I work for a company where my housing is included. The side yard is overgrown and I have made it my project this summer to clean it up. According to one of the neighbors, there is a grape vine in the mess somewhere. I know where it is, but, like the rest of the yard, it is overgrown. The grape vine is intwined with other vines that are weeds (posion ivy, etc). I have read what little I can find on the computer and I see that the vines should be cut back during the fall. But I have two questions and would greatly appreciate the help: 1. Can I go ahead and cut them back now? I have been in the house for about 2 years and have not noticed any fruit. If I cut the vine back now, will that mess up the growing cycle? 2. What is the best structure for the vine to grow on? By this I mean, should the vine grow up a trellis or some other structure? Again, thank you so much for the help. Suzanne
Better now than not at all. A trellis or arbor will be beneficial to future control and production, so try to plan ahead and prune accordingly. It will be much easier to construct after the vine(s) go dormant this fall, and you won't trash this year's crop with construction efforts. If your fruit have set before you prune, you may find the individual berries considerably larger than usual. The other "restoration" method is to cut the vine off at ground level. The roots will push new shoots that will be much easier to train than an old trunk, and because of the massive root system, the new growth will quickly re-establish your vine. That's not usually a popular option, but on a severely overgrown vine it should be considered. Ralph
