In growing grapes, one of the most important procedures is pruning. We tell and show how to prune bushes correctly.

One of the features of grapes is polarity - the plant’s ability to vertically direct nutrients predominantly to the upper young shoots. This property was developed in grapes historically: living in wild conditions, the plant constantly stretched upward, trying to find a brighter and warmer place.

For normal development, grapes need a large amount of sunlight.

Because of this, the eyes in the middle and lower parts of the bush develop much worse than in the upper parts, and sometimes do not produce shoots at all. If you do not prune the grapes and let them grow freely, the berries will gradually become smaller, and then the bush itself will go wild. That is why it is necessary to renew the grapes in a timely manner by pruning.

When is it better to prune grapes - in spring or autumn?

The time for pruning grapes depends on climatic conditions. So, if winters are harsh in your area, prune in the spring. In regions with moderately cold winters, grape bushes are pruned in the fall - about 20 days after the leaves fall. Frost-resistant grape varieties are pruned first, while more heat-loving and less cold-resistant varieties (as well as young bushes) are pruned in the spring. You need to start pruning grapes in spring before sap flow begins, otherwise the flowing sap will interfere with wound healing. If you missed this point, we recommend cutting off only dried old shoots and unnecessary young shoots, and forming the bush by blinding (plucking out) the extra eyes of the vine.

Spring pruning of grapes requires extreme care, since improper execution of this procedure can destroy the plant. The blades of pruning tools should be well sharpened and disinfected with an alcohol-based product.

To check how well a blade is sharpened, take a piece of paper and run its edge along the tip of the tool. If the paper is difficult to cut, then the blade needs to be sharpened.

With the onset of the first warm days, when the air temperature reaches 5°C, prepare the necessary tools and begin renewing the grapes. The main tool is a pruning shear, but to work with older, thicker branches you will need a pruning saw. The cut should be as even and smooth as possible, without splits, cracks or burrs.

Proper pruning of grapes - what you need to know

There are several simple rules, following which even the most inexperienced summer resident can successfully cope with pruning grapes:

The cut should be made at a right angle (perpendicular to the branch). This will speed up healing, since the wound area will be smaller than with a sloped cut.
Regardless of the pruning scheme, in any case, remove diseased and frozen branches.
Do not leave shoots that are too long - 7-12 eyes (buds) are enough for normal branch growth.

Remove fruit-bearing annual shoots very carefully so as not to damage perennial wood. To do this, make cuts at the base of a perennial shoot, leaving a stump 0.5 cm high.
For fruiting, leave healthy shoots with a diameter of at least 6 mm. Remove thinner and fattening shoots (more than 10 mm in diameter).

Below we will consider two types of bush formation by pruning.

Pruning grapes during standard formation

The pruning procedure should be appropriate for each age of the grapes.

Spring 1st year: To obtain two shoots, cut the seedling to 2 eyes, removing the rest.

Spring of the 2nd year. Shorten the main shoot, which will act as a trunk, to the desired height (usually 50-90 cm). It will serve as the basis for the standard. Just in case, you can save one more shoot by cutting it to 2 eyes.

Spring of the 3rd year. On the main shoot (trunk), remove all the vines except the top two. Cut each of them to 2 eyes and tie them to the trellis, pointing them in different directions. Cut 4 shoots that have grown over the summer in the fall as follows: cut the lower shoots on each side to 2 buds (these will be replacement knots), and the upper shoots to 5-15 buds (these will be fruiting arrows).

Spring 4th year. Cut out the fruit-bearing branches, and from the shoots that grew on the replacement branches, form new fruit links (on each side of the bush, cut one shoot to 5-15 buds, and the second to 2 buds).

More detailed information about standard forming awaits you in the following video:

Pruning grapes when forming without a trunk

This type of formation also has its own subtleties.

Spring of the 1st year. Remove all dry, diseased and damaged parts of the bush. Leave 10% of all young shoots, cut them at a height of 2-3 cm above the second bud.

Spring of the 2nd year. Remove 60% of the young growth, leaving 2-3 of the strongest sleeves (cut them to 2 buds).

Spring of the 3rd year. This is the age of formation of fruiting units. Shorten the lower vine (replacement knot) to 2 buds, the upper part (fruit shoot) to 7-14 buds. There should be 2 vines left on each sleeve, the rest can be removed.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the advice of experienced winegrowers presented in this video:

Features of spring pruning of fruiting grapes

To prune a grape bush that has already begun to produce a harvest, it is necessary to remove all fruit-bearing, damaged, weak, thin or, conversely, too thick (“fattening”) shoots, leaving developed mature vines of medium thickness (6-10 mm).

