Getting to the cordon wire

Yesterday I planted 10 three year old pinot gries vines in my newly created mini-vineyard. I ordered these from Willis Orchards in Georgia. The plants are dormant and seem to be very healthy. However, one thing I was surprised/disappointed in was the length of the trunk. The trunks are only about 12-14" in length, with multiple canes off the top of the trunk of about another 18" long. So the problem I have is i'm a ways from my 36" cordon wire, especially for three year old plants. Certainly not long enough to form any arms. So, what's the best method to transition in to my initial VSP arms?

I am about 6 months ahead of you, in that I planted out my vineyard in the winter just gone (your summer).
Observations so far, there is a huge variation of vine growth between the vines. Growth during spring was rapid, but has slowed for summer regardless of watering. Some are up to the cordon wire, others haven't progressed from their initial shoots. I lost a couple too.
What have I done so far: I selected a single cane for each plant to concentrate the growth on that cane. As the cane has grown, I have been plucking out all of the side shoots that develop again to concentrate the growth to get height.
I am not an expert, just doing what seems logical.

I'd take the best positioned cane (unless it is unusually thick, unusually thin or just looks unhealthy) and bind it straight upwards, then leave the two uppermost shoots (the lower one as reserve) and bend the healthier one at the desired height next year. You might use a shoot at the bend to create a second cordon arm if desired.

I made some sketches in another thread:
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f25/pruning-advice-42375/

I try to stay away from the two or three year old vines. All that means is that it took them that long to make it to marketable size. A very healthy one year vine is more vigorous and takes off better. That said, blumentopferde sums up a good way to handle them.

After I posted this, I googled the same subject. There is tons of good videos available on-line, but I really appreciate the personal information from all contributors around the world! It's what makes this hobby so fun. Tomorrow I'll shift gears and rack some back yard lemon crop skeeter pee and a couple of gallons of Texas Mustang.

it's a start!

good luck then!

The trunk "heart" does not always need to reach the first wire. Many vineyards here in Europe have trunks that just sticking out above the ground. I find it easier if the trunk heart is actually a few inches below the first wire as it makes bending the cane onto the wire easier and less chance of breaking the cane. But it also depends if your doing a cordon or cane system. Due to disease pressure almost 98% of the vineyards here use the cane system.
Plus what Blumentopferde said.


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One more thing. Since you only have a mini vineyard that's new I would run a double wire or VSP system. Basically you have two wires on each side of the post. You you can run the growing canes between them and not have to tie them onto the wire which saves time both when their growing and when you prune and remove them. I am in the process of doing this to my vineyard and I hate removing hundreds of ties every year when I prune.


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