How to Prune Grape Vines in the Spring

Steps

• 1

  Determine how many vines should be left on the plant. According to extension.iastate.edu, the four or six-cane Kniffin system is a good method to follow. The four cane system leaves four fruiting canes on the plant, two on each side of the trunk. There are an additional four short canes left to grow-called renewal spurs- that provide new shoots for the following year's crop. The six-cane system uses six long canes and six renewal spurs.

• 2

  Remove the extra one-year-old canes using shears or a pruning saw. Prune the canes flush with the trunk. Leave the canes that are closer to the top of the plant as your fruiting canes or renewal spurs.

• 3

  Prune remaining one-year-old renewal spurs by cutting to about a 3-inch length at a point where the cut end will still measure at least the size of a pencil diameter.

• 4

  Prune any dead or damaged vines or vines showing signs of disease.

• 5

  Train the fruiting canes in a balanced manner over your support structure. Do not allow canes to tangle and do not direct them all to the same side.

• 6

  Clean up the cut canes from the ground to prevent the spread of disease.