Muscadine Training, Pruning and Canopy Management

Muscadine Training, Pruningand Canopy ManagementSRSFCAgent TrainingE. B. PolingSept. 13, 2006

Vertical Single WireSlide 1

Two-wire “vertical” trellis with 4arms/vineSlide 2

Removing the lower two armsat dormant pruningPhoto compliments ofB. Faulkner, Wayne Co. CESSlide 3

Two wire (horizontal) training systemSlide 4

Overhead arborsSlide 5

North Carolina SystemSlide 6

Muscadines – were allowed to growwild until early 1900’sVitis rotundifoliaTrellising not introduced until 1907Slide 7

Single trunk vines: cordonsupport systemsVertical wiretrellises(# 1, #2)# 2 is not recommededin Muscadines1. Single wire (5 ft) 2. Double wire (2 ½, 5 ft)Horizontal– double wire trellis(#3)Slide 83. Geneva Double Curtain (GDC)Photo of GDC

Initial Training Goals• Year 1 – rooting, trunk establishment• Year 2 – straight trunk, strong arms• Year 3 – complete the trainingSlide 8a

Training in First YearAG-94Slide 9

Second Year• 1. Single Trunk• 2. Permanent arm (cordon)• 3. Harvest light crop4 Bearer3Slide 1012

321Slide 11

Fruiting Habit of Muscadines• Source of fruiting wood?• Bud location• Selecting quality woodSlide 11a

Fruiting Habit & PruningSlide 11 b

New shoot (early May)Count budon spur (1 yr wood)Slide 12

Late September – before harvestin piedmont, NCThe shoots inthis canopy weresummer pruned (shortened);otherwise the shoots wouldreach the ground.Slide 13

Bud forms in leaf axilaxilGrowing seasonDormant seasonSlide 14

Close-up 1 year wood (cane)DefinitionCane – growth of thecurrent season or shootsthat have become woodySlide 15

Close-up: Single bud on 1 yr.wood & new shootFlowerclusterSlide 16Single bud (winter)Shoot from single bud(next growing season)

1 year wood and budsbudbudSlide 17

Weak (top) vs. healthy(bottom) 1 year woodSlide 18

NO PruningSlide 19

Using hedgers to pruning away unwanted 1 yearwood, and to “shape the vine” so that the zone offruitful 1 year wood is inside the imaginary circleson each armpermanent armsSlide 20Pruning away excess 1 year wood

Before and AfterSlide 21

Best time to prune?You will not see“bleeding” frompruning cuts inDec-Jan-early FebSlide 22

Slide 23

Pruning cut-off date?Bleeding frompruning cuts willnot harm the vineSlide 24

Basic Tools NeededLoppersHandPrunersGlovesSlide 25

1 year woodSlide 26

1 st winter – prune back to just1 budcordonSlide 27

4-inch spur (2-3 buds)Count bud number 3 Count bud number 2 Count bud number 1 CordonSecond Winter Dormant Pruning Slide 28

Close-up of fruit spurThird Winter PruningSlide 29

321Slide 30

Mature healthy vineCordon of a healthy5 year old vine –each year the 1 year‘fruiting spurs’ movefurther from the cordon3 yearSlide 31Bearer1 yearwood2 year

Older vine with less fruitful“bearers”Slide 32

Problems – older vinesBarren section ofcordon – must leavemore spurs in otherareas to compensate2 ft – nofruit spursSlide 33

Prune to a1 bud renewalspurLeaving 1 base budSlide 34

Candidate for cordon renewalin another year?Slide 35

Putting it all together!Slide 36

Vertical Single Wire – Research Questions100 buds/arm?20 spurs/arm x 5 budsSlide 37

Severe pruning200 buds/vine100 buds/arm20 spurs/arm5 buds/spurSlide 38

Slide 38 a

Hedged Only (600 bud/arm)Slide 38b

RetainedSpurSpacing6 inch8 inch10 inch12 inchBudsBuds/10ftBuds/ft z20151210BEARERS/10 ft150757.53.755.006.257.50Fresh200100105.006.678.3310.0025012512.56.258.3310.4212.50Proc_300150157.5010.0012.5015.0035017517.58.7511.6714.5817.50Mech_4002002010.0013.3316.6720.0045022522.511.2515.0018.7522.505002502512.5016.6720.8325.008004004020.0026.6733.3340.00z(4-6 shoots are recommended per ft vienyard row in bunch grapes)Slide 39

Extension PruningDemonstrationsSlide 40