Pruning grapes in spring for beginners in pictures step by step

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A good yield of grapes depends on the quality of the care measures. One of the most important procedures is grape pruning in the spring. How it is carried out depends on the condition of the vine, as well as the quality and quantity of the harvest.

Features of pruning grapes in spring

Timing of pruning grapes

Pruning and shaping the bush begins from the first year after planting grape seedlings. The main pruning is carried out in the fall after the end of the growing season and leaf fall.

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Pruning grapes in spring for beginners in pictures step by step

Pruning grapes in the spring, even before the start of sap flow "crying", carry out normalizing additional pruning of vines, cutting out all the extra "overloading" bush, shoots. During the budding period (at the end of May), sleeves with a length of 30-50 cm are formed with a fragment of the lower blossoming eyes, the blossoming buds are left 4-5 higher, and the remaining part of the shoot is then cut off.

A fragment of excess growing shoots is a mandatory operation, it is used to regulate the load of the bush. It is important to carry out the debris of excess shoots in a timely manner, when few nutrients are still spent on the growth of the removed shoots. After the "green" fragments on a three-four-year-old fruiting bush of grapes, no more than 12-15 shoots should remain, which will correspond to the power of the root system.

In July, an important technique is the removal of stepchildren and spinning top shoots. Patching is carried out twice in 10-15 days, moreover, axillary shoots are not completely removed, but pinched over the second or third leaf. The left parts of the stepchildren (hemp) impede the growth of new ones and contribute to better nutrition for growing fruit-bearing shoots, pouring bunches of grapes.

Care after pruning

After the spring pruning of grapes, sap flow is expected and the bushes are examined. Often, wounds form at the cut sites, the plant cries. Help should be provided as soon as possible, especially for large cuts.

If the plant cries, it is treated:

• covering the cut with paint;
• filling it with wax;
• spraying with a 1.5% solution of magnesium chlorate;
• processing with garden pitch;
• dragging the vine with wire.

The last procedure should be performed with the greatest care. It is important not to overtighten the wire to avoid drying out the vine. And the wire itself must be soft (use aluminum or copper). Wrap it around the vine in a place located 1-2 cm from the cut. Once the juice stops flowing out of the wound, the wire can be loosened.

Other care steps are simple. Having carried out the spring pruning of the grapes, they monitor the regular feeding, watering, and tying. The latter is most important, especially during the fruiting period. Securely fastened shoots will help the plant to withstand the load of the emerging and maturing brushes.

How to prune grapes in the spring

Most gardeners prefer to prune old grapes in the spring, for example, immediately after removing the winter shelter and attaching the vines to an arched structure or support.

Note: Some growers prefer to form the shrubs in the fall, when the buds begin to prepare for winter and the development of the culture slows down. In part, this makes sense, but in the spring you still have to pay attention to the bushes, at least after doing sanitary cleaning.

Spring pruning of covering and non-covering grapes has its advantages:

1. Thinning the crown will help increase crop yields in the current season by 60-80%.
2. Spring pruning helps to increase the frost resistance of the bushes, which is especially important when cultivating grapes in temperate and cold climates.
3. Due to the thinning of the crown, pollination of the crop improves, the quality of the crop increases, and the plant itself is much less likely to be affected by fungal diseases and pests.
4. Reducing the number of shoots helps to adjust the distribution of nutrients, since they will be spent not on growing green mass, but on the formation of fruits.

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In addition, compliance with the optimal timing of spring pruning allows you to form a crown of the required shape and size, which is especially important for those who plan to grow grapes in small areas.

The description of the procedure would be incomplete without information about its shortcomings. First of all, spring pruning often causes stress in the bushes, and their development slows down for a while. Given this feature, the procedure is best carried out on healthy adult bushes. In addition, if pruning was carried out after the start of sap flow, there is a high probability of dehydration of the bush.

To reduce the possible harm from the procedure, you need to know how to properly prune grapes in the spring:

1. The slices must be placed at right angles to speed up the healing process.
2. Regardless of the purpose of pruning, it is imperative to remove all frozen, damaged shoots or branches with signs of disease.
3. Pruning is considered correct, after which 7-12 buds remain on the bush.
4. If you are pruning an old shrub with annual shoots, the latter should be cut too carefully, so that the height of the hemp is no more than 0.5 cm.
5. All shoots should be carefully examined. On the bushes, it is advisable to leave only branches with a diameter of about 6 cm. Thin or fattening shoots must be cut out.

