Saturday, February 23, 2013

The twain shall meet, sometimes.

It is rather gratifying, at least to this vine geek it is, when the pruned 8 bud canes, on neighbouring vines, meet perfectly in the middle of the fruiting wire.  Sometimes they do.  Sometimes they don't.  I just like it when they do.
When cane pruning, an angled cut, through the node following the last selected bud on a fruiting cane, effectively terminates apical growth on that cane.  The flared shape this cut produces aids in the tying down of the cane to the fruiting wire and ensures that a simple twist-tie can hold it in place.  In this photograph the 9th bud, on either of these new canes, sports the ever so convenient vestige of an old tendril which helps to exaggerate the flared shape and guarantees that the cane will stay put - until it's time to prune again next year.
I finished pruning both of Vinoland's white grape varieties today. Reds next.

3 comments:

Thomas said...

VG,

Do you prune the old-fashioned way or do you have hydraulic help?

Pruning once gave me carpal tunnel syndrome.

Thud said...

Thomas, she apparently only pruned two vines today so the lazy so and so needs no help.

Vinogirl said...

Tomasso: Old fashioned. But when I get to the Cab I use loppers for as many cuts as I can because, as you know, the Cab wood is so much harder than other grapevine varieties.

Thud: Maybe less. Could have been just one half each of two vines :)