howmanyds
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Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2015 7:03 pm
Location: Murrieta, Riverside County, California; Zone 9

Low heads on year 1 grapes from 15 gallons.

I planted a Thompson and Concord grape from 15 gallon containers two months ago, and pruned off all the old growth except a main vine and a few spurs. (I pruned them differently according to their variety, though now I can't remember which one was spur pruned and which was cane pruned.). They are now growing nicely, however since the pruning heads were about 8 inches off the ground, from spending two or three years? at a nursery, the new growth is of course coming out of that low head. Since I want the new growth to come out of a head that is a good 3 feet off the ground, should I prune the whole vines below these previously formed heads in order for them to send a brand-new shoot up to the three-foot mark? In which case, is it now too late for this season, since the vines are growing strong, at about 2 feet tall or so, with a good handful of tiny clusters each, or can I still chop them down and watch them grow back even in this season?
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howmanyds
Newly Registered
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2015 7:03 pm
Location: Murrieta, Riverside County, California; Zone 9

Any ideas?

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sweetiepie
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Posts: 397
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2015 12:18 pm
Location: York, ND (Zone 3b)

I am new to grapes but I have some Valiant grapes going on there third year. It is my understanding that it is best to prune before they wake up. If pruned once they leaf out the sap will continue to run out and causes health issues. They should put on lots of growth and since you get grapes on one year old wood, next year they should have reached your three ft mark and you can prune from there. Do you plan on trellising?



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