Naturally, all manipulations should be carried out with a sharp and disinfected garden tool. So the cuts will turn out to be smooth and without burrs, and the resulting wound will quickly heal.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Spring Pruning

• Spring pruning of grapes has many advantages, among them the following can be distinguished:
• Through this procedure, the grower forms a beautiful bush. This is important not only in aesthetic terms, but also gives impetus to the further growth and development of the plant.
• Once pruned, the grapes do not spend much effort maintaining the growth of individual stems and vines. At the same time, the plant directs efforts to saturate the forming ovaries with useful substances. Consequently, the yield is at least 60% higher compared to uncut shrubs.
• After getting rid of unnecessary shoots, the grape bush begins to tolerate winter frosts better. This factor is especially important when growing plants in northern latitudes.
• For a plant, it is important to have a full supply of sunlight and oxygen saturation. In dense thickets of vines, not all parts of the bush can be content with adequate lighting and air ventilation.By removing unnecessary shoots, these parameters are significantly improved, which has a positive effect on the condition of the plant as a whole.
• The harvesting process from dense vineyards can be very time consuming. After thinning the bush, the process becomes much easier.

• The procedure also has disadvantages, but they are primarily associated with errors in the trimming process:
• The stress that grapes receive when removing shoots reduces their resistance to diseases and pests. In order to avoid it, you need to follow the procedure according to all the rules.
• In the spring, the grapes begin to revive. If the vines are removed too late, when the circulation of the internal juices has already begun, liquid may begin to emerge from the incisions made. This leads to weakening of the bush and its dehydration.

Fan pruning of grapes in spring for beginners in pictures step by step

The method involves the formation of several shoulders with fruit arrows located on them. There are two types of fans - multi-arm and one-sided.

Multi-sleeved

The number of sleeves is determined by the crop variety:

• 3-4 are suitable for plants with slow to medium growth;
• 6-8 is ideal for medium to vigorous varieties.

The sleeves are shaped so that they are shorter in the middle of the bush than at the edges.

How to properly prune depending on the age of the plant:

• 1 year. The first step is to get rid of all lifeless, twisted and damaged vines. Then choose 2 or 3 healthy ones and trim the rest.
• 2 years. If, after wintering, 1 vine survived, it is shortened to the 3rd eye; two - up to the 2nd. During the season, at least 3 strong shoots should form: sleeves will form from them. They should be tied to a trellis.
• 3 years. Forming depends on the number of its shoots:

-if 2 - shorten to 3-4 kidneys;

-3 - from two to form the shoulders, the third - to shorten to 3-4 eyes in order to grow new sleeves on it;

-4 - do everything with sleeves, shorten to 3 buds.

• 4 years old. Similar to the previous period:

- highlight new links and shoulders;

- to form new sleeves, remove the vine from the top from the old shoulder;

-the rest of the branches should be cut to form fruit arrows;

- the skeleton of the bush must be tied up.

After the leaves appear, it is recommended to remove damaged and dried vines.

Subsequent care consists in removing the remaining sleeves, removing the fruiting lashes, forming new fruit links from replacement knots and cutting off excess vines.

Important! If the bush grows slowly, then it is better to start its formation from three years.

One-sided long-sleeved

The method is preferable for vigorous and medium-sized crop varieties and assumes that the bush has several long (up to 150 cm) branched arms directed in one direction. The shape of the plant is given by wire: it is stretched parallel to the ground at several levels: 15 cm, 85 cm, 135 cm and 175 cm.

How to properly trim:

• 1 year. After the procedure, 2 vines should remain, which are subsequently tied to the first level of the wire.
• 2 years. Vines whose height:

-more than 0.7 m - cut to 1 m and fixed on the first two levels at an angle of 20 °;

- less than 0.7 m - cut at a place whose thickness is more than 5 mm, tied to the lower wire and cleaned of the kidneys.

At the same time, the formation of a Z-shaped form of the base of the bush begins: the lower wire is stretched for one growing season, and in the fall it rises to a higher level. After swelling, the eyes (with the exception of the upper pair) are cleaned.