Spring and autumn pruning together represent a single set of procedures. Autumn pruning is a preliminary treatment prior to covering the grapes for the winter. It involves removing unripe parts of the shoots to minimize damage and help the bush survive the winter safely. In autumn, grape bushes are pruned so that there are more eyes than planned shoots (in case some do not survive the winter).

Types of special spring pruning for damaged grape bushes

The structure of a grape bush

If after winter you find signs of frostbite on the grape bushes, do not despair - you can restore the plant (at least partially) with the help of special pruning.

1. The bushes froze during wintering

First, check the condition of your kidneys. Make cuts on the eyes, moving from the base of the branch to the top: if the buds are green, then they are healthy. But a black or dark brown color indicates damage. Count the damaged buds and calculate what percentage of the total volume of the buds they make up.

If less than 80% of the kidneys die leave a larger number of buds on the fruit links than with conventional shaping. The harvest can also be obtained from additional shoots on the fruiting branches that you left during autumn pruning.

If annual shoots or bushes were frostbitten more than 80% of the kidneys died, two-stage sanitary pruning will help. Before the buds bloom, remove frozen shoots and damaged sleeves. When greenery appears, complete the sanitary pruning by removing unnecessary growth.

If 100% of the kidneys are affected check the condition of the stepchildren - they are more frost-resistant and have a better chance of surviving the winter. If the buds of the stepsons are also dead, try to form fruiting links from shoots (shoots developing from the underground part of the trunk) or tops (fatifying shoots of a grape bush growing from buds on perennial branches).

Look at how the core is colored when cut: its bright green color indicates the good condition of the shoot, slightly browned color indicates minor damage. But shoots with a dark brown core need to be removed.

When the entire above-ground part of the bush dies, a cut is made “to the black head”. To do this, dig the bush to a depth of 25-30 cm and cut off the entire above-ground part above the healthy node. Then cover the stump with earth (5 cm layer), and soon young shoots will begin to grow from the trunk. Leave the strongest ones and remove the excess growth. This will give you a new, healthy vine.

2. Frostbite of the roots of the bush

Often, a frosty winter with little snow leads to damage or death of part of the grape root system. Carefully dig up the ground in several places around the bush to different depths, make cuts on the roots of the plant - healthy roots should be white when cut, frostbitten roots should be dark brown.

If the diameter of the root frostbite is no more than 2.5 mm, this is not detrimental to the plant, the main thing is that the main part of the root system is preserved, which means that the vine will recover next year. In the spring, reduce the load on it by pruning the fruit vines short.

3. Damage from spring hail

If after a spring hail the bush has lost a significant part of its leaves, trim the young shoots to 1-2 buds. Later, shoots will appear from them that need to be thinned out. This will help activate the reserve eyes, which will begin to bear fruit next year.

4. Damage due to cold snap

Spring frosts, often coinciding with the period of bud break, can destroy not only young shoots and buds, but also annual vines. If this happens, briefly prune last year's branches to stimulate the growth of new shoots from dormant buds.

If the greens and inflorescences are damaged, then in order to awaken the sleeping buds, shortening the annual shoots will be enough. This will partially restore the harvest. If only the tops of the branches, as well as a small number of leaves and inflorescences are damaged, special pruning is not necessary.

Thanks to proper pruning of the grapevine, the berries will become larger and juicier, and the harvest will increase. Also, pruning will greatly simplify the care of the bushes and speed up the ripening of the grapes.

Pruning of grapes in the summer is carried out so that the plant does not waste its energy on the formation of fresh branches. The fact is that the vineyard is a fast-growing garden crop. If you don't give it enough attention, the plant will focus entirely on growing a new vine. Accordingly, even if there is a harvest, the berries will be small and tasteless. Therefore, grapes must be regularly removed from unnecessary shoots. How to properly prune a plant in the summer and what the recommended work plan looks like, you will learn from this article.

Purposes of pruning grapevines in summer

If not, it very quickly turns into a wild shrub. This not only negatively affects the quality of the fruit, but also makes harvesting significantly more difficult.

Summer pruning of grapes allows you to correct the growth of the bush. In addition, it is necessary to carefully monitor the balance of fruitful and empty vines.

If there are a lot of fruitful arrows in your vineyard, then the harvest will be plentiful, but the berries will not shine in size and taste. The fact is that the fruits simply will not have enough nutrients necessary for full formation.

This can only be produced by empty branches covered with leaves but without fruit. If there are many more such branches than fruitful vines, then the plant will turn out to be too dense, which again will have a bad effect on the harvest.

