Trimming grape vines during the summer growing season is an essential task for any backyard gardener growing grapes. Proper summer pruning encourages grape vines to be more productive, healthy, and improves the quality of your grapes. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll explain when and how to trim your grape vines in summer for optimal growth and production.
Why Trimming Grape Vines in Summer is Crucial
Grape vines undergo extremely vigorous growth during the summer months. This rapid growth needs to be controlled through strategic trimming and pruning. Here are the key reasons summer trimming of grape vines is so important:
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Manages rampant growth by slowing down vegetative expansion. Unchecked growth can harm overall vine health.
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Allows more air circulation and sunlight penetration into the interior canopy. This reduces fungal disease risks.
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Stimulates the development of new fruitful shoots that will bear next year’s grape crop.
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Removes unproductive shoots that waste the plant’s energy on fruitless growth.
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Maintains proper spacing between shoots to prevent overcrowding and entanglement
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Contains the overall size and shape of grape vines within intended bounds.
Summer pruning encourages the vine to focus its resources on developing strong, robust shoots that will in turn produce large, high-quality grape clusters.
When to Trim Grape Vines During Summer Months
Timing is everything when it comes to pruning grape vines in summer Here are guidelines on when to trim
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After fruit set once tiny grape clusters become visible. This prevents accidentally removing fruitful shoots.
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Before shoots lignify and harden off. Pruning younger green shoots is easier than cutting stiff, woody branches.
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Around mid-summer, after the major wave of spring growth. Time varies slightly by grape variety and climate.
Trimming too early in summer can reduce yields. Pruning too late won’t properly control growth before the vine goes dormant. Mid-summer pruning hits the sweet spot for most regions.
Supplies Needed for Trimming Grape Vines in Summer
Having the proper pruning tools makes summer grape vine trimming much simpler. Here are the essentials:
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Hand pruners – For cutting back smaller shoots and stems
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Loppers – For thicker shoots up to 0.5 inches diameter
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Pruning saw – For large woody shoots over 0.5 inches diameter
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Pole pruners – For hard to reach vines high up on a trellis
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Disinfectant – For sanitizing tools to prevent disease transmission
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Work gloves – For hand protection against thorns and debris
Keep tools cleaned and disinfected while pruning. High-quality pruners and saws ensure clean cuts that heal rapidly.
Step-by-Step Guide to Trimming Grape Vines in Summer
Follow these steps for trimming table, wine, and muscadine grape vines in summer:
Remove Unproductive Shoots
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Identify and completely remove any dead, damaged, or unfruitful shoots. Cut them back to their point of origin on the vine.
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Prioritize removing shoots growing toward the interior. Keep exterior shoots that receive ample sunlight.
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Leave about 6-8 productive, fruit-bearing shoots per foot of canopy. Remove excess shoots.
Space Out Productive Shoots
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Space productive shoots around 4-6 inches apart for air flow and spray penetration.
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Remove crowded shoots to achieve proper spacing and prevent entanglement.
Shorten Overly Long Shoots
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Retain healthy shoots with grape clusters, but cut back shoots that are excessively long and vigorous.
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Prune rambunctious shoots back to an upward facing bud around 6 leaves past the last cluster.
Open up Grape Clusters
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Carefully snip away 1-2 leaves on either side of grape clusters to improve exposure. Avoid damaging fruit.
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Take care not to over-thin leaves around clusters. Some foliage protection remains beneficial.
Remove Suckers and Waterspouts
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Completely remove all thin shoots emerging from the trunk or root system. These divert energy.
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Eliminating suckers and waterspouts prevents them from dominating the vine.
Shape as Needed
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Lightly trim back the outermost canopy to contain overall vine size and shape.
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Avoid over-thinning peripheral foliage which can lead to sunburned grapes.
Disinfect Tools
- Sanitize pruners after each vine to prevent spreading diseases like black knot infection.
Clean up Debris
- Remove pruned vegetation from the area or shred it to eliminate nesting sites for pests and disease.
Special Care for Young Grape Vines
Young grape vines in their first 2-3 years after planting require lighter summer pruning than mature vines. Here are tips:
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Remove just a few thin interior shoots and those with no fruit clusters. Avoid heavy pruning.
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Allow young vines time to develop their overall structure and vigor before fruiting.
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Resist taking much fruit in the first couple seasons. Instead, promote vegetative growth.
Common Summer Grape Vine Pruning Mistakes
Some frequent grape vine summer pruning errors include:
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Trimming too early in spring before fruit clusters emerge. This risks removing fruitful shoots.
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Pruning too late in summer once shoots lignify. Time it just after the major spring growth spurt subsides.
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Over-thinning foliage around grape bunches leading to sunburned fruit.
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Failure to remove suckers and waterspouts which divert energy away from fruiting vines.
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Neglecting to disinfect tools between vines enabling disease transmission.
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Allowing cut vegetation to remain in the area, providing pest habitat.
The Takeaway – Summer Trimming Benefits Grape Vines
While it may seem counterproductive to remove leaves and shoots during summer, careful trimming actually optimizes the productivity, health, and fruit quality of grape vines. Their vigorous growth needs contained at just the right time to enhance fruit yields. Annual summer pruning improves air circulation, sunlight exposure, and spray coverage for grape clusters. It also controls rampant expansion and positions shoots for improved yields next season. With this complete guide, you’ll be ready to properly trim your grape vines in summer for an abundant harvest!
J. King, WSU – Mount Vernon
Standing in front of a mass of tangled grape vine and wondering what to do with it can be a scary experience for the novice or even for the more experienced pruner. Keep in mind two essential ideas:
- Don’t be afraid to cut.When you finish, about 90% of last year’s growth will be cut.
