# How do i prune Marechal Foch



## MaudetheDog (Oct 22, 2017)

How do i prune Marechal Foch to accelerate grape production in Northeast USA?

Also, what spray / works best to keep deer away from my Foch vine ?


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## Maine (Oct 23, 2017)

Are you near Savage Oaks Vinyard? He usually has classes on pruning. Fence for deer.


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## jgmillr1 (Oct 23, 2017)

There are plenty of good resources online for pruning. Your local ag extension office may even offer workshops. Here is a nice video from Iowa State.
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/viticulture/pruning-4-year-marechal-foch-grapevine


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## Jack7033 (Dec 12, 2017)

I have Foch. Now about ten years old. What type of vigor do you get on your site. Do your vines grow a lot of vegetation? The trick in pruning is to “balance” the vine, ( fruit to vegetation growth). Each vineyard site is different. If you had a lot of growth last year, leave more buds on this year, 40 or so. If not, limit the buds to produce more shoot growth for next year. You want to prune to let last year’s shoots become this year’s fruiting wood. 
As far as deer: Try drier sheets. Yes the stinky ones that are put in the clothes dryer. When they lose their smell, spay them with Hinder, or Deer Fence. Don’t get the Hinder on the fruit, just vegetation. I use the deer fence spray on the ground and on the dryer sheets. If possible put a line around your vines a few feet away for the dryer sheets. Deterring deer to eat somewhere else is best. Preventing if it is the only food around is really tough. 
Jack T.


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