Pruning grape vines
Presenter: Neville Passmore
Episode: #16 04/08/07
Grapes are one the most useful plants in the garden. They supply us with succulent, juicy fresh summer fruits for the table and of course, we can even make wine from those fruits.
In the landscape their true worth shines through, these can be used to create an automatic reverse cycle air conditioning system which requires no power to run.
The trick is to plant the vine beside a north or west-facing wall of your house so you get cooling shade from the full covered vine leaves in summer and lots of warming sunshine through winter, when the leaves have all fallen off.
If the need for trimming has put you off - here is a fool-proof system.
First up identify last year’s growth from the old wood – it is a different colour, its thinner and the bark has a smoother texture.
Pruning literally takes 95% plus off last year’s growth or wood off the vine. Then the buds at the base need to be forced into action as they contain the flowers
Leave two buds on each spur - as it is called and you will have bumper crop next season.
What Neville does is cut off most of the growth and then remove the stems so I can easily see where to make the proper pruning cuts.
Good quality tools like the Fiskars range are a great investment as a sharp blade leaves clean non-ragged wounds, which quickly heal over. It is also handy to have a good quality pair of secateurs, short handled loppers and easy reach pruners.
One of the next steps to keep fungal disease on the run is to spray the bare vines with an old-fashioned very smelly spray called Lime Sulphur, it stinks like rotten eggs, but it works like a beauty, make up a spray container and apply over the naked barky to the point where it runs or drips off.
This low toxic material burns mites and spurs out of their hiding places – the cracks in the bark.
Another useful tip – you can propagate new vines from the stems you have just cut off. Neville’s likes to make straight cuts at the base and slopping cut at the other end so he always knows that the pointy end goes up. Then plunge the cutting into soil and by next winter you can lift a brand new plant which is a carbon copy of dad or mum vine.
Good luck with your ‘grape’ expectations!
Conti's Restaurant and Winery
529 Wanneroo Rd
Woodvale
Ph: 9409 9160
Episode: #16 04/08/07
Grapes are one the most useful plants in the garden. They supply us with succulent, juicy fresh summer fruits for the table and of course, we can even make wine from those fruits.
In the landscape their true worth shines through, these can be used to create an automatic reverse cycle air conditioning system which requires no power to run.
The trick is to plant the vine beside a north or west-facing wall of your house so you get cooling shade from the full covered vine leaves in summer and lots of warming sunshine through winter, when the leaves have all fallen off.
If the need for trimming has put you off - here is a fool-proof system.
First up identify last year’s growth from the old wood – it is a different colour, its thinner and the bark has a smoother texture.
Pruning literally takes 95% plus off last year’s growth or wood off the vine. Then the buds at the base need to be forced into action as they contain the flowers
Leave two buds on each spur - as it is called and you will have bumper crop next season.
What Neville does is cut off most of the growth and then remove the stems so I can easily see where to make the proper pruning cuts.
Good quality tools like the Fiskars range are a great investment as a sharp blade leaves clean non-ragged wounds, which quickly heal over. It is also handy to have a good quality pair of secateurs, short handled loppers and easy reach pruners.
One of the next steps to keep fungal disease on the run is to spray the bare vines with an old-fashioned very smelly spray called Lime Sulphur, it stinks like rotten eggs, but it works like a beauty, make up a spray container and apply over the naked barky to the point where it runs or drips off.
This low toxic material burns mites and spurs out of their hiding places – the cracks in the bark.
Another useful tip – you can propagate new vines from the stems you have just cut off. Neville’s likes to make straight cuts at the base and slopping cut at the other end so he always knows that the pointy end goes up. Then plunge the cutting into soil and by next winter you can lift a brand new plant which is a carbon copy of dad or mum vine.
Good luck with your ‘grape’ expectations!
Conti's Restaurant and Winery
529 Wanneroo Rd
Woodvale
Ph: 9409 9160
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