The Hort Report

By superadmin | April 16, 2025

Spring is here as we begin to see some early flowers start to grow out of the mulch in our perennial flowerbeds. We plan on leaving the mulch on them a few more days. Mainly to protect Ladybugs and other helpful insects as we might still have a few cold nights.

When pruning grapes you, need to remember that new grapes grow on new cane. Like when pruning fruit tress you need to first prune off any broken, damaged, and diseased looking cane. Then I prune off any cane coming off the grape trunk at ground level.

With grapes you need to train them to grow on wire running between several posts. Woven wire or panels. I have my grapes growing on woven wire. I like to have at least four main second or third year canes coming out from the main grape trunk.

They will grow in opposite direction from each other along the wire, panel or woven wire. This cane is what the new cane for 2025 will grow off of. Also this is where your grapes for 2025 will grow.

As you prune the old cane from last year prune all cane that you don’t want to use as main cane in coming years. Make sure to prune back so that you only have about 1-2 feet in length off old cane per side of the grape trunk.

Once you get done stand back and look to see if you can see 4-6 main canes coming off the grape trunk. The cane growing in opposite direction on the wire, woven wire or panels.

Remember that if you have too much old cane growing and producing more grapes than it can support. Thus the fruit will be smaller and lower in sugar content. If you do any pruning at all it help you get a better grape crop.

I will then put down some organic matter around the grape trunks. This will help keep weeds and grass from growing. This also helps conserve moisture and add much needed nutrients for the grapes to grow better.

When pruning brambles, you need to know that new berries grow on cane that is two years old. So prune all old dead, damaged, diseased looking cane.

When pruning cane leave about 6-8 inches of lateral cane coming out of each main cane coming out from the ground. This main cane should be at least eight inches long from the ground up.

Just like with pruning fruit trees and grapes the better job of pruning you do. The bigger and better the fruit your brambles will produce.

As I finish pruning brambles, I will start to remove any weeds and unwanted grass and begin to put down some organic matter. I will make sure I get at least 2-4 inches on the bed. The organic matter will help controls weeds and grass from growing, along with giving the brambles much needed nutrients.

Hopefully some of you have been able to get some cool season vegetables planted in the past few days. By getting them planted this early, you should be able to get a second crop of vegetables planted within the next 60 days.

Last year using raised beds at the Community Garden, we were able to grow several different types of cool season vegetables for most of the growing season. You will need to make sure to keep them watered. Raised beds dry out faster.

In a coming The Hort. Report I will be talking about sowing grass seed as this is a good time to be sowing grass seed and fertilizer.

I really appreciate all your questions in the past and look forward to them in the coming days. You can call me at 573-588-2040 Shelby County Implement Shelbina, Mo. Facebook me at Greenwell’s Greenhouse Group, Email [email protected]. I really enjoy people asking me questions in person any time you see me. By asking me questions I might need to do some research and this helps me grow as a person. Enjoy the great weather we are having and hope you enjoyed The Hort. Report.

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