How & When to Prune Grapevines in Southern California

Prune grapevines to maintain an upright, easy-to-pick shape.

Southern California's warm, mild climate makes it an excellent place for growing grapevines. Wine and table grapes can be grown in this region, but growers should pay close attention to pruning and other care to attain the best harvest.

Pruning Benefits

Regular pruning results in a more attractive grapevine with better fruit quality and more stable production. Growers can control their plants' shape, size and fruitfulness by selecting the appropriate buds to remove.

Pruning Time

The University of California-Davis recommends pruning grapes any time after the plant drops its leaves for the cold season. Pruning beforehand can cause nutritional deficiencies and poor growth the next year. Prune early in the dormant season to prevent late bud break in spring.

Pruning Methods

Grapevines may be spur-pruned or cane-pruned. Spur-pruning leaves 15 to 18 shoots every 3 feet, with 1 to 3 buds on each. Cane-pruning is more difficult and takes each cane back to 10 to 15 buds. Leave only canes that have been exposed to sunlight, as they fruit more heavily.

References

• University of California-Davis: Reasons and Rules of Pruning Grapevines
• The Mulch: Gardening Calendar for January: Southern California (Los Angeles)