Cut back now to ensure new, strong, fruit-bearing shoots next year
I have been half neglecting my vine, letting it do as it pleases, occasionally trying to tame its wild ways, but mostly allowing the blackbirds the pick of the few grapes that appeared. That is, until Guardian food writer Anna Jones shared her recipe for roasted grapes and goat’s cheese. Now I want my fair share of grapes, too, which will mean whipping the wild vine back into shape.
Vine pruning is up there with bonsai for being notoriously complicated. This is partly because there are numerous systems for vines developed for creating fine wines and perfect dessert grapes. These systems create curtains of stems that can hang over pergolas, or complex cordons to grow strictly up wires. They all come with detailed pruning advice and technical diagrams. (I can heartily recommend the RHS Pruning and Training Manual as a starting point.)
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