- Grape plants are vigorous, and forgiving. Even if you make a mistake, you’ll get a chance to fix it next year.
With that said, you can approach your pruning in a spirit of learning and adventure, not panic. Grapes are best pruned in spring (February/March, or even as late as early April) because if pruned too early a hard frost in late winter can damage the canes and buds.
Starting Young Plants Off Right
When you get yournew grape plant it probably will not be pruned; instead you will find a vigorous root system and a lot of bare shoots rising out of the top. At planting time in spring you should reduce these numerous shoots to one, and cut it back to three buds (Step 1). After planting, the vine will begin to grow, and push out new green shoots. When these shoots are 8–12″ long, choose the best one and support it by tying to a stake at top and bottom. Look for a strongly growing shoot, upright or nearly so, coming directly out of the old stem (not from the underground root system). Remove the other shoots (Step 2).
As the shoot grows throughout its first summer, continue tying it up the stake to keep it straight and prevent breaking in the wind. This shoot will be your permanent trunk, lasting the whole life of the vine, so it pays to keep it as straight and upright as possible.
Your first-year vine should have reached to or above the first trellis wire (about 30″) during the previous season’s growth. If it hasn’t, cut it back again to 3 buds, and repeat the previous year’s treatment. This may seem drastic, but necessary to establish a sound trunk. Most plants are vigorous and will reach the wire easily. If the last year’s shoot just reaches the wire or a few inches beyond, cut it at the first bud above the wire and tie the shoot to the stake and the wire (A). If the shoot is longer, tie it to the stake and wire, cut the vine four or five buds beyond the tie, bend the remaining length of shoot down to the wire and tie (B). Very vigorous shoots may go well above the wire and put out strong side laterals. Choose the two laterals that are closest to the wire, tie to the wire, and prune to 3-5 buds. Tie the main stem to the wire and stake, and cut just above the side laterals (C).
During the summer, train the new shoots up to the next wire, and remove any new shoots that sprout from the root area or lower trunk.
Grapes bear fruit on the green shoots that arise from one-year-old canes. Pruning is based on producing fruit in the current season, and renewing young canes for the next year. The old canes that produced fruit this season will not produce again. There are several methods used in pruning established grapevines. Cane pruning is the usual system in climates like ours where heat units may not be high and vigorous vines can shade the fruit. In this system a permanent trunk is established, and every year new canes are selected from the head of the vine, where trunk and wire intersect. One or two canes on either side, each 8-10 buds long, are selected and tied to the wire, and all other canes cut out. Choose canes that are about the thickness of your little finger, that come out as close to the head as possible, and that have buds fairly close together. Try to avoid large thick canes with buds spaced far apart. Also leave one or two spur canes, cut to two buds each. They will provide additional canes to select from for the next year’s pruning.
The kniffen pruning system is similar to cane pruning, except that the main trunk has two levels, one at the lower wire height and the other about 30″ above it. In our climate conditions, too often the upper level shoots are so vigorous that they shade out the lower level, so the kniffen system is not much used. The third method sometimes used is the cordon system. Some wine grape varieties produce better when trained to this method, though it is not recommended for American types such as Concord. In the second season, one cane is trained to each side of the trunk, and they become permanent arms that remain as the base on which short spurs are established to produce new fruiting canes each year. These spurs are two or three buds long. In pruning a cordon-trained vine, it is sometimes necessary to cut back old spurs that have grown too long. Select the cane that is closest to the cordon arm, cut it to two buds, and remove the rest of the old spur.
How to prune Grape Vines in summer | Grow at Home | RHS
FAQ
Can you trim grapes in the summer?
Yes, proper grapes summer pruning helps prevent diseases by promoting better airflow and reducing humidity around the vine. By removing excess growth, you make it more difficult for fungal diseases like powdery mildew to take hold, ensuring healthier vines and better-quality grapes for growing table grapes.
How far back should I cut my grape vine?
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YouTube · Modern Gardenerhttps://www.youtube.comHow to Prune Grape VinesMar 24, 2023 — that is what we’re aiming for get rid of anything that looks diseased or moldy. anything that doesn’t look healthy get rid. of. so here’s our cane y…
What happens if a grape vine is not pruned annually?
Left unpruned, grapevines may have high yields of fruit, but the grapes will be smaller and of lower quality.May 9, 2022
What are the pruning methods for grapes?
First dormant season: Choose the best shoot and cut others to the base. Prune remaining shoot to three or four strong buds. Second growing season: When new shoots reach about 12 inches long, select the most vigorous and pinch off others at the trunk. Tie the remaining shoots to support (arbor post, trellis post).
How to prune a grape vine in summer?
Before pruning a grape vine in summer, it’s essential to have the right tools and techniques to ensure a successful pruning session. The necessary tools for summer pruning include pruning shears, loppers, and hand saws. Pruning shears are ideal for cutting small shoots and canes, while loppers are better suited for thicker growth.
Do grapes need a winter pruning?
Of course, hands-on experience will mean all the world to you and the health of your grapes. So, grab your pruners, get under those hanging vines and start clipping away. Most people know that a good winter pruning of grapes, while the vines are fully dormant, is in order. Has anyone ever told you that grapes need summer maintenance too?
How often should you prune a grape vine?
Prune vines annually, in late winter or early spring when they’re dormant, making sure to leave behind a trunk or two and two to four cordons per vine. You should have three or four buds per foot of cordon. Expect to remove as much as 80 percent or more of new growth. Grapes appeal to birds, so use netting to protect your vines.