Pruning Concord Grape Vines

If you grow concord grapes, then you'll need to cane-prune. For cane pruning, you will want to select up to four new fruiting canes for each vine and always choose developed, well-rounded canes that are about as round as a wooden pencil drumstick.

First, you can either trim grape vines in the winter or near early spring just right before the buds swell. I always wait until winter to prune my grapevines. Doing so has always worked out best for me. They'll basically get cut way down to bare numbs. The vines will look awful, bare, and almost as if they're dead afterwards. (It is completely normal to do this on an annual basis to have the best crop.)

To begin, you'll need to pick a sturdy cane and clip it back to about four feet, leaving a two-bud renewal spur. The section will need to be tied to a trellis or some other type of fencing support. After that, you'll need to remove all the other vines. At the end of each growing season, you'll want to cut off the old trunk right below the renewal shoot (cane).

Each winter, I clip all the excess grapevine growth back to the main trunk and branches to preserve the structure. Trimming not only limits the size of the vine, but it also improves the fruit quality and quantity of grape clusters.

Use the cane pruning method so the main lateral branches extend outward on each side of the trunk along the trellising support wires.

Once you have finished pruning your grapes, save the longest vines to make holiday wreaths or use them to weave baskets. Rake up all the other debris and compost it.