• 3 years. Correct formation of the bush:

- on the shoulders longer than 0.7 m, leave 3 arrows, in short - 2;

- one-year-old shoots - processing and cleaning according to the algorithm of the 2nd year;

- two-year-olds - bind to the 2nd level, cut off the kidneys from them until they reach the 3rd level.

-after the leaves appear, get rid of the damaged branches.

• 4 years old. Form new fruit links, then remove the fruiting arrows and form new ones instead. The sleeves should be cut near the main bifurcation of the apex.

The structure of the grape bush

• Aboveground bole - aboveground part, 50-100 cm high, is formed only in non-covering crops;
• The vine is the part that hibernates;
• Sleeves - vine over 2 years old;
• Fruit arrows - shoots on which the crop is formed;
• The replacement knot is an annual vine. Located in the lower part and, if necessary, serves as a replacement for the fruit arrow;
• The fruit link is a replacement knot and several fruit arrows;
• The eye is the main one and several replacement buds.

Formation of a young bush of grapes using the standard method in spring

A feature of the standard formation is that in this case it is possible to cut the vine according to the indicated scheme only if you grow grapes in a non-covering way. The varieties must be highly frost-resistant. Most often, this method is used when growing grapes on an industrial scale, as well as residents of regions with a mild, warm climate.
Interesting! A grape bush with good care can grow for over 100 years.
They begin to form a stem from the first year after planting seedlings. Below is a diagram of pruning grapes in spring for beginners in pictures:

Year 1: The top of the grape seedling is cut off. Counting from the root, two eyes are left for the growth of shoots. All the rest of the growth must be cut out.

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In the 2nd year: the main stem - the stem - remains intact, and you will subsequently have to work with the shoots that grew last year. On a higher and more powerful shoot, the top should be cut off, leaving 7-12 buds on it, and the smaller sprout is left as a spare one, it must be shortened, leaving only 2-3 eyes on it.

In the 3rd year: during this period, the height and shape of the trunk is formed. The two upper shoots - now these are "sleeves" of grapes - are shortened by 2 eyes and tied to a trellis or support. Reserve shoots are cut as follows: one is shortened by 2 eyes (this will be a replacement knot), and the second by at least 5-6 buds.

Year 4: The upper sleeves and unnecessary shoots should be trimmed to allow you to shape the grapes as you wish.

In the 5th year: It is necessary to keep only the main branches, which make up the fruit link, cutting off all unnecessary shoots.

In the 6th year: during the formation of the fruit link, the replacement knot is cut into 2 buds, the fruit arrow is shortened to 7-8 eyes.

In more detail about the standard pruning of young grapes in spring, novice gardeners can learn from the video:

Forming grapes for stamping allows you to save space and at the same time get a bountiful harvest.

When to do it: in the spring or in the fall?

There is no consensus among winegrowers as to when is the best time to prune, in spring or fall. But there are recommendations of experts who claim that autumn pruning of grapes is preferable in regions with a harsh climate, and spring pruning in warm climatic zones.

One of the consequences of pruning is increased sap flow.

In order to independently understand this issue, it is necessary to understand that with the first thaws, the property of polarity begins to act in the plant, forcing nutrients to move in the direction from the roots. In the second half of October, the vine goes into a state of dormancy and a reverse movement of the juices is observed - from the tips of the branches to the base of the bush.

Opponents of autumn pruning insist that it weakens the plant.If you shorten the vine during the dormant period, its lower root part will not receive the necessary nutrients for wintering: they will remain in the cut branches.

Supporters of autumn pruning argue that it is the most gentle, as it reduces the intensity of the "spring cry" of the vine. So called sap, the movement of sap in the branches, drops of which appear on their surface. This is an undesirable and even dangerous phenomenon for fruiting. It can lead to several unpleasant consequences:

• wetting and decay of the kidneys;
• defeat by fungal infections;
• decrease in yield;
• drying of shoots.

The spring "cry" of grapes is regarded in different ways. Some gardeners consider it a sign of good activity of overwintered roots. Others see the juice yield as weakening the bush and insist that pruning the grapes in the spring strengthens the plant and makes it more resilient.

Experienced growers follow a few rules.

