How Not to Prune Grapes in September, 5 Most Common Newbie Mistakes

Growing grapes is a science and a whole art, the first treatises on which appeared in ancient Rome. Naturally, modern farmers have much more useful information available.

But they also make a lot of mistakes, especially beginners. And the situation is especially sad with the September grape pruning, which I would like to talk about, guided by my own experience.

Selection of shoots

First of all, they seek to remove thin and unripe shoots. But it is also imperative to get rid of the vines that have brought the harvest this year.

Several times, stubbornly deciding to preserve the excellently fruiting vines, in the new season I received a meager crop from them and, in my opinion, had the worst taste.

Removed plant volume

When there are too many shoots left on a vine, it becomes thicker and, accordingly, less light and nutrients are supplied to the shoots.

Thus, having launched the grapes in a couple of seasons, I achieved that he began to bring small berries. In total, by winter, you can fearlessly cut 50-90% of the growth from a fruiting bush.

Weather

It is well known that it is time to prune grapes in a couple of weeks after its leaf fall has ended. But it is also important to monitor the air temperature!

My mistake was that I pruned the vineyard and then the hard frosts hit.

As a result, the frostbitten vines that did not have time to recover were covered with cracks. Naturally, further, through these damages, the plant can "acquire" various diseases, which in principle cast doubt on the possibility of a safe wintering for it.

I can definitely advise - you need to cut the grapes at a temperature of at least -3 ° C.

Grape tails

This specific process remains after the vine is cut off. Leave it as it is, that is, just short - about 1-3 cm, it is possible in adult shoots.

Once I decided not to unnecessarily injure the plants and kept the hemp from the one-year-old shoots.

As a result, rot developed and the plants of an excellent variety almost died! Therefore, one-year-old shoots must be cut off completely.

Stepsons

There can be as many as two errors with them. It is wrong how to ignore the stepsons, leaving them as they are, and cut them clean. I have seriously damaged the yield of the grapes by doing so.

Whereas, according to all the rules of grape growing, stepchildren should be cut off while keeping 2 leaves.