How Do You Implement Delayed Pruning in Your Vineyard?

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- How do you implement delayed pruning in your vineyard?

Delayed pruning is most commonly applied to cord on trained, spur-pruned vines, but can also be applied to cane pruned vines.

Let's first discuss how to implement delayed pruning on cord on trained spur-pruned vines.

Delayed spur pruning begins with an optional, but recommended first pruning pass performed when all buds are still dormant.

The goal of this step is to trim the long canes down to about 6 to 10 buds.

Adding this step can make brush removal on the final pruning in early spring easier and faster.

The second step of delays spur pruning is typically applied after the uppermost apical buds have broken.

Before these apical buds have about 1 to 2 leaves unfolded, trim the canes to retain only the bottom 2 to 3 basal buds on each spur.

In comparison to conventional spur pruning, retained buds after delayed pruning will likely be less developed and therefore, more protected against freeze damage.

Follow a similar protocol to perform delayed cane pruning.

First, when vines are still dormant prune to retain the canes need for the following season.

Keeping the retained canes upright may encourage the uppermost buds to break first.

Although, doing this might also leave buds more vulnerable to mechanical damage.

Following cane selection, monitor the growth of uppermost buds until they have passed bud break.

Next, lay down and tie canes to the fruiting wire and prune away the upper portion of the cane that extends beyond it.

Alternatively, you can tie canes down during the dormant period to reduce the risk that swollen buds become damaged while tying.

Post bud break remove the cane portions that extend beyond the fruiting wire.

This method may reduce bud damage, but might delay bud break to a lesser extent than tying canes down after bud break.

So far, we've discussed the fundamentals of delay in pruning and how to implement this method in your vineyard.

Keep watching for important things to consider prior to adopting delayed pruning.

For more information, visit the Penn State Extension website and search for grapevine pruning.

You can also email us at viticulture@psu.edu.

Thanks for watching, and happy pruning.