Manual of American grape-growing

by U. P. Hedrick

Some of the vines may have made an exceptionally large growth. Such vines may sometimes possess a cane large enough from which to start the trunk in the way described later for the second winter pruning.

Staking.

If the vines have not been staked before, the stakes should be driven soon after pruning and before the starting of the buds.

In order to preserve the alignment of the vineyard, the stakes should be driven on the same side of every vine at a uniform distance. The best distance is about two inches. If driven closer they may injure large roots or even the main underground stem if the vines have not been carefully planted vertically or slanting towards the side on which the stake is to be placed.

The side on which the stake should be placed depends on the direction of the prevailing winds during the growing season. This side is the leeward. That is, the stake should be so placed that the wind will press the vine towards the stake instead of away from it. This will much facilitate the work of keeping the vine upright and attached to the stake. If the vine is on the other side the pressure of the wind will stretch the string tight and the swaying of the vine will gradually wear the string until it breaks, necessitating retying. By carefully observing this rule, very few vines will require retying even if weak material like binding twine is used.

Second summer pruning.

Before the starting of the buds, in the spring following the planting, most of the vines appear about the same as when they were planted. There is, however, a very notable difference, in that they have well-developed root systems in the soil where they were formed. The result is that they make a much more prompt and early start and will produce a much larger growth than they did the first season. For this reason they require very careful attention from the pruner during the spring and summer of the second season. Vines neglected at this time, in this respect, may make as large a growth, but a large part of it will be wasted, the vines will be misformed and it will require from one to two years longer to develop a suitable framework and to bring them into bearing, even though they are properly handled during subsequent years. The more vigorous the vines, the more necessary it is to handle them properly during this period.

The main object during this second growing season is to develop a single, strong, vigorous and well-ripened cane from which to form the permanent trunk of the vine.

This is done by concentrating all the energies of the vine into the growth of a single shoot. As soon as the buds start, or when the most precocious has developed a shoot of a few inches in length, the vines should be disbudded. This consists in rubbing off with the hand all buds and shoots except the two largest and best placed. The lowest, upright shoots are usually the best. Leave only those which will make a straight vine. It is better to leave less developed buds than a shoot which, when it grows, will make an awkward crook with the underground stem.

After this disbudding, the two shoots left will grow rapidly, as they receive all the energies of the root system. When the longest have grown from ten to fifteen inches, they should be tied to the stake. Unless this is done, they are liable to be broken off by any heavy wind, owing to their soft, succulent texture. Only the best placed and most vigorous of the two shoots should be tied up. If this shoot is growing upright and near the stake, this can be done without any danger of injuring it. In this case the second shoot should be removed. If the shoot has to be bent over in tying it to the stake it may be injured. In such a case the second shoot should be allowed to grow until it is known whether the first has been injured. In case of injury the second shoot can be tied up the next time the vines are visited and the injured shoot removed.