How to prune grape vine planted against fence on patio - Cumbria

timslouise

Our vine has been planted for 5+ years! We just hack it back every spring and feed it with some food we bought when we got the vine.  We get lots of new growth but only about 5 tiny grapes at the most! We live in Cumbria and the vine is planted outside on a south west facing fence on the patio. Can anyone give us some advice and help as to how to prune and what care we should be giving it? 

BobTheGardener

Assuming you are growing it as a cordon (one main stem) then you need to prune off all growth back to 2 buds from the main stem, and that must be done in the winter, before the sap starts to rise as pruning too late will result in the vine bleeding from the wounds and that can kill them, so do it asap.

It may sound drastic, but the grapes form on the new growth which will come from the 2 buds you leave on each side shoot you cut back.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=286

timslouise

BobTheGardener said:

Assuming you are growing it as a cordon (one main stem) then you need to prune off all growth back to 2 buds from the main stem, and that must be done in the winter, before the sap starts to rise as pruning too late will result in the vine bleeding from the wounds and that can kill them, so do it asap.

It may sound drastic, but the grapes form on the new growth which will come from the 2 buds you leave on each side shoot you cut back.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=286

Thanks very much.  Will cut it back this weekend.

bertrand-mabel

Our outdoor vines are grown on a pergola and each winter as @BobTheGardener says we cut them back and allow new growth in the spring. These vines are used for wine making but 2019 was such a great year that the grapes were sweet enough to eat on their own.

We also have a black grape in a greenhouse which again each winter is cut back to the main stems. We harvest this one for eating but surplus is used for wine.