Pruned Marquette vines

[wood1954]

It’s finally sinking into my little brain that all pruning is simply leaving a structure for last years new growth. In the winter Select the smooth brown canes for next years grapes. I’ve been neglecting my vines growth for a number of years and am trying to correct their shape and make cordons with spurs.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Wood, , , You need to get more deer inside the fence, goats do pretty good too.

 

[ChuckD]

Are you using a
Top wire system with cane pruning?

 

[wood1954]

Are you using a
Top wire system with cane pruning?

Top wire with cordons and spur pruning

 

[wood1954]

Wood, , , You need to get more deer inside the fence, goats do pretty good too.

I just had cataract surgery and can’t get in to mow for a while

 

[ChuckD]

I should be planting vines in two weeks. That means I have a year to learn how to prune those things!

 

[wood1954]

I should be planting vines in two weeks. That means I have a year to learn how to prune those things!

Like dogs or kids train them right from the beginning

 

[montanarick]

For what it's worth. I went from TWC to VSP and found it much more manageable. I'd give it two years to learn since first year will be in establishing strong trunk and maybe a short cordon (if trunk material is thick enough). You don't want to start cordon as pencil thin stock - it's better to start cordons with thicker stock, say 3/8" because thinner stock will just never produce well. Establishing cordons at about 18" increments each year, until they reach full length, will result in much healthier and productive plant. Don't try to push it.

 

[wood1954]

For what it's worth. I went from TWC to VSP and found it much more manageable. I'd give it two years to learn since first year will be in establishing strong trunk and maybe a short cordon (if trunk material is thick enough). You don't want to start cordon as pencil thin stock - it's better to start cordons with thicker stock, say 3/8" because thinner stock will just never produce well. Establishing cordons at about 18" increments each year, until they reach full length, will result in much healthier and productive plant. Don't try to push it.

Do you have any photos i could look at?

 

[ChuckD]

I went from TWC to VSP and found it much more manageable.

Could you elaborate? Is it just easier to prune or does the VSP just reduce the vines vigor?

 

[BRK]

Could you elaborate? Is it just easier to prune or does the VSP just reduce the vines vigor?

I did the same thing last year. My Marquet vines liked to train upward which made my TWC difficult to coax the shoots downward. Much easier going up from the bottom wire in VSP. In fact, I changed all of my vines to VSP. We'll see hop it goes this year. I'm finally expecting fruit!

 

[BRossi]

I am using a VSP system with Marquette and Petite Pearl. These are 4 yr old Marquette vines, although I had a late frost last year that set them back a little. I’m in the UP of Michigan, so they’re just starting to bud out.

 

[montanarick]

Do you have any photos i could look at?

I'll have to check to see. Sold the property last year so no more vineyard :-(

 

[montanarick]

Could you elaborate? Is it just easier to prune or does the VSP just reduce the vines vigor?

Found that it did not reduce vigor at all - just easier to maintain vineyard. I think push for TWC was for commercial vineyards as easier to pick?

 

[Cynewulf]

Found that it did not reduce vigor at all - just easier to maintain vineyard. I think push for TWC was for commercial vineyards as easier to pick?

I think several studies have shown that TWC increases yield: http://northerngrapesproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/VSPandTWC-webinar.pdf. For me, I chose VSP for my Marquette for ease of spraying and netting.

 

[montanarick]

I'll have to check to see. Sold the property last year so no more vineyard :-(

Unfortunately don't have any photos that I'm able to find

 

[BRK]

I did the same thing last year. My Marquet vines liked to train upward which made my TWC difficult to coax the shoots downward. Much easier going up from the bottom wire in VSP. In fact, I changed all of my vines to VSP. We'll see hop it goes this year. I'm finally expecting fruit!

I took some pictures today of the vines. They are doing amazing. The first picture is just after or about bud burst and the second one is today just after influrescense.

 

[Rob Kneeland]

I certainly agree that Marquette shoots reach for the sky! I am going to stick with TWC, I think.. Maybe the weight of the clusters will help them hang down. I've watched mechanical shoot positioning and it looks brutal!

My 10 3 year old vines have maybe 1/2 inch or 1cm ish cordons. Some are only one-sided but there's a lot of growth to select a cane from to establish bi-lateral. Hopefully next year's dormant pruning will establish spurs.

This year I was slow to remove shoots from the trunks and had to convince myself to prune them off only after they were growing vigorously with a ton of clusters. I teared up but got it done. I am guessing that I need to remove trunk buds as soon as they sprout? Makes me wonder about big vineyards. Or do older trunks not bud?

Question...I have rows of only 5 vines. I have cedar posts in 30 inch holes, some with concrete. Top wire is at 68 inches. I hope to not need "guy wires" for ease of mowing etc. Should I put a Tee post in the middle somewhere? (to support the tons of grapes on their way).

So far no mildew or pest problems. Have not sprayed once! But ripening fruit will change things, and this year so far is a lot wetter.

Pic is before pruning the trunk shoots.

 

[VinesnBines]

I certainly agree that Marquette shoots reach for the sky! I am going to stick with TWC, I think.. Maybe the weight of the clusters will help them hang down. I've watched mechanical shoot positioning and it looks brutal!

My 10 3 year old vines have maybe 1/2 inch or 1cm ish cordons. Some are only one-sided but there's a lot of growth to select a cane from to establish bi-lateral. Hopefully next year's dormant pruning will establish spurs.

This year I was slow to remove shoots from the trunks and had to convince myself to prune them off only after they were growing vigorously with a ton of clusters. I teared up but got it done. I am guessing that I need to remove trunk buds as soon as they sprout? Makes me wonder about big vineyards. Or do older trunks not bud?

Question...I have rows of only 5 vines. I have cedar posts in 30 inch holes, some with concrete. Top wire is at 68 inches. I hope to not need "guy wires" for ease of mowing etc. Should I put a Tee post in the middle somewhere? (to support the tons of grapes on their way).

So far no mildew or pest problems. Have not sprayed once! But ripening fruit will change things, and this year so far is a lot wetter.

Pic is before pruning the trunk shoots.View attachment 89407

You do need to remove those shoots and I too was slow this year. As the vines age they are not as bad and some of the big vineyards will use herbicide to keep the shoots down. It works especially if they are small enough.

As for posts....UGH. I have my posts in 24 inches and I need end posts at 48..I'm still working on that. All I can say is have a stack of T posts for emergencies.

 

[wood1954]

eventually your end posts will lean in, probably about the time the cedar posts need replacing.