Early pruning

[HapaShawn]

Heyo

It's been only weeks, maybe 6 since my vine has been sprouting and it's growing like weeds. I have a few questions since this was my first off season pruning. I have been living at this house with the vine and never pruned it back during winter until last winter. My goal is to maximize fruit growth this year.

It seems as though most of the shoots have clusters near the base but as the tip keeps growing, no new clusters are forming.

1. Are all my clusters already present? Do new clusters start later? I never noticed this.
2. What is the harm in pruning the shoot tips now? I want all the energy to be used for growing the fruit and not non fruit bearing shoots.

 

[grapeman]

The fruit clusters form within the first two or three leaves on each shoot that forms from last year's growth. They do not keep forming. The harm with pruning the shoot tips now is that they will force out summer laterals at each leaf and the vine becomes a tangled mess. Wait until the heat of summer if you can when the vine slows down growing. You also need the leaves for photosynthesis to form sugars for the fruit so if you cut the shoots and leaves off you are defeating your intended purpose.

 

[HapaShawn]

Well that makes a lotta of sense. Thank you