Therefore, when carrying out summer pruning, the gardener first of all monitors the optimal ratio of the vines. In other words, summer removal and shortening of shoots is of a preventive nature, which allows the plant to better endure the active growing season.

Features of summer pruning

Summer work, which is carried out by gardeners in their vineyards, usually takes place without the use of garden tools. The procedure for carrying out the procedure boils down mainly to breaking out and pinching young growth.

For novice gardeners, it is worth noting that summer pruning is a very loose concept. Therefore, work begins in June and ends at the end of August.

Therefore, if you decide to plant grapes on your plot, expect that your hands will be busy all summer. If you neglect the summer care of the vineyard, you may not expect a good harvest the next season. But if you correctly carry out all the work related to the care and pruning of grapes, in the fall the vine will literally sag from large and juicy grape bunches.

Timing for pruning

In June, young shoots are usually broken off and the fruiting vine is tied up. This allows each plant to evenly distribute the load of set bunches and empty shoots. This month, replacement branches are laid so that next year fruit-bearing branches will appear in their place.

In August, young shoots are usually minted. In addition, experienced gardeners remove part of the upper roots, this stimulates the vital activity of the lower part of the rhizome.

The grape tendrils can be removed daily or not at all. By its nature, grapes are very similar to a vine, in which the tendrils play the role of fastening. If you are tying up a bush, the mustache can be removed completely.

As you already understand, in summer grapes need to be pruned before and after flowering. Even at the moment when the clusters have already appeared, it is recommended to remove excess shoots. For beginning gardeners, it is worth talking in more detail about each stage of summer pruning of grapes.

Proper pruning of grapes in summer is the key to a good harvest in autumn

Summer pruning of grapes among gardeners is called green operation. Conventionally, this operation can be divided into several stages: pinching, removing stepsons, chasing and lightening. This is what the outline of each stage should roughly look like.

Pinching

This event is usually carried out before the vineyard begins to bloom. The procedure is performed quite simply; the upper part of the young shoot is pinched with two fingers. The length of this pinching is usually about 10 centimeters before the beginning of the woody part of the vine.

With this pruning method, shoot growth is stopped. Accordingly, all nutrients aimed at the formation and growth of new branches are redirected to strengthening future inflorescences.

The purpose of this operation is to stimulate fruiting. It is worth noting that the effect after pinching usually lasts about a week and a half, after which the procedure should be repeated.

Removing stepchildren

In order to properly trim the stepsons, the event should be planned for July, immediately after the bush blooms. The stepson is a lateral shoot that begins to grow from the leaf axil in the main part of the shoot.

If such branches are not removed, the grapes become too dense. As a result, without sunlight, the fruits become sour, and the plant itself may even get sick.

There is no need to remove stepchildren to the ground. The grapes grow very quickly and in 1-2 days a new shoot begins to emerge at the site of the remote tap. It is recommended to cut the stepson approximately 1.5-2 centimeters from the first leaf.

It is necessary to inspect the vineyard for the appearance of new shoots and remove them every week.

Coinage

The scheme of this operation is essentially reminiscent of pinching. The only difference is the deeper removal of the shoot tip - about 40 centimeters. This procedure is usually carried out at the end of summer and promotes faster ripening of the fruit.

Do not mint too early or shorten the shoots too much. Otherwise, the grapes will create stepsons more intensively, spending additional internal resources on their formation. In addition, removing a large part of the vine along with the foliage will slow down the plant's photosynthesis, as a result of which the grapes will take longer to ripen.

When minting, about 14 leaves should remain on each shoot. This is quite enough for the grapes to survive. This procedure is usually carried out with bare hands. If you decide to use pruning shears or a knife, be sure to disinfect the tools.

Lightening

The essence of the work is to remove part of the foliage. This provides the plant with better ventilation. It is usually carried out at the moment of ripening of the brushes at the discretion of the gardener. If your vineyard is covered with foliage, then it makes sense to thin it out.

It is worth noting that many gardeners make the typical mistake of leaving removed foliage at the roots of the grapes. This should not be done; bacteria can form on the torn leaves, which will eventually infect the plant.

If your vineyard pleases you with a bountiful harvest, you can thin out the bunches a little. The quantity of fruits, of course, will decrease, but their quality will increase. The recommended number of bunches for strong shoots should not exceed three. For a weak vine, one bunch will be enough.

