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HOME FRUIT GROWER 



Fig. 101. Section, of Grape shoot showing flower 

 clusters and tendrils 



Summer pruning is as 

 simple as Winter pruning. 

 First, a few days before 

 the Grapes begin to bloom, 

 cut off with a sharp knife 

 the tips of the shoots that 

 are to be allowed to bear 

 fruit, leaving two or three 

 leaves beyond the outer- 

 most cluster on each (Fig. 

 101). Second, at the same 

 time pick out two sturdy 

 shoots, which start from 

 near the crotch. Make 

 them extend right and 

 left. These are to replace 

 the canes grown the pre- 

 vious year and from which 

 this year's shoots and 

 fruits have developed. To 

 make these canes still 

 stronger remove all the 



flower clusters from them. Third, remove all shoots that start to 

 grow on the main trunk below the crotch, because they will rob the 

 bearing part of the vine of food and bear nothing in return. Fourth, 

 a week or ten days after the work just outlined in 1, 2 and 3, inspect the 

 vines and shorten the shoots not previously cut back. Fifth, by this 

 time the shoots previously clipped will probably have pushed out 

 new shoots from their outermost buds. Clip these back to one or 

 two leaves. Then wait for the reward of fruit. It's as easy as it 

 sounds ! 



After the vines have begun to bear, the pruning during the dormant 

 season is as follows: Second bearing year. Gut off the arms that 

 produced the bearing shoots the previous Summer just beyond the 

 starting point of the two new sturdy canes (Fig. 99). Avoid injuring 

 these two new canes when removing the other wood. Shorten these 

 canes in proportion to the strength of the vine, leaving three or four 

 buds on each for weak growing varieties such as Delaware and six 

 to ten for strong ones and gently braid them with and tie them to 

 the lowest wire (Fig. 102). Each of the buds left on these canes should 

 produce a shoot and each shoot two or three clusters of Grapes. 



The Summer pruning is the same each year from now forward, 

 but a larger number of strong shoots may be deprived of their flowers 



