How to Prune Grape Vines & Muscadine Vines

Grapes (Vitis sp.) are attractive vining plants that produce edible fruits that may be eaten fresh, dried or fermented to make alcoholic beverages. European grape (Vitis vinifera) and American grape (Vitis labrusca) vines are popular for making table and wine grapes; neither type does well in warm humid regions, unlike muscadine grapes (Vitis rotundifolia). Yearly cane or spur pruning controls the amount of flowering and fruit production on each grape vine, improving size and flavor qualities of the fruits.

Things You'll Need

• Hand-held pruners
• 10% solution rubbing alcohol
• Spray bottle
• Twine

Instructions

Spur Pruning Instructions

1. Conduct pruning in very late winter or early spring just before the leaf buds swell and break.

2. Remove small, weak side stems from the main vining branches by snipping them with the pruners 1/4 inch above their attachment to the main branches.

3. Keep larger, stronger side stems at a spacing of 6 to 12 inches on the main vining branches. These stronger, retained side stems are called the "spurs".

4. Trim back each spur so only two buds remain. Make the pruning cut 1/3 to 1/4 inch above the second bud.

5. Spray the pruner's blade with the 10% alcohol solution before pruning another grape vine plant. This kills any diseases, preventing unknowingly spreading pathogens between plants during the annual pruning maintenance.

Instructions for Cane Pruning

1. Conduct pruning in very late winter or early spring just before the leaf buds swell and break.

2. Select two to four robust, healthy-looking canes on the grape vine plant. Remove all other canes with a pruning cut at the base of the plant.

3. Cut two remaining canes so that each has 12 to 15 buds, making the cut 1/3 inch above the uppermost bud.

4. Reduce the remaining one or two canes so that each has two buds, making the cut 1/3 inch above the bud. These canes are the spur canes that grow this year and becomes next winter's pruning canes.

5. Tie the two 12 to 15 bud canes to the support trellis in a horizontal position. The tie knot should be snug but not tightly restrictive upon the cane's bark.

6. Spray the pruner's blade with the 10% alcohol solution before pruning another grape vine plant. This kills any diseases, preventing unknowingly spreading pathogens between plants during the annual pruning maintenance.

Tips & Warnings

• Research the variety name of your grape. Certain varieties are known to produce better fruit crops annually when either the spur pruning or cane pruning technique is employed.

• Schedule grape vine pruning annually in late winter to ensure vine vigor and good fruit production.

References

• "Pruning Grapevines"; Carl Jacobsen; University of California Cooperative Extension; 2003.
• "Western Garden Book"; 2007.
• "Prune your grape vines heavily in winter"; Jane Savonen; University of Oregon; 2009.