The Hort Report: When pruning grapes, remember that new grapes grow on new cane

Spring is here as we begin to see early flowers start to grow out of the mulch in our perennial flowerbeds. We plan on leaving the mulch on them a few more days to protect ladybugs and other helpful insects, as we might still have a few cold nights.

When pruning grapes, remember that new grapes grow on new cane. When pruning fruit trees, first prune off any broken, damaged, and diseased looking cane, then prune off any cane coming off the grape trunk at ground level. 

With grapes, train them to grow on wire running between several posts, woven wire or panels. I have my grapes growing on woven wire. I like to have at least four main second- or third-year canes coming out from the main grape trunk.

They will grow in opposite directions from each other along the wire, panel or woven wire. This cane is what the new cane for 2025 will grow off of. This also is where your grapes for 2025 will grow. 

As you prune the old cane from last year, prune all cane that you don’t want to use as main cane in coming years. Make sure to prune back so that you only have about 1-2 feet in length off the old cane per side of the grape trunk.  

Once finished, stand back to see if you can see 4-6 main canes coming off the grape trunk — the cane growing in opposite direction on the wire, woven wire or panels. 

Remember that if you have too much old cane growing and producing more grapes than it can support, the fruit will be smaller and lower in sugar content. If you do any pruning at all, it helps you get a better grape crop.

I will then put down organic matter around the grape trunks. This will help keep weeds and grass from growing, help conserve moisture and add much needed nutrients for the grapes to grow better.   

When pruning brambles, remember new berries grow on cane that is 2 years old. Prune all old dead, damaged, diseased-looking cane. 

When pruning cane, leave about 6-8 inches of lateral cane coming out of each main cane coming out from the ground. This main cane should be at least 8 inches long from the ground up. 

Just like with pruning fruit trees and grapes, the better job of pruning you do, the bigger and better the fruit your brambles will produce for you to use.  

As pruning brambles is finished, start to remove any weeds and unwanted grass and then put down organic matter. Make sure to get at least two to four inches on the bed. The organic matter will help controls weeds and grass from growing and give the brambles much-needed nutrients.

Hopefully some of you planted cool-season vegetables in the past few days. By planting this early, you should get a second crop of vegetables planted within the next 60 days.  

Last year using raised beds at the community garden, we grew several different types of cool-season vegetables for most of the growing season. Make sure to keep them watered. Raised beds dry out faster.  

In a coming Hort Report, I will be talking about sowing grass seed. This is a good time to be sowing grass seed and fertilizer. 

I really appreciate all your questions in the past and look forward to them in the coming days. Call me at 573-588-2040, visit me at Shelby County Implement in Shelbina, Mo., contact me on Facebook at Greenwell’s Greenhouse Group or email me at sci63468@hotmail.com. I really enjoy people asking me questions in person, because I might need to do research for your answer, and this helps me grow as a person.

Enjoy the great weather we are having.

Pat Greenwell is the owner of Shelby County Implement in Shelbina, Mo. He was a high school agriculture teacher for 11 years. He has taught adult vocational agriculture since 1987. He also is a research assistant at the Truman State University Ag Department Farm.