Tuesday, May 28, 2013

PRUNING THE VINE - advice required!


This time I need help with one of the key features of the yard: the Cantina
In particular the glorious grape vine. How do I prune it? 
Instructions on pruning a grapevine all seem to be designed to maximize production for wineries, which is not necessarily what I want to achieve here. 
In fact, I want bushy, even at the expense of grapes.
Even still, a serious pruning is in order.

Like the rest here it has not been touched in years and my natural inclination is to first cut off all of the dead stuff, and therein lies the problem - there is a LOT of dead stuff. So much so that I worry it plays the role of lattice for the overhanging vines. 
If I cut too much back will it drape down? 

I do not care that it will be more more open to the sky, it is private here and it will fill in eventually and we will learn how we prefer it.
So the question is, how much of the dead stuff can I cut back? Are there any limits? Shall I proceed cautiously and take off as much as I can and still leave a skeleton framework of support?

That is my plan for now but any and all advice is welcome.

2 comments:

  1. with a grapevine there are hardly any limits; If you cut all little vines back to a major 'artery' it will bush-up. Of course, leave any bits that will extend the vine to where you want it to go.

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    Replies
    1. I really went after it last night; I liked your advice of "hardly any limits". Wait for the before and after pics, coming soon!

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