Pruning the vines

The vine is a liana which can grow several meters per year in a completely anarchic way.

By reducing the number of buds, the pruner concentrates the growth of the plant which allows to harvest more fleshy and sweet bunches.

The bunches are generally carried by 1 year old “shoots”. It is thus quite naturally that the pruner selects and keeps the most beautiful of them in order to prepare the coming harvest.

Another objective of the pruning is to “shape” the vine. The pruner will then eliminate the wood so that the foot only occupies the space reserved for it. The pruner must also be careful to preserve the good circulation of the sap to ensure the longevity of the vine.

There are many types of pruning (single guyot, double guyot, goblet, cordon …) which depend on the grape varieties, the vine management and the production objectives.

The pruning of the vine is a very complex operation. Each vine is different and requires a particular attention but… a legend tells that the first to have pruned the vine, and highlighted its virtues, is a donkey who had grazed.

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