Pruning and caring for grapevines – the ultimate guide for beginners

Vines in the garden – whether trained on a trellis, growing up a house wall or covering a pergola – are a magnificent eye-catcher with many different facets. In spring, the vine captivates with its delicate blossoms; in summer, it yields delicious grapes; and in autumn, the leaves take on warm, vibrant hues.

For beginners, however, pruning vines can seem a little daunting at first: when exactly should you prune the vines, and what exactly do you need to look out for? These questions are crucial for the healthy growth and harvest quality of the vines. In our comprehensive guide, you will therefore find not only extensive information on planting vines, but also practical instructions on pruning vines and tips on suitable trellising supports.

Planting, training and growing vines

Which grapevine varieties can you grow in the garden?

When choosing the right grapevines, you should first ask yourself whether the plants are intended purely for ornamental purposes. In that case, wild grapevines are ideal for greening. However, if you also want to eat the fruit, table grapes are the right choice. You can pick these straight from the vine and enjoy them. Well-established and popular varieties that are also resistant to mildew include, for example:

• Regent – with medium-sized, crisp fruit
• Venus – seedless, sweet fruit
• Muscat Bleu – seedless fruit with a subtle hint of nutmeg
• Boskoops Glorie – very hardy with an earthy, sweet aroma

Be sure to buy your grapevines from a specialist retailer. They supply the young plants already grafted.

When should you plant vines?

Vines prefer warm temperatures and should therefore ideally be planted in the spring. The months of April to May are considered optimal, as the risk of frost damage is low during this period and the vines have enough time to establish themselves well before summer.

In the case of container-grown plants, which are available in shops all year round, it is possible to plant them right up until summer. However, you should ensure that these plants also have sufficient time to establish themselves before the hotter summer months set in.

It is often claimed that grapevines can also be planted in autumn. However, damage from wet conditions and frost can affect the young vines and harm them. We therefore recommend planting in spring.

Here is an overview of the best time to plant vines and other important questions relating to vine cultivation:

Time period	Location	Depth
Vines love warmth. Wait until April/May before planting.	A sunny, well-ventilated spot where the soil can warm up easily is ideal.	Use the pot as a guide: plant the vines a good hand’s depth deeper than they are in the pot.

Support for grapevines: metal, wood or plastic?

Vines are true climbing champions and love to reach for the sky. You should therefore ensure you have enough space in advance for the vine to climb. In general, the plants can climb metal, wooden or plastic supports without any problems. However, plastic is not very environmentally friendly. It is better to opt for wood or metal.

With a freestanding trellis in the form of a wrought-iron vine gazebo, you can provide your vines with the ideal spot for extensive climbing – and enjoy a lush gazebo in your garden yourself. If you’d like to create an inviting yet sheltered retreat right next to your house, a vine can also beautifully green a pergola.

Sturdy garden arches are also well suited for covering with vines and can be used in the garden as an entrance or a passageway. Wild grapevine is particularly suitable for this purpose, as the focus is not on harvesting grapes but on its ornamental value.

How to prune vines properly – what you need to know

Vines: When to prune?

The peak season for pruning vines is in winter. This is when the main pruning takes place, which is essential. From spring to summer, however, excess shoots are trimmed and the vines are thinned out.

Pruning vines in autumn and winter

Pruning vines is important for promoting their growth and fruit production. The main pruning takes place during the dormant season, from autumn through to late winter, ideally between November and March. It is particularly advisable to delay pruning until March in the case of older vines. This encourages vigorous sprouting in spring and prevents the vines from suffering damage during the cold season. Generally, however, temperatures around freezing are ideal for pruning vines – they should simply not fall below -5 °C. Different grape varieties vary slightly in this respect. It is therefore best to check with a specialist retailer or gardener beforehand to find out what applies to your vines.

A beginner’s guide to pruning vines:
A vine consists of the trunk and the so-called canes, on which the one-year-old wood or shoots grow. Cut these back using sharp secateurs. You can remove the competing shoots – that is, the weaker fruiting shoots – completely. Leave only the strongest shoots. Cut these back to the last two buds (tip: read more about ‘buds’ below). New shoots will develop from the buds in spring. With this method, even beginners can prune vines with ease. Most grape varieties respond well to this technique.

Pruning vines in spring

From March onwards, you should start removing shoots that do not have flower buds and will therefore not bear fruit. Use your hands to snap the shoots off at the base.

Pruning promotes healthy growth and development of the plant. With vigorous vines, there are usually still plenty of fertile shoots left after this step. It is then important to select only the strongest shoot per fruiting cane and remove all the others.

Pruning vines in summer

Summer pruning is not strictly necessary for grapevines, but it can be helpful if you did not thin out the plant in spring. If necessary, you should now remove any unwanted, non-fruiting shoots. It can also be useful to remove excess foliage that shades the grapes and thus hinders the ripening of the fruit. This helps to improve the yield and reduces the risk of fungal infection.

What are buds on grapevines?

The term ‘bud’ refers to the early stage of a newly forming shoot – the name comes from the fact that, with a little imagination, the buds look like eyes. In viticulture, a distinction is made between summer and winter buds. Whilst summer buds usually sprout only briefly on water shoots and wither away, winter buds are essential. These swell in the leaf axils as early as winter and ‘sleep’ until spring. Then – when temperatures rise – the winter buds burst open and new long shoots develop.

What happens if vines aren’t pruned?

Vines – including ornamental wild vines – that aren’t pruned will become overgrown over time and spread uncontrollably throughout the garden. Getting a runaway vine under control can be a challenge, as the climbing plants will put down new roots in other places.

What can you do about powdery mildew on grapevines?

You can recognise powdery mildew on your grapevines by the yellowish, translucent spots that form on the upper surfaces of the leaves, which turn brown over time. On the underside of the leaves, a whitish, powdery fungal growth appears. This also affects the grapes.

You can save the plants by using special fungicides. You can find these at your local garden centre. Spray your vines regularly with the product, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

How do I save an old vine?

With an old vine, you should check for any signs of disease and treat them accordingly. You can find suitable products at a well-stocked garden centre. If the vine is not diseased, a radical pruning in winter usually helps to stimulate new growth or budding.