Hello Forum! Just joined you, guys. I need your help. I am 52 and I am new to grape growing. I planted in late May three sticks and now 6 vines (2 from each) are about 10-12 feet long. I would like the vines to go along my sundeck (10 ft high). Vines already climbed up to the sundeck and started moving along. In 2 months it will be freezing here in Pennsylvania. When should I stop the vines' growth (prune them)? They still need another 7-10 ft to fulfill my dream - to go along the sundeck. What should I do to make my grapes not only the decoration pieces but also productive? Thank you for your attention, Mikhail
You should let your vines grow as long as weather permits. The ends of the new canes will die back to mature wood during the winter. You will find out at that time how much material you have available and can decide how to prune. Pruning should be done in late winter or early spring before the buds begin to swell. I grow grapes on the railing of a deck that is about 15 feet off the ground using a modified Kniffen system. This means that there is a single main trunk, and all fruiting canes are replaced every year. You can decide how many fruiting canes you want. I have more than a dozen, but fewer canes are easier to manage. The main thing about keeping a vine productive is to prune heavily every year and don't let the vine get out of control. The Web is full of detailed information about pruning.
Thank you for your help. I still have few questions: 1) currently there are two V-shaped vines (future trunks) from the original stick. Should I cut off one now? 2) if the vine grows up to the length of railing, should I stop it from further growth? 3) did I understand it right: the trunk that rises from the ground level, reaches the railing, and goes along the railing stays there forever as foundation? and pruning is needed just for canes that grow perpendicularly from that foundation? All the best, Mikhail
1) This depends on how hardy the vines are in your location. The varieties that I grow have no problem with our mild winters; but if there is a chance that the vines will suffer from winterkill, then a second trunk is insurance that perhaps one will survive during a harsh winter. If your vines are native Concord types, winter survival should not be a problem; and one trunk will be easier to deal with than two. 2) When the vine grows to the top of the railing, you can turn it and use the upper part as the top cane on one side. If you use cane pruning, it will be cut off the following year and replaced by a new cane originating near the turning point. 3) Yes, the vertical trunk from ground level to the top of the railing should be permanent. The horizontal canes are replaced every year in the Kniffen system.
