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Grapevines, whether grown for dessert fruit or wine-making, either under cover or outdoors , need regular pruning and training to keep them under control and producing good harvests.

The two main options are the rod and spur system and the Guyot system. In a small space, you could also grow a vine in a more compact ‘standard’ form. Which method you choose will depend mainly on how much space you have and where you want to grow your vine(s).

Pruning and training should be started in the first winter after planting the vine, then continued consistently every year. It will take two to four years before you get your first bunch of grapes, once the vine is well established.

Rod and spur system

Also known as cordon

A plant that is restricted by pruning to usually one main stem, either upright or at a 45 degree angle, with short fruiting side-shoots (spurs). Apples, pears, gooseberries, tomatoes, redcurrants and whitecurrants are often grown as cordons, especially where space is limited. Sweet peas can be grown as cordons to produce large flowers for exhibition. training, this method is very versatile. It’s the best choice for growing grapes in a greenhouse and is also well suited to outdoor vines trained against a wall or fence, or over an arch or pergola. The vine is trained to form a permanent framework with a single or multiple stems, to suit its particular location. The new fruit-carrying shoots growing from the permanent stem(s) need to be pinched back in summer and pruned in winter.

Guyot system

Guyot training is widely used in vineyards, both large and small, for outdoor dessert and wine grapes. But it’s also suitable for vines in gardens and allotments. It’s a ‘renewal training system’, based on either one or two fruiting ‘arms’ (horizontal branches) growing from a short permanent main stem (single or double Guyot, accordingly). After fruiting, the arm(s) are removed annually and shoots that formed the previous season are trained to replace them.

Standard

If space is limited, you can train an indoor or outdoor grapevine as a standard. This has a single stem with a head of branches at the top, like a lollipop. It’s ideal for containerised plants and makes an attractive garden feature. However, you will only get a modest crop.

For full details of these methods, see our guides:

Grapes: training as a standard

Grapes: rod and spur (cordon) pruning and training

Grapes: Guyot training and pruning

• Early winter (late Nov/Dec) is the main pruning time. Pruning later than this can cause the cuts to bleed sap , which can weaken the plant. Sap
  Sap is a fluid that circulates through a plant's vascular system, in a similar way to blood moving through our veins. Phloem sap carries the sugars produced in the leaves by photosynthesis down to roots and other storage organs, as well as carrying minerals and hormones. Xylem sap is watery and transports nutrients absorbed by the roots upwards to the rest of the plant. Some plants leak sap from wounds or pruning cuts, and this is known as bleeding. starts to flow earlier in greenhouse grapevines, so it’s particularly important to complete their pruning in early winter. In sites prone to spring frosts, you could consider delaying pruning until early spring – see FAQs, below
• Spring and summer – train and trim back new shoots, and thin out the fruit if necessary
  

No matter where you grow your grapevine(s) or which training method you use, you need to install permanent support. See our pruning guides for full details:

Grapes: training as a standard

Grapes: rod and spur (cordon) pruning and training

Grapes: Guyot training and pruning

Why did my grapevine bleed after pruning?
If pruned late, in January or beyond, when the sap

Sap is a fluid that circulates through a plant's vascular system, in a similar way to blood moving through our veins. Phloem sap carries the sugars produced in the leaves by photosynthesis down to roots and other storage organs, as well as carrying minerals and hormones. Xylem sap is watery and transports nutrients absorbed by the roots upwards to the rest of the plant. Some plants leak sap from wounds or pruning cuts, and this is known as bleeding. is starting to rise, grapevines are prone to bleeding sap from pruning cuts. This particularly affects plants growing in a greenhouse or if you make large pruning cuts into older wood. There is nothing you can do to halt the bleeding

The flow of sap, usually from a wound or pruning cut on woody plants. Certain plants are more prone to bleeding, including grapevines, acers and birches, so these are best pruned while dormant.

Sap (which may be discoloured, depending on the cause) bleeding from the bark of trees and shrubs can sometimes be a symptom of disease (e.g. bleeding cankers, acute oak decline), insect infestation (e.g. some wood-boring beetles), woodpecker damage, or adverse growing conditions (e.g. severe drought) – it will stop naturally when the vine starts growing. In future years, finish pruning by mid-winter.

My grapevine’s new shoots often get damaged by frosts – should I delay pruning?
Yes, in sites prone to frost in spring, delay pruning until March or early April, so the buds

A bud is a small, undeveloped shoot that contains the potential for new growth. Buds are typically found on stems, where they can be apical (found at the tip) or axillary (found between leaf axils) and may develop into leaves, shoots or flowers. burst later and new shoots are less likely to be hit by frost. The resulting bleeding won’t usually have a significant effect on a healthy vine. However, if you want to make any larger cuts into older wood, do it when the vine is fully dormant

Dormancy refers to a period of inactivity in plants, during which they slow down or stop their growth, conserving energy and resources. This is a natural process that helps them survive harsh conditions, such as winter or drought. Dormancy in seeds is a mechanism that prevents them germinating until environmental conditions are favourable for growth. , by the middle of winter.

The following 911±¬ÁÏ books are widely available to buy, or can be borrowed by 911±¬ÁÏ Members from the 911±¬ÁÏ Lindley Library :

• Grapes: indoors and out by Harry Baker and Ray Waite
• 911±¬ÁÏ Pruning & Training by Christopher Brickell & David Joyce

Also see our pruning guides:

Grapes: training as a standard

Bleeding from pruning cuts

Grapes: Guyot training and pruning

Grapes: pruning and training