Single or double trunks for Frontenac & Seyval?

[user 36973]

I'm wondering what others experiences and recommendations are for whether to single or double trunk frontenac and seyval.

I generally prefer single trunks to reduce non bud-count growth and for easier management of the vine shape. But I do keep a second trunk for my Chambourcin & Traminette due to crown gall potential. I would anticipate that the Seyval would do well with a single trunk since my Cayuga (with Seyval in its parentage) does well with this system. However, I am not sure about the frontenac, though given its vigorous nature I would also lean toward a single trunk.

 

[GreginND]

Where are you located? If it isn't to harsh in the winter, a single trunk should be fine. I try to grow doubles just to keep some insurance if I lose one during the winter.

 

[user 36973]

I'm in central Indiana. Guaranteed for the winter low to get down to 0'F every year and lower much more infrequently. Usually not much snow either, just cold.

I started out double-trunking all my vines but realized later the American vines and some hybrids didn't seem to need it and it created more work for me. However, it is nice to have options during pruning time though.

 

[grapeman]

Frontenac will just laugh at a warm 0 degrees or even minus 10. Singles work well for it but double does alright also.

 

[BigH]

I am in central Iowa where the typical winter low is around -15 F. I grow double trunks if the vine cooperates, but I don't lose sleep over vines that only have a single trunk. I have frontenac but not seyval. About 2/3's of my vines have two mature trunks. Very few are as straight as they should be

In the long, long, list of problems I have had, winter bud kill doesn't make an appearance. Maybe we have been lucky. As Greg mentioned, the 2 trunks give you insurance against disease and winter kill, but so far, I have yet to use that insurance. To be honest, I think the second trunk is more likely to help with a disease problem, like Eutypa dieback, than winter kill (where both trunks are likely to be killed anyway if it really gets cold enough to kill one of them)

H

 

[GreginND]

To be honest, I think the second trunk is more likely to help with a disease problem, like Eutypa dieback, than winter kill (where both trunks are likely to be killed anyway if it really gets cold enough to kill one of them)
H

I have observed quite the opposite with our May freeze last year. On many of my frontenacs that had budded out, one cordon died back while the other survived. Not sure exactly why.

 

[BigH]

I have observed quite the opposite with our May freeze last year. On many of my frontenacs that had budded out, one cordon died back while the other survived. Not sure exactly why.

Interesting. Was there a pattern to it? (ie uphill tended to survive, southernmost tended to survive, etc). Or was it random?

 

[GreginND]

Not that I could see.

 

[garymc]

Not adding anything relevant to the discussion, but I think I count 9 trunks on this muscadine.