Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Prune Concord Grapevines
How to Prune Concord Grapevines. Concord grapes are a popular grape for the home grower as they can be used both as a table grape or pressed to make juice. It is the most widely planted grape east of the Rockies and is very hardy. Knowing how to prune your grapes is the secret to getting lots of grapes. Vines must be pruned severely and...
Concord grapes are a popular grape for the home grower as they can be used both as a table grape or pressed to make juice. It is the most widely planted grape east of the Rockies and is very hardy.
Knowing how to prune your grapes is the secret to getting lots of grapes. Vines must be pruned severely and methodically for the best yield. Without pruning, grapes can quickly become tangled messes with very little fruit.
Things You'll Need
Grape vines
Pruning shears
Prune in late winter when the vines are dormant. Do not prune during periods of severe frost or after the sap starts to rise. Only prune last year's growth as grapes grow on the current growth from last year's wood.
Find the old wood. It is easily recognizable because it is coarse. From the tip of the new growth, follow the vine back until you reach the coarser bark.
From the old growth, come forward four or five buds and cut the vine with the pruning shears.
Prune again in the spring. After the new leaves are fully developed in the spring, you can prune again. Remove all the weak or thin shoots, leaving only the strongest.
Prune again in summer. After the vines have fruited, prune shoots back to the third or fourth leaf. Leave the shoots that have grapes on them. Cut out new growth and remove leaves that are shading growing fruit clusters so that the fruit gets as much sun as possible while growing.
Tips & Warnings
Save any long vines you cut and bend them into wreaths. Wrap the vine in three to five circles and secure with wire ties. Remove the leaves. These can be decorated later for holiday or decorative wreaths.
The more you cut now, the healthier your grapes will be next year.
