Advice
RHS Help & Advice
Pruning grapes for fruit
While decorative vines require minimal fuss, those for fruit are more demanding and require careful pruning if they are to be usefully productive
The most versatile form of training is the cordon, sometimes known as the rod-and-spur system where individual vines can be developed as single or multiple cordons. Rods are usually trained vertically but can also be grown horizontally over pergolas or other supports.
Single-cordon training
Train one stem vertically and tie in to a system of horizontal wires 30cm (12in) apart. In the first summer, select one shoot to train in, tying it to a cane attached to the wires. Pinch back lateral shoots to four or five leaves and sub-laterals to one leaf. After leaf fall, cut back sideshoots to two buds and remove the immature growth of the leader back to ripened, nut-brown wood, pruning to a bud. This may be as much as two-thirds of the summers’ growth. Repeat in later years until the main stem reaches the top wire.
Each year allow laterals to form at 30cm (12in) intervals treating them as before. If more than one lateral develops, pinch surplus shoots to one leaf. Remove any fruit in the first two years and leave only three or four bunches in the third year. After this allow one bunch per 30cm run of rod, pinching shoots two leaves beyond the flower bunch or at five leaves for non-flowering shoots.
Multiple-cordon training
Multiple cordons consist of two or more rods at least 1m (39in) apart, produced from two horizontal stems. Train the vine as a single stem in the first summer. In early winter prune the stem to a bud about 40cm (16in) above the ground. During the following summer select one shoot on each side and tie to a cane at 45 degrees. In early winter lower these to the horizontal and prune back to a bud about 60cm (2ft) from the central stem. For a double cordon, in summer train the endmost shoots up a cane in the same way as for a single cordon.
For a multiple cordon, train the endmost shoot at 45 degrees to continue it and train the adjacent shoot vertically. Repeat each year until the required number of vertical arms has been created. Established multiple cordons are pruned as for single cordons.
Pruning in winter
Each winter on established vines, cut the rods loose and tie the upper half along a wire in a near-horizontal position. In this way the rising sap in spring stimulates all the buds along the rod into growth. Once the vine has started to show spring growth again, the rods can be tied back vertically.
A neglected vine should initially have all dead, diseased and damaged wood removed in early winter. Congested growth is then removed so rods are roughly 1m (39in) apart.
Congested spurs on older rods can be pruned out where there is a basal shoot to cut to.
Ornamental vines
Ornamental grape vines can be pinched back in summer with pruning to woody stems in early winter. However, to achieve a good fruiting vine, more considered pruning is required.
Tony Dickerson