Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Mark L. Chien
Viticulture Educator
Penn State Cooperative Extension http://pawinegrape.com/
Workshop Goals
• Teach how to prune the two primary commercial vineyard
systems:
– Head trained/cane pruned
– Cordon trained/spur pruned
• Trellis and training systems
• Vine size and balance and balanced pruning
• Pruning equipment and supplies
• You cannot learn to prune a vine by reading a book or
coming to a 3 hr workshop. Learn by doing!
Temperance Hill Vineyard
105 acres: 85,000+ vines
Key Viticulture Goals
• Ripen grapes to optimal maturity
• Ripen wood to maximum maturity for cold
hardiness
• Uniformity within and between vines
• Keep grapes free of disease and pests
Cordon trained, spur pruned
Vines at Clovis Point on
Long Island
Proper Pruning Begins Before Vines are
Planted
• Decide what kind of wine is being grown
• Choose a site to support that decision and create a balanced
vine
• Correct vineyard design and installation to achieve a
balanced vine
• Apply proper vineyard management to encourage vine
balance each year
Why We Prune
• The big decisions have been made
Now you have to live with them!
• Size and shape the vine
for performance and management
• Balance the vine for optimal vegetative growth and amount of fruit
(reproduction), first attempt at crop and canopy management
• Create as strong and healthy vine
• Select nodes/shoots for best possible quality and position
• Fill trellis space for optimal production and profit
Pruning Grapes
• Hard work
• Cold work
• Requires a firm back
• Require the right equipment
• Requires skill, knowledge,
creativity, experience and
patience
Getting Ready to Prune…
• Use the right equipment, it needs to be comfortable and the right tool for the
job!
• Quality of work and comfort are directly related: wear the right gear
according to the conditions
• Stay warm and dry, especially the hands, head and feet
• Learn while you work: NPR, books, etc.
• Take breaks. Have hot drinks and water available
• Sharpening stones and oil
• Flagging material, ties, note pad, etc.
• First-aid supplies available
The Basics: Pruning Shear, Lopper and Saw
Felco #2
Felco #6
http://www.orchardvalleysupply.com/
http://www.gemplers.com/
Vine Size and Balance and Balanced Pruning
• The concept of vine size and balance
• What is the ideal vine size and balance for your vineyard?
• A balanced vine begins before vines are planted with proper soil
evaluation
– soil capacity: water and nutrients
– vine vigor: variety, clone, rootstock
• Balancing mature vines.
• Making adjustments in the vineyard
– Extra buds (high vigor): kicker canes, more/longer spurs, divided
canopies
– Fewer buds (low vigor): smaller vine
• Benefits
– Disease control
– Improved fruit quality and quantity
What balance looks like . . .
Smart’s Golden Rules
• based on experience
• visual adjustment
• shoot length and canopy fill
tell the story of balance
• why is vine too big or
too small?
Mark L. Chien
Viticulture Educator
Penn State Cooperative Extension
Lancaster, PA
http://pawinegrape.com/