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  • From: Rob McDowell <redwine@charter.net>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [NAFEX] grape training
  • Date: Fri, 13 Mar 2009 18:12:09 -0500

I'm going to give you a somewhat different answer about grape training than most folks will. First question is hardiness. If the variety is not fully hardy in your area, the only realistic method is to train it low, with multiple trunks, either in a fan(guyot), or a low cordon, which will allow ready covering with soil, geotex, mulch or soil. If your varieties are fully hardy, decide where you want your fruit zone, the basic choice is mid or high, there are proponents of both. This will dictate whether you train the shoots up or down, and allow the use of narrow side netting for bird and hail protection. There are a number of divided training methods where cordons or canes are trained both high and low (four arm kniffen, Scott-Henry, etc.), which, IMO, are a reactive response to overly close spacing on vigorous ground and require a lot of shoot positioning and full coverage netting.

I grow a number of the varieties you've mentioned and have settled on a mid fruit zone and mostly cane pruning. I use a couple of pairs of catch wires to help position shoots upward, and with these *anything* can go vertical. I hedge once a summer and do some leaf pulling before the side netting goes on. With high training and vigorous vines it's necessary to hedge underneath to get good airflow, possibly not needed in Colorado.

Rob McDowell
Purple Gate Vineyard
Plattsburgh, NY
zone 4b/5a






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