Q&A – How do you prune grape vines?
Question:
How do you prune grape vines?
Answer:
Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison explains how to prune grape vines. Grapes grow on current season’s growth that grows off of one-year old wood. They should be pruned in late winter after the last hard frost. Prune back all the long runners leaving 2-5 buds on each runner. These runners will be the one-year old wood. The buds will form the current season’s growth and will be where the plant fruits. If you do a severe pruning and cut the plant back to the larger stems you will not have any fruit this year (there is no one year old wood) but next year there will be one-year old wood and so there is the opportunity for fruiting.
Related Resources:
Backyard Grapes
Pruning Grapes in Home Gardens: Basic Guidelines
How do you prune grape vines?
Answer:
Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison explains how to prune grape vines. Grapes grow on current season’s growth that grows off of one-year old wood. They should be pruned in late winter after the last hard frost. Prune back all the long runners leaving 2-5 buds on each runner. These runners will be the one-year old wood. The buds will form the current season’s growth and will be where the plant fruits. If you do a severe pruning and cut the plant back to the larger stems you will not have any fruit this year (there is no one year old wood) but next year there will be one-year old wood and so there is the opportunity for fruiting.
Related Resources:
Backyard Grapes
Pruning Grapes in Home Gardens: Basic Guidelines