Training Q on 1yr. old Cayuga's

[kpcrane]

Another newbie question for you all,,,
My Cayuga's are growing like crazy, probably 6' or so now,up, up, up,.... My question is, should i just start training that main shoot down one of the wire's now and just worry about going in the opposite direction next year....or, just keep letting it go straight up for now and just cut/head the whole thing off this winter at the wire and let them go their seperate direction's down the wire at the same time?....Thank's...Kevin

 

[grapeman]

What type of training system do you plan on using? That is the most important consideration for deciding what to do now.

 

[kpcrane]

I was just planning on using the Mid-Wire Cordon(MWC) at about 54" off the ground for the first wire and another catch wire about 12" above that, but I'm open for any other suggestion's.....

 

[grapeman]

so you plan on letting the shoots grow upward like VSP and use one single catch wire? Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen with Cayuga............
Cayuga does not like VSP very well since it sends out such large shoots. Top Wire (High wire) is a better choice in my opinion.

 

[spaniel]

+1, I would not use VSP with Cayuga. Mine have done very well on top wire cordon.

If you are training it with a single trunk to TWC, you can carefully bend the main shoot over as one of the cordons or you can head it off a few inches over the top wire and use laterals for the cordons. If you use the main shoot as the first cordon, once it gets to the right length head it off. This will force the vine to put more growth to the laterals, giving you one for the other cordon.

My Cayuga died back to the ground due to the severe winter. I'm doing two trunks this time, one per cordon. Once it gets to the right length and is cut off, it really promotes growth of the laterals (next year's fruiting wood).

 

[kpcrane]

Thank's Guy's, you more than likely just saved me alot of frustrations!...
I was just planning a single trunk for these since central Mo. dosn't usually get way cold for a long period of time in the winter. Spaniel, where abouts are you located that you had your's die back from the cold?

 

[grapeman]

Cayuga is not very hardy and will die back below -10F many times.