Grapevine

[CLOTHEAD]

Hello All

I have grapevines with masses of (small) grapes but also masses of leaves.

I can find plenty of advice about pruning vines in the winter but nothing about the summer/autumm period.

My question is - is it a good idea to get rid of some - 50%? - of the leaves to improve the amount of sunlight, drying etc that the grapes receive and so aid their ripening. Is the plant putting a lot of energy into growing leaves now - whereas I want that energy to go into the fruit?

Thanks in advance

[rowanwitch]

most important to thin the bunches of grapes, reduce the number of grapes on each bunch by approx a third and reduce the number of branches per main stem to two or three. you will need this years growth to ensure fruiting growth for next year

[coccinelle]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...prunesoftfruit1.shtml

this might help. My husband prunes ours so I haven't got a clue.

[ethandron]

we really hacked ours back last year due to renovations in the garden and this year we've got the most grapes we've ever had.it grows over a pergola and the bunches are hanging down through the roof as well as everywhere else. i regularly cut off all the leaves which are shading the sun from getting to the grapes, and also the runners which seem to grow overnight. you can't really hurt a grapevine too much, they just keep on growing. rain at the right time, and sun at the right time are what we've found has the most influence on grape production.

[CLOTHEAD]

Thank you very much - all of you.. Shall arm the wife with the secateurs and send her out :-)