I find it hard to find a reference that tells in detail how to prune muscadines into cordons from the beginning to year three. Hopefully someone with experience can comment on my plans:
Now: Install one wire trellis with posts 16 feet apart and wire 5 feet high. Plant bare root muscadines in middle of wire, prune back to a few stronger shoots 8" long or so. Install 5 foot high stake.
When shoots gets to 1 foot long, prune all but one
As shoot grows, pinch off laterals. Tie shoot to stake.
When shoot gets to 5 feet long, cut it off and let two laterals below the wire grow as cordons.
End of year one: the cordons have grown about 1/2 of the intended length or 8 feet
First year Dormant pruning: prune spurs to 6-8" apart with 3 buds each.
Second year: let spurs grow to 18-20inches and keep cutting them back until the cordons are to desired length of 16 feet each(32 feet total). Then let all shoots grow.
Second year dormant pruning: prune spurs to 6-8" apart with 3 buds each.
Year three: Vines are now desired length and spurs spaced to desired width apart.
I have 2 vines are the beginning of year three, supreme and late fry. I got a few grapes from the late fry last year and am hoping for some grapes this year. I have two vines at the beginning of year two, dixie red and black beauty. This year I am planting darlene, granny val, pam, ison, and sweet jenny on a trellis. I also have something called mortenson hard hardy grape.
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