pruning a grapevine over a pergola

[bigpepperplant]

I've got a two-year-old grapevine (Brandt) currently climbing up a pergola. Have no idea how to prune it. I haven't pruned it at all until now and the main stem is now at the top of the pergola with lots of long side shoots coming off it. Should I cut these back to 2 buds now? In winter? Any help gratefully appreciated!

[richard p]

hi , i was given 2 of these at the weekend and also have very little idea of what to do with them ...my current plan is to plant them in our front hedge, mainly hawthorn 15 foot high, and let them do their own thing or die
lets see what the experts recomend

[PLUMPUDDING]

Grape vines fruit on new growth, so you should prune them when they are dormant in winter. Just decide where you want the new shoots to come from and cut just above a couple of strong buds.

If you prune them later they "bleed" badly.

I would get a book on pruning and just have a go. It sounds quite confusing, but is easy when you have a go, and vines are quite resilient, so usually grow again if you make a mistake.

[Vegman]

I have a black hamburg growingunder my pagola for shade purposes. First year I fed it like mad to get plenty of growth so I could train the leaders to give a strucured canopy. Once your happy with the coverage,then in winter,cut sideshoots back to a bud and nip out the leaders. When new growth appears and you want grapes, wait til you see th elittle flowers appear looking like miniture bunches of grapes, and then stop the shoot by pinching out the growing point. The wound will leak but will heal.

[bigpepperplant]

fantastic, thanks a lot!