Note to the gardener

In the first two years after planting, all grape varieties are pruned exactly the same.
Before starting pruning, it is recommended to think in advance not only the procedure, but also the shape of the bush. And based on this, start working.
If your region practices covering grapes for the winter, the plant's bole should be minimal.
If the vine has already endured two winters, it must be removed. It will no longer bear fruit.
When pruning fruitful arrows, take into account the fact that the two lower buds are usually empty. Therefore, it is necessary to leave at least 8 eyes.

It’s probably no secret that correct and timely pruning of grapes is one of the most important operations in the vineyard.

Not only the annual quantity and quality of the harvest we receive depends on it, but also the general condition of the plant, the ability to resist diseases and pests, successful development during the growing season and the favorable condition of the grape bush during the cold season.

Beginner winegrowers may find the process of pruning a grapevine quite complicated and confusing, but everything is not so complicated, the main thing is to understand the very essence of pruning and learn how to technically carry it out correctly in practice.

And today’s article and video materials for it will help you with this. The article is of an overview nature only; you can learn more about each of the presented pruning methods in separate materials on the site by clicking on the links "Read more.." or a list of articles at the end of the page.

Time to prune grapes. In autumn or spring?

Crying grapes after spring pruning.

Pruning of a grape plant is done in a dormant state. The grapes are in this state during the cold season. All biological processes in the above-ground part of the bush, including sap flow, are temporarily stopped, and the grapes tolerate both small formative pruning and the removal of a significant part of perennial wood without any losses.

The grapes enter a dormant state after natural leaf fall with the first night frosts, and emerge from it in early spring, when the average daily temperature reaches +10 degrees in your region of residence.

Theoretically, pruning can be carried out at any time during a dormant state, but in practice, pruning in frosty, waist-deep snow is an unpleasant task, and when growing grapes under cover, it is simply impossible. For this reason, the majority of winegrowers prune in late autumn (November) or early spring (March-April) before the buds begin to open.

If you are in the northern viticulture zone and are growing grapes under cover, I recommend autumn pruning the vineyard in order to remove all vines unnecessary for development next year before covering, which will greatly facilitate the process of laying and covering the bush. In no case should you rush with autumn pruning, since there must be an outflow of plastic substances from annual wood into the perennial and underground part of the plant, after which the plant is completely ready for winter and any type of pruning of the bush can be done.

If your geographical location or vineyard varietal assortment allows you to grow grapes in an uncovered culture, your pruning time spring. Among experienced winegrowers, disputes often flare up about the harm or, conversely, the harmlessness of spring pruning after the sap flow of the “crying” grapevine begins. Let's just say that pruning after the start of sap flow is acceptable, but it is better not to delay and prune earlier.

Personally, in the conditions of the south of Belarus, I prune the covering varieties in November, a couple of weeks before the vineyard is covered and the onset of the first persistent frosts, and the uncovered bushes “Alpha” (popularly “Isabella”) and varieties of Baltic selection on arbors - in early spring, after the snow melts, during pruning of fruit trees and bushes.

Pruning grapes in autumn, VIDEO for beginners:

Grape pruning tool

If you have a young vineyard, then the only tool you need is a pruner. If there are old neglected bushes in the vineyard or rejuvenation pruning is planned with the removal of perennial bush elements with a significant thickness of wood, a powerful garden pruner for trimming the branches of fruit trees, and in some cases a hacksaw, will not hurt. I hope that you have all this, of course, available.

Well, should we cut ahead? But no, the tool must be sharpened and disinfected. To disinfect the tool, it is enough to wipe its cutting parts with any liquid with a high alcohol content, but winegrower Alexander Krot will show us how to properly sharpen the pruning shears in this video:

Types of grape pruning:

FORMATIVE Pruning OF GRAPES

This type of grape pruning is used in the first years of the grape bush’s life. During formative pruning, all elements of the bush that are not included in the selected formation are removed, as well as weak and immature vines, the skeletal basis of the plant and the elements of annual fruiting - fruit links or vines - are formed. The period of formation of a young bush lasts from two to four years, depending on the climatic zone of residence, the formation chosen by the winegrower, the growth vigor of the plant and the degree of care for it.

Video of forming and trimming fan-shaped grapes:

Video of forming and trimming the cordon shape of grapes:

ANNUAL AUTUMN PRUNING OF GRAPES

This type of pruning is carried out annually after the grape bush is fully formed and begins to bear fruit. This type of pruning is unchanged from year to year, depending on the chosen formation, and serves the role of maintaining the formation in an unchanged condition throughout the life of the bush. A senior researcher at the laboratory of agricultural technology at the All-Russian Research Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking named after A. ME AND. Potapenko Russian Agricultural Academy, candidate of agricultural sciences. Sci. Khisamutdinov A.F.

