Training grapes using high wire cordon system
American grape varieties will prosper when trained using a high wire cordon system. American cultivars tend to produce shoots that grow in a downward direction. The high wire cordon system uses this to its advantage by letting the shoots follow their normal tendancy to grow down. This system of growing is called the Hudson River Umbrella.
Start training your new grape vines to grow upward toward the highest horizontal wire (around six feet). The first season you will let your vines grow up a pole and secure them to the pole with cloth ties or anything else that will not cut into the vine. After the first season, while dormant, you will select the two hardiest looking vines to be your trunks. Cut the others down so they will not compete with your trunks.
This next season, you will be working on establishing your cordons. The cordons are the arms of your grape vine. They will be the branches from which your shoots will grow. The shoots or canes will be from where your fruit, leaves and tendrils grow. The cordons will need to be tied to the top wire to let them grow out during the second season. After the second season during the dormant period, you will want to cut off any canes from the trunk and from the cordons. You will also want to shorten the cordons if they are too long.
High wire cordon trained grapes
During the third season you will be able to notice more tendrils attaching themselves to the wire, more leaves, flowers and fruit. Take note of how the grape vines develop. After the third season while dormant, you will want to prune any suckers on the trunk and thin out the canes. You will want to space out the canes you want to fruit between 7-12 inches apart. leave smaller spurs in between that will grow shoots for the next year. Keep in mind that grapes bear fruit on one year ancient wood. While pruning, you must not only look out for the upcoming season, but plot ahead to grow wood for the following season’s fruit.
