Topic: Grape Vine

[Grant]

Taken on a 2nd allotment.  Inherited a grape vine growing outdoors.  Not much life in it yet.  Was left last year just to grow away and what grapes that were on it just withered away.  Any advice what to do with it.

[Clayhithe]

Treat it like a cross between espalier and cordon.

From the vertical stick train this years growth horizontally.   Keep this framework.
Next year side shoots will grow from the horizontal:  train them vertically:  these will carry grapes.  Stop them two leaves after each flower cluster.   After harvest remove these side shoots but keep the horizontal framework.

As a start . . . .

[Kevins299]

it may be a bit too late to prune now as it will lead to weeping which weakens the plant. Like you I have just taken on an allotment with a 20year old  black grape vine  ;D on it,a 15 year old white vine and a 7 year old white. the old chap who had it, Jack, helped guide me through a late pruning 2 weeks ago, which did result in weeping which he feels should not be too bad. as previous advice given gow with it this season and train it as best possible, enjoy the fruit...

clear the ground of grass around the roots and mulch with compost to ensure a good crop. prune off obvious dead wood.  lets hope for a warm to hot summer  so the fruit can ripen by october/nov. my vines are all wine vines and not desert grapes. i made wine years ago and will ahve to dig out the books and purchase equipment to brew wine  ::)

[Clayhithe]

Kevin is right,

don't prune after Christmas.

[Derek]

I moved a vine sortly after being offered it last October...the roots are outside the greenhouse with the growth (when it appears) inside through what is jokingly referred to by fellow allotmenteers as the 'cat flap'
This is best described as a missing pain of glass with four bits of decking screwed together but leaving a hole in the centre for the stem to pass through.

No sign of life as yet...all fingers and toes crossed

Derek

[Grant]

Thanks for all the advice.  Will probally leave it now.  With 2 allotments there will be plenty of other things to keep us occupied.

[Derek]

I had a careful look at my vine yesterday afternoon and I do believe that there are some buds appearing... I honestly thought I had lost it

Thats cheered me up no end

Derek

[Arumlily]

I have a grape vine in the greenhouse, I am hoping that  the vine will produce lots of grapes for me this year for I have waited very patiently.  I have heard that the vine only produces grapes on the third year. After reading this section to my horror I now realised I have chopped off the frame work. Is there still hope for my vine?

[cleo]

Yes there is!!-vines can take any amount of pruning and in a greenhouse they do need to be kept under control.  Anytime now or even already the buds will start to break and strong growth will appear.

Stephan

[Arumlily]

Thanks so much Cleo, yes all the buds have indeed appeared.

[Tulipa]

We have an ornamental vine in our garden which is very vigourous and I shall need to cut it back this year, when is the best time as last year it weeped and now I know why!

[Roy Bham UK]

We have an ornamental vine in our garden which is very vigourous and I shall need to cut it back this year, when is the best time as last year it weeped and now I know why!

Hi tulippa ;) I think around February is the best time to prune and I know I read it somewhere but can't lay my hands on it so maybe someone else can confirm. ???

In the meantime this may be of help to you ;)

http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/filelibrary/616/5855.htm

[Clayhithe]

Geoff Hamilton says to prune (pinch out) two leaves after the flower truss,  then winter pruning as soon after leaf fall as possible.

Don't prune after Christmas,  and definitely not as the buds start to swell or the vine could bleed to death (?!)