Video of annual fan pruning:

Video of annual pruning of arched (gazebo) formation:

Pruning an old neglected grape bush

Surely, every beginning winegrower already has several old, neglected grape bushes on their property, the condition of which, to put it mildly, causes anxiety and concern. To begin with, you should clearly determine for yourself the future of this bush. If for some reason you are not satisfied with the variety, is it even worth spending time on restoring it? I'm sure not. It is much more effective to use this bush as a rootstock for another variety, that is, to regraft. But if the variety suits you quite well, then the first thing you need to do is, of course, trim our neglected bush.

ANTI-AGING CUT

Pruning is done to replace outdated and lost conductive qualities of the skeletal elements of the bush formation with new young shoots. This type of pruning will not be considered in this article.

How to prune grapes correctly, VIDEO for beginners:

So we got acquainted with the main types of grape pruning. Now you have a general idea of how to properly trim grapes, but I strongly recommend that you read all the articles in this section of the site listed below in order to study each type of pruning and shaping separately in more detail.

Grape pruning- one of the most difficult events held at the dacha. Sometimes it's hard to figure it out how to prune grapes correctly and when.

Pruning a grape bush comes down to cutting off 90 percent of the vine, leaving the required number of eyes (buds).

Let's look at it in detail secrets of proper pruning of grapevines, starting from the first year of planting.

Pruning of grapes can be done both in spring and autumn. When pruning in the fall, it is advisable to cover the bush for the winter, protecting it from freezing. If your area has harsh winters, prune in the spring or cover the vine for the winter. By the way, unpruned grapes withstand winter better.

The base of the trunk, which is located underground, is called heel, roots grow from it.

Stamb- part of the stem up to the first lateral shoot, like all trees. In grapes, part of the stem is also underground, ending at the heel.

Head- a thickening on the main stem from which side shoots extend.

Sleeves (shoulders)- these are side shoots extending from the main stem. And the eyes on them are the same kidneys.

There are terms that need to be remembered: fruit arrow and substitution knot.

fruit arrow– a long-cut sleeve, on which 8-12 buds are left after trimming.

Substitution knot– short sleeve, after trimming there are 2-4 eyes left.

Fruit link– a pair of shoots consisting of a replacement knot and a fruit shoot. We've sorted out all the names, let's move on to the secrets of pruning grapes.

There are a huge variety of options for forming a grapevine. Let's focus on the simplest and most understandable form - shoots to grow not vertically, but horizontally.

In spring, the 2 lowest buds are left on the central shoot, the rest is cut off. Grow 2 shoots from them, and tie them up obliquely in different directions.

In late autumn, when all the leaves have fallen, this cannot be done earlier, otherwise the grapes will bleed juice, shortening the shoots. We leave one shoot short, leaving 2 buds, the second shoot is left long, leaving 4 buds. For the winter, remove the grapevine from the trellis and cover it.

In the spring, after the threat of severe frosts has passed (early April), remove the shelter and tie the vine to the bottom wire of the trellis, with the tops in different directions.

The stems growing from the buds shoot vertically upward or with a slight inclination away from the center of the bush.

In autumn, after the leaves fall, the long sleeve is cut off leaving 2 shoots. The sleeves will become the same. Then cut off the vertical stems: those that are closer to the center and lower along the main stem, cut off leaving 2 buds. This will be a substitution knot.

In the spring, after the frosts have passed, remove the cover from the grapevine. Tie long fruit arrows to the bottom wire of the trellis horizontally, with their tops in opposite directions.

Substitution knots leave to grow vertically. During the summer, stems will grow from all the buds. At the beginning of August, carry out chasing - trimming the stems by 10-20 cm. This will increase the quality and quantity of berries.

Do not chase before August, otherwise a mass of shoots will appear on the vine.

in autumn, after leaf fall, cut off the outermost 4 vertical shoots with part of the sleeve.

As a result, on each shoulder there will be one link with two vertical shoots. They should be pruned in the same way as in the second year. Cut off the shoot closest to the center, leaving 2 buds, and leaving the ones further away with 4 buds.

For all subsequent years of growth of the grape bush, pruning should be carried out in the same way as in the third year.

Attention: for greater reliability and reserve, you can leave more buds on the shoots, but no more than 10 on each. This is done in case of frost damage.

For example, the optimal number is 3 buds on replacement knots and 6-7 buds on fruit shoots. In the spring, if all the buds have survived, the excess ones can be cut off.

Video – Grapes Bush pruning

Here are the main secrets for pruning grapes in the fall, the observance of which will be the key to obtaining a high-quality and large harvest of berries.