Worst of the worst

[Ivywoods]

We bought a place with a small backyard neglected vineyard. I've spent many hours this winter learning about caring for the vines.. I'm getting ready to prune the vines. I think I would be better off removing some of the completely. Here are the worst ones. First one volunteer trees, untrained vine and mondo grass.

 

[Ivywoods]

 

[Ivywoods]

Medusa! Why the metal sheeting at the base of the trunk?

 

[Ivywoods]

M

 

[Ivywoods]

Some of these look like the main vine has died and shoots are coming up from the very base, possibly rootstock, I don't know. I'm thinking any like that should be removed and replaced. I have room for 21 vines. I want a variety for home use. Wine, table, juice and possibly some raisins. I'm thinking I will plant Fredonia, Niagara, reliance and concord. Zone 6, southeast Kansas.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Rabbits will eat the trunk on young vines, I have plastic on many of mine and will let it there since plastic resists the weed eater.
The photos look like “normal” grape vines, grapes are weeds, , , always look wild when they need to be pruned.

The question if you prune out some plants is do you need the fruit, ie you will just wind up replacing them. Grapes are a five year crop, if you pull vines you wait five years to get back to where you are today.

 

[VinesnBines]

I'm with Rice Guy, don't remove anything that is not dead, for now. I suggest start with cleaning up around the vines and determine if they are grafted or on their own roots. If self rooted, you can assess to see it you want as a replacement trunk or additional trunk. If grafted, see if the new shoots are coming from above or below the graft. Remove anything below the graft and leave the shoots above the graft.

Now you need to assess the health of your trunk. If you have what appears to be a viable trunk or two trunks with no crown gall, you may want to remove all the extra shoots. In your area, you may want to have two trunks in case one fails due to cold damage or crown gall. If it appears the main trunk has died and the previous owners were starting a new trunk, they were on the right path.

Once you decide about the trunks you are ready to move to the pruning of the fruiting branches. It looks like these need a lot of cleaning out. You will need to decide if you will be cane pruning or spur pruning in the future and work from there.

 

[Ivywoods]

Rabbits will eat the trunk on young vines, I have plastic on many of mine and will let it there since plastic resists the weed eater.
The photos look like “normal” grape vines, grapes are weeds, , , always look wild when they need to be pruned.

Thank you. I may replace these with something that looks a little better. I really don't think rabbits would be too much of a problem in this area but I will be sure to keep them protected at least until I know the area a little better.