The aim here is to produce a vine shaped like an open bush. The rods are allowed to grow naturally for the first year after planting. The rods are then cut back to within two buds of their base in January.
They could also be grown on the 'Grow as you like' system, being allowed to scramble over a trellis or cover a fence or wall. Under this system very little pruning is necessary, though it does pay to cut back the fruiting laterals in the summer at two leaves above a bunch.
Once again the vine is allowed to grow naturally the first year and then it is cut down to within two buds of its base. The strongest of the shoots that result is kept and is tied perpendicularly to a stout bamboo cane. All side growths that develop are pinched out with the thumb and forefinger to their base. When all the leaves have fallen, the long cane should first of all be tied to the stake and then should be carefully bent so that it can be tied along the lower wire. This bending of the cane, at an angle of 90 degrees, is important because the flow of sap is checked.
Once in position the rod is cut back, by about a quarter, and then the shoot which develops from the end bud is tied along the bottom wire until it reaches the next cordon where it is pruned, in the summer, to just above a bud. The laterals or side growths that develop from the lower parts of the cane are tied to the top wire when they are long enough and they are then pruned.
Each of these laterals is allowed to bear one bunch of fruit this season. As the cordon is to remain tied horizontally to the lower wire, these laterals are pruned back in January to within one plump bud of their base. This bud, of course, will grow the next spring and once again the lateral will be trained upwards and tied to the top wire. This next year it will probably bear two good bunches and the year after maybe three bunches. From then on the crop will be three or four bunches per lateral.
When growing a vine against a wall the pruning may be similar. The rod instead of being taken along a lower wire can be trained, with a main rod growing upwards and with side permanent rods trained out at right angles. Thus a series of horizontal cordons are formed and the laterals they produce are pruned back hard each January. These are tied to wires stretched tightly in between the main wires.
They could also be grown on the 'Grow as you like' system, being allowed to scramble over a trellis or cover a fence or wall. Under this system very little pruning is necessary, though it does pay to cut back the fruiting laterals in the summer at two leaves above a bunch.
Once again the vine is allowed to grow naturally the first year and then it is cut down to within two buds of its base. The strongest of the shoots that result is kept and is tied perpendicularly to a stout bamboo cane. All side growths that develop are pinched out with the thumb and forefinger to their base. When all the leaves have fallen, the long cane should first of all be tied to the stake and then should be carefully bent so that it can be tied along the lower wire. This bending of the cane, at an angle of 90 degrees, is important because the flow of sap is checked.
Once in position the rod is cut back, by about a quarter, and then the shoot which develops from the end bud is tied along the bottom wire until it reaches the next cordon where it is pruned, in the summer, to just above a bud. The laterals or side growths that develop from the lower parts of the cane are tied to the top wire when they are long enough and they are then pruned.
Each of these laterals is allowed to bear one bunch of fruit this season. As the cordon is to remain tied horizontally to the lower wire, these laterals are pruned back in January to within one plump bud of their base. This bud, of course, will grow the next spring and once again the lateral will be trained upwards and tied to the top wire. This next year it will probably bear two good bunches and the year after maybe three bunches. From then on the crop will be three or four bunches per lateral.
When growing a vine against a wall the pruning may be similar. The rod instead of being taken along a lower wire can be trained, with a main rod growing upwards and with side permanent rods trained out at right angles. Thus a series of horizontal cordons are formed and the laterals they produce are pruned back hard each January. These are tied to wires stretched tightly in between the main wires.
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