1. Vines that are not covered for the winter are pruned in the spring.
2. Bushes requiring insulation are pruned in the fall. This is due to the fact that grapes that have grown over the year are difficult to cover. This requires a lot of covering material and is difficult to do.
3. Bushes over 4 years old are pruned in spring and autumn.

When pruning in autumn, it is taken into account that some buds (eyes) may die during the winter. Therefore, they are left with a margin of several eyes. In the spring, the situation is assessed and the bush is corrected.

It is very important to follow the plan for planting new plants. Grapes do not tolerate transplanting, so they plant it once for a long time:

Formation of a young bush of grapes using the stampless method in spring

The period of vine formation in this case is shorter. It allows you to form a full-fledged, fruiting bush in just 3 years. But this procedure has its own subtleties that distinguish it from the previous method. These differences are noticeable in the grape pruning scheme. Even a novice summer resident can easily find the differences in the standard and non-standard shaping.

For the 1st year: you need to remove all deformed, diseased, damaged shoots, as well as up to 90% of the young growth. The remaining 2 shoots are cut 2-3 cm above the second bud.

In the 2nd year: up to 60% of the young growth should be removed. On each sprout, 2 of the most powerful shoots are left, which subsequently will bear the entire load. They are shortened, leaving 2-3 eyes on each. By the fall, a large number of annual shoots will grow on them.

In the 3rd year: it is important to correctly form the fruit links of the grapes. The lower vine (replacement knot) is pruned into 2-3 buds, and the upper part (the so-called fruit arrow) - not less than 7-10 buds. In this way, each sleeve must be formed. He must have 2 full vines, the rest of the shoots can be removed.

Subsequently, when forming grapes, it is important to remember that for abundant fruiting, you need to leave 2-3 replacement knots for the subsequent renewal of the crown, and fruiting shoots.

Interesting! Grapes are a unique plant, all parts of which have medicinal properties.

Terms of work, taking into account natural conditions, lunar calendar and region

In Crimea, pruning work is usually carried out at the very beginning of March.
It is not only the quality of the pruning and the season in which it will be carried out that is important, but also the ambient temperature. Experienced gardeners also take into account the intensity of the juice flow. In the spring, they try to prune the branches before the active distribution of nutrients to the ends of the shoots, in order to avoid excessive losses and preserve the concentrate of nutrients for the fruits. For each region of Russia there is an approximate time frame for the work.

Terms of work by region

Regarding the lunar calendar: the active phase of the Moon's growth is good for pruning young bushes of grapes, and for plants more than three years old, it is better to work during the waning period of the Moon.

Are the bushes frozen during the winter?

First, check the condition of your kidneys. Make incisions on the eyes, moving from the base of the branch to the top: if the buds are green, then they are healthy. But black or dark brown color indicates damage. Count the damaged kidneys and calculate what percentage of the total volume of the eyes they make up.

If less than 80% of the buds die, leave more buds on the fruit links than with normal shaping. Also, the harvest can be obtained due to additional shoots on the fruiting branches that you left during the autumn pruning.

If annual shoots have been frostbitten or more than 80% of the buds have died on the bush, a two-stage sanitary pruning will help. Before buds bloom, remove frozen shoots and damaged sleeves. When the greenery appears, complete sanitary pruning by removing unnecessary growth.

If 100% of the kidneys are damaged, check the condition of the stepsons - they are more frost-resistant and have a better chance of surviving the winter. If the buds of the stepchildren have died, try to form fruit links from shoots (shoots developing from the underground part of the stem) or tops (fattening shoots of a grape bush growing from buds on perennial branches).

Look at how the core is colored on the cut: its bright green color indicates a good condition of the shoot, a slightly brownish color indicates minor damage. But shoots with a dark brown core must be removed.

When the entire above-ground part of the bush dies, a cut is made "for a black head." To do this, dig in the bush to a depth of 25-30 cm and cut the entire above-ground part above the healthy node. Then cover the stump with earth (5 cm layer), and soon young shoots will begin to grow from the trunk. Leave the strongest of them, and remove excess growth. This will give you a healthy new vine.

Popular mistakes during the pruning procedure

Due to the lack of experience in growing grape shrubs, novice gardeners often make mistakes. In order not to repeat other people's mistakes, it is better to first familiarize yourself with them and draw appropriate conclusions.

