[Ard]

What to do with a young plant (2-years) with strong vigor? Because of the strong vigor the internodes are large and uneven of length. If I use the buds just under the wire the new spurs will be (too) low. But, cutting the shoot back to just 2 visible buds just above the graft seems not a good option either. Because of the vigor the result of large internodes will be the same. So what is the best option?

[Piet]

Hi Ard,
You are right, cutting back to 2 buds gives you the same problem next year. But if you can cut back to a good bud let’s say 15 – 20 cm below the wire, this bud will give a shoot with lower internodiën at the base. So you can use in the next year the basal bud and first bud for the two sapflow exits or the first and second bud. Depends on the pushing of the buds in spring. One way or another, you will lose a year.

Groet,
Piet

[TEAM VMP ACADEMY]

Very good Piet!

Your idea it’s not bad.

If you have a cane developed from a spur you created last year you should estabilsh the trunk. Take a look in the relative lession (forming the trunk – strong vigour).

If your internodes ad long and you cant’ develope the future branches at the adequate height from the ground or better just below, you should anyway estabilish the trunk and let develope some shoots, according with the vigour.

Take a look in the new trunk : In the vertical part, you must have a bud that is approximately at the right height, or better just below the right height from the ground. In Spring you select the shoots cleaning the basal part of the trunk and you will mantain that shoot.

Next year you can cut the old trunk with enough spare wood and you will take the cane developed jus below the right height and build again the trunk. In this case you will have the first and second and the second internode that is usually not so long even in strong vigour plants.

So basically you will have to estabilish the trunk in 2 years.