thanks bob,
Yes, I cane prune. and my spacing is rather tight. that's why I'm toying
with taking them off. on the other hand, Paul mentioned photosynthetic
value, wich I also agree with. Thus, my little dilema. It's still early in
the season, and I'm anticipating vigorous growth, based on what I'm already
getting. I did some canopy management this aft. shoots will grow and
accumulate leaves, but I'm reluctant to remove foliage that already exists.

Jeff


> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Jeff,
>
> Here's my 2 cents. I assume from what you have already said that you
> cane prune. If that is correct and you already have shoots closer to
> the middle of the vine picked out for next year, if the unfruitful
> shoot is inbetween 2 fruitful shoots on the cane, I would take it off.
> There always SEEMS to be pleny of room eary in the growing season BUT
> once the laterals start growing it might get a little tight.
>
> Bob
>
> jeff wrote:
>> Thanks for the reply. I've already isolated next years fruiting canes.
>> The
>> shoots I'm referring to are further along this years fruiting canes, and
>> won't be needed next year. Even so, I'm leaning along the same lines as
>> your
>> comment about carbohydrate generation. They don't seem to be providing
>> excessive shade for my fruit as yet (still early). Keeping them for that
>> reason seems to out weight the nutrition they rob from my fruiting
>> shoots. I
>> suppose, if they provide more for the vine than what they take, they are
>> worth keeping.
>>
>> Regards
>> Jeff
>>
>>
>>
>> "Paul E. Lehmann" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > jeff wrote:
>> >
>> >> on fruiting canes developing a series of fruit bearing shoots, as well
>> >> as
>> >> non-fruiting shoots...should non-fruiting shoots generally be pinched
>> >> off,
>> >> or should they be left on for photosynthetic value?
>> >>
>> >> Jeff
>> >
>> > Jeff, this depends on a couple things. Think ahead to next year. If
>> > you
>> > think you will need these shoots to be spurs for next year - and or to
>> > replace some "antlers" that you currently have for spurs this year,
>> > then
>> > don't prune them. If they are not needed for future spurs and they are
>> > excessively shading your fruiting spurs then it would probably be a
>> > good
>> > idea to prune them providing you have sufficient follage for generating
>> > carbohydrates needed by the roots and vine.
>