> wrote in message
...
> i have been given about 20 concord grape vines to take care of, these
> vines are very old and havent been taken care of too much. i have read
> a bit about pruning grape vines but my question is is there a point when
> you cut the vine completely off at the base?? i ask this because all the
> vines are big i mean some of the bases are bigger around than a softball
> and are real knarly.

I wouldnt. If you cut tham back that far, you will be two or three years
before they grow out far enough to have another crop of grapes.


or should i just leave them alone and try to work
> with what i got? it looks as though every year someone had cut off all
> growth to a large stub of vine about 2 ft high.

The ideal way is to have them on a wire or fence, and at about 3 feet off
the ground,run one vine right and one left. Then in at about 5 ft do it
again. Then when those vines reach about 5 ft long, cut the ends off and
dont let them get any longer.

Then from the "trunk" to the end of the vines, allow one limb to grow every
4 to 6 inches. The next year, (dedpending on where you are, In the north,
in December, in the south, February) )prune those limbs off leaving two or
three "buds". Those two or three buds will produce leaves and grapes.

My termonoligy is not correct, but it is easier to follow if you are
unfamiliar with the right terms. Good luck.

Dwayne




> the old lady called me last fall to come and pick all the grapes and i
> was surprised by the abundance of grapes on the vines, i had nearly
> 200lbs.
>
> what should i do?
>
> mike
>