Vine Training Techniques Flashcards
What is the general objective of vine training?
To maximize the vine’s performance relative to the local conditions
To keep the canes from touching the ground and forming new roots
What are the two principal classifications of vine training?
Head training
Cordon training
What is cordon training?
The vine has at least one permanent cane (called a cordon or arm) which extends from the trunk. It grows thick and gnarled over time and the fruit-bearing shoots spring out of it each season. Requires trellising system typically.
What is head training?
The vines have no permanent cordon and the trunk ends in a knob or head. No trellising system. Vines may be supported by a stake or not at all. May be spur pruned or cane pruned.
What will happen to a green shoot if left on the vine?
It will develop in to a woody cane.
What is a spur?
A cane cut back to two buds
What is spur pruning?
Pruning a cane to two buds. In spur pruning, upper cane growing from a spur is cut back in the winter. The lower cane from the same spur is cut back two buds creating a new spur. Each produces two fruiting canes, one of which becomes next year’s spur.
What is cane pruning?
Grower retains one spur and one cane. Buds left on the cane range from 6 to over a dozen (often regulated by European appellations systems). The buds on a two year old cane each release shoots producing fruit. The entire two-year old main cane and its fruiting canes are removed each season. One of the one-year old canes is selected and becomes the next year’s main cane. Usually used on head-trained vines.
What is the Guyot system?
Developed in 1860 by Jules Guyot. It is a head-trained/cane pruning VSP system which requires a vertical trellis on which the cane is suspended. Includes one spur and one two year old cane.
What is the Double Guyot system?
A Guyot system variant which involves two main canes extended out from the trunk in either direction.
What is the Gobelet system?
A head-trained/spur pruning method which involves the fruit producing canes extending upward unsupported from the spur-pruned shortened arms atop the trunk. Resembles a goblet. Common in the Southern Rhône and Southern Italy.
What is Albarello?
Italian term for the Gobelet method
What is en vaso?
Spanish term for the Gobelet method
What do Australians refer to the Gobelet method as?
Bush vines
What is the Cordon de Royat method and where is it used?
A spur-pruned/cordon trained method similar to the Guyot method in which a single spur-pruned permanent cane extends out directly from the trunk horizontally rather than a two-year old cane. Used for Pinot Noir in Champagne.
