Muscadine pruning help

[TikiWine]

I have a friend that has old muscadine vines on 3 trellises. They probably have never been pruned, but the still produce lots of clusters. It is a tangled mess. What is the best way to prune these back to help the grape quality?

 

[robert81650]

Look at Ison Nursey in Georgia, he has videos on you tube.

 

[TikiWine]

I have watched some videos already, but they all start by identifying last years growth, but how do I determine that if these have never be en pruned or at least more than 10 years?

 

[robert81650]

Just have to cut back to major runners and let them put out new growth this year and you will have better idea on best way to prune next year. You will loose a years crops but you really don't have much choice. Last years growth will have a greener appearance. You could save a bunch of these coming off the older wood and they will produce fruit this year. The fruit comes off of this years new growth off of last years new growth....if this makes sense.

 

[TikiWine]

Should I just not to anything and see where the fruit comes in? Or possibly just cut everything back to 2 nodes and see where they come in?

 

[KevinL]

It shouldn't be too hard to identify what is 1 year and what is older. If you can, post a few pictures and we'll see if we can help you out.

 

[TikiWine]

I already tried. It won't let me. I have been able to see the difference, but alot if them are running 20 ft long across the top. When they are starting to fruit can I cut back the ones that aren't fruiting?

 

[dralarms]

With muscadines you need to seal the cut ends. My brother has one that almost bled to death. Not sure why this is and I’m just going on what he told me.

 

[keith_b]

I have a friend that has old muscadine vines on 3 trellises. They probably have never been pruned, but the still produce lots of clusters. It is a tangled mess. What is the best way to prune these back to help the grape quality?

It’s a little late to be pruning this year if the vines are already budding out. If it were me, since there are three trellises, I would pick one trellis and prune it way back this year. Watch the ISON videos for an idea of how a vine should be pruned.

I would leave the other two unpruned so that they could go ahead and produce what fruit they will this season. Next spring I would pick a second vine and prune it way back and also prune the vine I started with this year. It shouldn’t take a lot to get it pruned since it was pruned heavily the first year. Next spring the newly pruned vine will probably not produce any fruit, but you will only lose 1/3 of your normal production.

Two springs from now I would prune the last vine way back and lightly prune the previously pruned vines.
Probably the increased production on the first pruned vine will make up for and surpass any loss from the second vine not producing the first year after it’s pruned.

You also need to fertilize the vines and decide how to water them, (drip irrigation), during the season. Getting the correct amount of water in the growing season is really important for a good muscadine fruit crop. Also, don’t worry about the vines bleeding where they are pruned. Muscadine vines bleed profusely where they are pruned but it won’t hurt them. They will stop and heal over in a few days. Annual pruning, proper fertilization, (think soil test), and irrigation are the big three for muscadine production.

Give your friend a hand with the pruning and hopefully they will share the results with you!

Good luck!

Keith
Henderson, Texas

 

[robert81650]

Your right Keith, prune them like he said. The bleeding will not hurt them. Fertilize 2 times a month. Triple 13 one 1st and Calcium Nitrate on the 15th. Keep plenty of water during growing
season. They want take drought at all.