Organic Care of Young Vines Fruit

As the shoots emerge from the rabbit-protection sleeves, they will need tying to the bamboo cane to stop them flopping over. There will invariably be several shoots that grow. In about June this should be reduced to one by saving the straightest and breaking off all surplus shoots at their base. The one that is left will develop into the trunk of the vine — if it grows sufficient length and thickness during the first year. If it does not, then the vine will need to be pruned right back to the graft during the first winter and a stronger shoot grown in the second year to form the trunk. To create a trunk that will last and perform well over twenty-five or more years requires minimal branching. In other words, if the vine requires pruning back to the graft, during the first winter, it is necessary to cut back severely — just below the first visible bud, so that the new shoot that grows the following year comes directly from the axial (invisible) bud and not from the new shoot that grew after the vine was planted.

Many experts recommend cutting every young vine back to the graft during the first winter. The only time this would not be necessary is if the vine produces a cane of at least pencil thickness and of at least the desired trunk height plus three buds for the chosen training system. In this case, during the first winter this cane would be cut at three buds above the height of the proposed trunk (Guyot system).

Rabbit Protection

Once mulch has been laid, the wires should be reattached to the end posts at a height of about 1 metre and intermediary posts banged in about every fifty to sixty vines for additional support. Each vine then needs a bamboo cane and (unless the site is secured against rabbits by a fence) some kind of rabbit protection or guard. This can be cylindrical netting, polythene or plastic sleeve and needs to be at least 45-50cm long, as rabbits will get up on their hind legs to eat the top of the vine as it emerges from the guard if it is not long enough to prevent this.