Fruits and Nuts: I bought a grape vine-need help., 3 by ERNIECOPP

ERNIECOPP wrote:
Jo,
Grapes usually form on new growth from two year old wood, so, as Pollen says, you need to prune to keep that second year wood where you want your grapes. Depending on the age of your vine when you set it out, you should get some grapes when you have some second year wood, but not always.

I planted the grapes in this picture around the arbor last Spring, some one year old vines and some 2 years old. The Flame Grape is on the right hand side of the corner, and most of them set the tiny buds, but now only part of the buds are developing into grapes.

So, depending on the size of trellis you want, let your vine grow to cover that area this year, and then next year prune back leaving 2 " long spurs to grow new vines that should produce grapes.

My objective this year was to get the Arbor covered, but the vines are three feet above the top of the Arbor now, so i have had to do some pruning. I had some virus problems last year but spray with Kocide, and have not had any this year. I fertilized to get the vine growth but will not need much once they are established. Deep watering works best. Do your pruning in the winter, as you can lose a lot of sap from the vines in the Spring when growth starts.

Ernie