When can I stop grape vine vertical growth?

[Veggie Mackem]

Hi all,
In March I planted a grape vine (Type: Flame) directly in my greenhouse border, I then cut it right back to 3 buds above the graft. Installed vertical wire to support the strongest vertical shoot with the intention of stopping it at the apex of the greenhouse then next growing season select 2 strong buds cut the stem and create 2 lateral to grow horizontally along the length of the greenhouse, as per normal mother nature hasn't been listening to my plan and 2 things have happened to create uncertainty and confusion as to what to do next. Firstly the plant has thrown out 2 equally strong vertical shots and secondly they've both reached and gone beyond the length I wanted and are still vigourisly growing therefore when can I stop the growth and would it be advisable to loose one of the vertical stems completely?? This I my first experience of growing grape vines and didn't expect such lush vigourus growth therefore any advice will be grateful.

Cheers VM

[nickdub]

If you've got two good shoots and you wanted 2, why not just bend them round through 90 degrees where you want them and proceed from that next year ? - no plan survives contact with the world completely unscathed...

[Thelma Sanders]

You have a choice, take the 2 stems and train them sideways (one left on right) at the height you want them.
Or, cut off one stem, at the bottom, and train the remaining stem up vertically to the eaves, before cutting it there, during winter, as you suggested. New buds will form in Spring which you can train along the greenhouse.

When the laterals have reached the point where you want them to stop growing longer, just cut them back, eventually, they get the message and stop trying to grow

You can prune off the bits you don't want at any time of year except spring when the sap is rising strongly. If pruned then the cuts will drip sap and weaken the vine.

[Deltawhiskey]

Hi Veggie,
You do not have to wait until next year to train your vine. If the vine comes in at one end of your greenhouse bend one cane at low level and the other at high level. If the vine enters in the centre, bend one cane one way and the other the opposite and fix in position. Then you can allow the canes to continue growing. In winter, cut back to the length you require and new shoots with flower buds will grow from the nodes along the canes. Every winter following cut back to spurs with two or three buds. Remember fruit is only produced on last years growth.
David

[Jay-ell]

Remember fruit is only produced on last years growth.
David

Are you certain about this? All my bunches are on this years growth. The shoots that they're on grew from last years growth

[devonuk]

He means, on this year's growth from last year's growth. I agree it is a potentially misleading way of putting it.

[Jay-ell]

WHich is what I said

Water sprouts coming from dormant buds on older wood doesn't form fruit (the embryonic fruit in the older bud is missing or no longer viable) but, if kept as a new spur, new shoots forming from it next year will have the fruit embryos (flower cluster primordia) in the primary buds

[Deltawhiskey]

Sorry if this is confusing. The fruit comes from the buds produced during the last years growth. Each bud contains embryo flowers. the better the conditions the better the buds. So to say, “it’s a good year” should be really translated into, “it’s has been two good years.”

David

[Veggie Mackem]

Well, thanks for all your input there's some sound advice here and on reflection fairly logical, don't no why I was concerned so thanks guys and gals, great job! I'm going to allow both to grow in the planned positions for next year's laterals then if the continued growth is good, happy days! If not then cut back during dormancy and train the lateral as required..... Cheers all.

Ian