Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-09
PRUNING THE GRAPE

/ Practically every home place that has
sufficient open ground for planting any
thing other than ornamentals has at
least one grape vine. The majority
of these grapes are sadly neglected
sMhen it comes to the matter of pruning.
This situation is due largely, to lack
of knowledge of the need of pruning
and of the simple principles of pruning
and furthermore the manner in which
grapes are usually grown in the city, on
trellises and arbors, greatly increases
the difficulties of pruning
3. The most important fact in grape
pruning is to bear in mind that the
fruit is carried on new shoots which
develop from wood grown last year.
The wood of last year is easily dis
tinguished by its bright vigorous ap-
pearance and smooth bark. A certain
amount of this young wood must be re-
tanned if one is to have fruit. Investt-
gators in grape culture have pretty well
established the fact that 40 to so buds
on this last years wood are enough
for the average vine. This becomes
quite obvious when one considers that
each one of these buds is capable
of developing into shoot carrying
three or four punches or clusters of
grapes. Needless to say, the average
home garden grape vine is not accorded
this seemingly severe treatment. In
stead the vine may be left with 200 or
800 buds. Competition for food and
water becomes very keen and unless
conditions are excellent the gardener
gets many more clusters but of small
of vim
The most generally preferred type Of
training the grape vine in this region
is the four-arm Kniffen system, as
illustrated.
The Kniffen system is used in most
commercial vineyards and has won its
way by being the most productive and
also comparatively easy to follow from
year to year. In this case one chooses
four thrifty new, canes each year. Sc
lecting among those that are nearest
TO the main trunk of the vine. Each of
the four canes is cut back to 10 or
- buds in length. Every three or four
years the old main upright trunk should
be renewed by encouraging the devel- |
opment of one of the new shoots which |
frequently appear at the ground level. |
Without such renewal the young fruit |
ing wood gets further and further away |
from the root and, since the nutrimentS |
are forced to pas through old, rather in |
active tissue, production suffers. Mum |
son system of grape training, illustrated |
by the accompanying view taken In the |
garden of C. H. Hansen Capitol View, |
Nd, Is also popular in this vicinity. The |
Munson trellis consists of two overhead |
wires supported on the croSSarms of up
right posts.
Pruning on arbors is rather difficult |
to accomplish. Here the short spur
method of pruning, in which the young
canes are cut back to two or three buds,
is often used to advantage. The total
number of buds per plant should be 40
or so, as for the long cane pruning.
Some plan of renewing the old stems
from the base must bepracticed If one
wishes to maintain high yields and good
quality.
Newly planted grapes should be cut
back to one or two buds. Such treat
ment will result in one or two strong
canes, one of which may be selected at
the beginning of the second year as the
permanent main trunk Side branches,
If there be any at this time may be
saved as future arms. The Maryland
station found that a whole year could
be saved in the development of the
grape vine by handling the young vine
in this way rather than clipping it |
back again severely at the beginning of |
the second year as was formerly prac-
ticed.
Good grape varieties for this vicinity
include Niagara (white), Concord |
(bluel, Caco (red). Worden (blue) and |
Brilliant tred). Those who have not |
tried the last variety are so urged on /
account Of Its superb quality.