• Gardeners feel sorry for the young plant and instead of cutting off most of the growth, they shorten the tops and prune dried shoots. As a result of such pruning over several years, the vines intertwine with each other and obscure the sun's rays. Fruiting branches receive less nutrients and form small fruits, devoid of pronounced taste.
• Incorrectly determine the trimming length of shoots of different ages. During spring pruning, it must be borne in mind that the length of the cut off part directly depends on the thickness of the shoot. The thicker the vine, the longer it should be after pruning.
• Mistakenly believing that thick vines are stronger and more productive, young vines are removed instead.

Observing all the rules of spring pruning, you can improve the winter hardiness and fertility of the grape bush.

Video: step-by-step instructions for pruning grapes

Frostbite of the roots of a grape bush

Often, a frosty winter with little snow leads to damage or death of a part of the root system of grapes. Gently excavate the ground in several places around the bush to different depths, make cuts in the roots of the plant - healthy roots should be white on the cut, frostbitten ones - dark brown.

If the diameter of the frostbite of the root is not more than 2.5 mm, this is not detrimental to the plant, the main thing is that the main part of the root system is preserved, which means that the vine will recover the next year.In the spring, reduce the load on it by cutting shortly the fruit vines.

Instrument preparation

Whether it is necessary to prune grapes in the spring is very clear - it is really necessary. And even beginners can easily cope with this task if they thoroughly prepare for the work ahead. The crucial moment is the preparation of the necessary tools.

You need to have on hand:

• a saw - preferably with small teeth and a thin blade;
• secateurs;
• special knife for cuttings.

Important! Be sure to check the quality of the sharpening of the tools so that the cuts are quick and clear, without damaging the shoots. You can check the quality of sharpening even on a simple sheet of paper.

Cold snap damage

Spring frosts, often coinciding with the period of budding, can destroy not only young shoots and buds, but also annual vines. If this happens, prune shortly from last year's branches to stimulate the growth of new shoots from the dormant buds.

If the greenery and inflorescences have suffered, then in order to awaken the dormant buds, shortening the annual shoots will be enough. This will partially restore the crop. If only the tops of the branches are damaged, as well as a small number of leaves and inflorescences, it is not necessary to carry out special pruning.

When are grapes cut?

The choice of time for pruning grapes depends on a set of factors:

• varieties;
• the age of the bush;
• cultivation options;
• climate.

In spring, grapes are pruned:

• early and mid-season;
• with low frost resistance;
• young, with immature bushes;
• sheltered for the winter.

Spring pruning begins under the following conditions:

1. Active sap flow did not begin. If pruning is carried out later, then open sections will begin to exude molasses, and this process cannot be stopped. The bush, losing life-giving juice, weakens. As a result, the vine grows worse.
   

   If you carry out spring pruning after the start of sap flow, you can not only lose the crop, but also completely lose the grape bushes.

2. The air temperature is set at 5-6˚С.
3. Pruning should be done before kidney enlargement. If the buds begin to grow, you are late!

Further care of the vines

Pruning a plant is always stressful, so it needs quality maintenance throughout the season. Especially carefully you need to monitor vines that are severely damaged in winter:

• Once every 2-3 weeks, loosen the soil in a near-stem circle with a diameter of about 0.8 m. Good aeration of the roots helps them absorb nutrients that are used to restore the plant.
• In May-June, in the absence of rainfall, water the vines every 7-10 days, spending 50-80 l / m². The soil must be soaked at least a meter deep. After pruning, the grape bush loses its juice, as a result, suffers from dehydration.
• 2-3 weeks before flowering, stimulate the growth of green mass by feeding the grapes with nitrogen mineral fertilizers. About 25 g of carbamide, ammonium nitrate is dissolved in 10 liters of water and poured into circular grooves 30–40 cm deep, dug at a distance of 50–60 cm from the base of the trunk.
• In the summertime, mulch the soil in the near-trunk circle - this will inhibit the growth of weeds and help to retain moisture in the soil for a long time.
• Examine the plants weekly for disease and pest infestation, especially if you haven't sanitized the sections when pruning. For the prevention of diseases, you can spray the bushes and the soil under them with a solution of any fungicide (the concentration and frequency of treatments are indicated in the instructions).