Grape vine pruning and variety question

[Ben1030]

Hi

I've currently growing a regent grape vine I purchased 2 years ago. In planning to prune it this weekend but unsure of what I can get away with. It's currently 5ft tall with a thin trunk. I'm wanting to cut it right back to near the ground, leaving 20cm or so. This would take it back to the 2 year old wood with no buds. Will the grape still grow back if I do this or can I only prune leaving last years buds?

The regent will be used long term for wine making. I'm currently looking into getting a second grape, only this time a seedless variety. I live in West Yorkshire, the missus likes red seedless grapes. Ive found a variety called 'Vanessa' that looks promising. Has anyone had any experience with growing this variety? Are there any other seedless varieties suitable for growing in Yorkshire?

Thanks

Ben

[Scarlet]

Hi Ben, I think that will be a bit drastic, you really need to cut to a bud. General pruning advice for the winter if year 2 would be to cut the main stem by half, just above a bud. Why do you want to cut it down so low?

# RHS pruning guide https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=286

[roitelet]

The idea with a grape vine is to establish a rod or rods, main stems, and then prune the side growths back to that. The grapes will be borne on the new side shoots that regrow each year. If you cut it back as short as you suggest there will be no rod to produce side shoots.

I will try and get some photos tomorrow to show you what I mean. My vines are about 8yrs old.

[Scarlet]

Ben have you got a photo?

[Ben1030]

The vine is in a small container, I'm going to take it out and look at the roots when I prune. The idea was to establish the vine in the container over a couple more years before moving house and planting out (maybe with some cuttings by then). I figured this would be better than buying a young vine once moved and waiting 3 years for it to fruit.

The vine hasn't grown too much, not much at all last year. It it against a south facing wall, sheltered slightly from the wind by a grow house. It has been sheltered by some trees I'm having removed before the spring. Following this it will be in full sun for most of the day.

The main stem growing upwards (2014) grew very slowly and is quite thin. Last year the vine grew even less sideways. My thinking was to chop it right back past last years grow to grow a thick new upwards trunk.

Il get a pic uploaded tomorrow.

Thanks

Ben

[roitelet]

Here you are Ben. I let the main stem grow to the height I wanted it and then let the side rods develop. The close ups of the rods show where I have pruned it and the new shoots will grow from the knobby bits. If yours is in a small container then move it to a larger one and support the main stem then you will probably get some more growth.

Mine are very prolific and I have to take off quite a lot of the bunches to allow the ones left to grow. Even so I finish up with a glut. I allow one bunch of grapes to each foot of rod.

Hope that helps.

Sorry the first one needs flipping it does actually grow vertically!

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Roitelet! Just as a matter of interest, are you posting from an iPad?

[Ben1030]

Thanks for the pics, vine looks great! That's exactly what I wanted to do with mine. I thought I might be best starting chopping the trunk and starting again but worried about it not growing back without last years buds.

Here's the pictures of mine, sorry about the low light. I intended to grow something similar to yourself with wires running laterally above the wall. I had expected to re-pot it by now but been waiting for roots to poke out of the bottom. It's planted in a mix John innes 3 and perlite for drainage.

The zoomed in pic shows all of last years growth.

[roitelet]

How long has it been in that pot. Could be the soil is exhausted. I would repot it and not cut it back, wait until it starts to regrow and then cut off anything that is dead. The top tip often dies. Nothing to worry about. If you leave it you will get the main stem to the height you want it and then you can let the side rods develop.

[roitelet]

Roitelet! Just as a matter of interest, are you posting from an iPad?

Yes, the computer to s too old and slow!!

[Bigmallly]

Deano...........I'm not sure if it happens when you take a pic in landscape or portrait. Try taking a pic both ways and see what happens.

[ancee]

I'll have a few grapevine questions shortly. Ours seems to be doing well, it 'S new and in a greenhouse (also new, well, to me it is) so I will also have "what to grow in greenhouse" questions as its a bit of a novelty, last year was just me chucking stuff in there quickly as I had no clue what to do with it! One of the things I chucked in was a grape vine!

[greenishfing]

I wouldn't cut it back madly but I would pot it up into a much larger pot and feed it. I have two grapevines, one is a cutting from the other. They both live in greenhouses.

I only took the cutting 3 years ago at this time of year. I let it grow to the height of the wires I had put across the greenhouse and then let 2 rods grow across them. The stem is still quite thin but it went mad this Summer and I had to chop it back constantly.



I have taken cuttings again this year. You are welcome to one if they take but the variety is Black Hamburg and needs a greenhouse and it also has pips.

[Ben1030]

Its been in that pot for the full 2 years. I will report this weekend and refresh the soil. I've got some chicken manure i could also mix in?
Will the pencil thick stem not hold the vine back in anyway? Its more or less as high as i want it so i could let it grow side wards now. Hopefully being in full sun this year may give it a boost.

Wow the grapes are looking great. Thanks for the offer of the cuttings but unfortunately i don't have the greenhouse needed. Definitely something i will invest in when moving to a larger house with garden.

[roitelet]

I wouldn't use chicken pellets they are too high in nitrogen and will encourage too much leaf. I would use well rotted compost instead one a 10.10.10 fertilizer.