Thining grapes?

[Baldy]

I suggest we decimate the grape membership - should speed the site up by about 10%.

Also my grapevine has started to develop little bunches of grapes - last year I had quite a good crop but suspect I let to many bunches remain - so none of the grapes got very big. Does one have to thin out the grape bunches to get a bigger crop from the remaining ones? If one doesn't do , what does one do to get bigger ones?

(Too much sun today methinks)

[Penellype]

I have not grown grapes myself so advice is from books etc. Its quite hard to find advice on thinning grapes online.

There is a good summary of how to train and grow a vine here https://www.kenmuir.co.uk/image/data...es/Grapes1.pdf

In general with youngish vines the advice appears to be to allow one bunch of fruit to develop per lateral shoot.

In the "Fruit Expert" book, Dr Hessayon says that thinning of the bunches may be necessary if the set has been heavy. Begin when the grapes are pea sized and use long bladed scissors and a small forked stick - do not touch the grapes with your fingers. Remove small and damaged or diseased grapes in several sessions over 7-10 days so that you are eventually left with grapes that are about 1/2 an inch apart.

[Jungle Jane]

Thin the grapes on the bunches as well as reducing the amount of bunches,this’ll give them enough time to grow through the summer

[Baldy]

^^^ thanks Pen - (goes off to check that my understanding of 'lateral shoot' with respect to grape vines is correct) - ta!

[roitelet]

Allow one bunch of grapes to each foot of rod. If you have the patience thin the grapes by about 50% when they are the size of peas. The thing is that you are not supposed to touch the grapes, difficult one!!
I never bother and get reasonable size grapes.

[Earthgirl Jen]

I inherited a greenhouse (3 yrs ago) , that when I moved in all you could see in the greenhouse was grapes! So the following year I read all advice online and trimmed and pruned and waited patiently for those sweet smelling clusters to produce grapes.. Nothing... Nada... year 2, I re read the 'destructions' and did as I was told... Masses of sweet swelling clusters I even got the make-up brush out and dutifully dusted the whole crop as pollen fell on me.. result nothing... This year year it has been kept pruned to the floor...

[Earthgirl Jen]

Apologies Baldy my last post wasn't really helpful just my own 'vent' at my own inability to grow grapes.. However there is a chap I watch regularly on youtube, his name is Cliff, his wife Dianne records the video, he's old fashioned, and has several videos on how to thin grapes.. very good ones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm-w73ZYNw8

[the big lebowski]

hi baldy ,i think the short answer to your question " what do you get from thinning and growing less grapes " is flavor , instead of the plant giving all its energy to 5-6 bunches that will not ripen in this country rather than give all that to 1 bunch per branch ,the 1 bunch will be much nicer than the 5 that didnt make the grade ,im growing a grapevine on wires atm and i will try and get 1 bunch of grapes per branch over the next few years until the vine gets mature and established ,are you training your vines o wires too ? your down on the south coast right ? perfect climate to get a good grape harvest

[Deltawhiskey]

Hi Earthgirl,
I am surprised that even though they flower you get no grapes. What actually happens to the bunch? Does germination not take place or does mildew get them? I ask because my 60 vines have their first flowers and have my fingers crossed for a crop.
David