We began our pruning chores in late March, which is sooner than we have in the past, but we are realizing that it is not early enough, given the number of plants we now have to manage.
The pruning tasks can be divided into the following:
- 1) Cutting the tendrils off of the catch wires and moving the Agfast
- 2) Making the major cuts of last year's shoots
- 3) Cutting tendrils and larger summer laterals off of this year's canes
- 4) Layng down and securing this year's canes
Our friends came to help us with the first task. Doing that alone can save us 1-1/2 hours per row, (we have 36 rows). We then go back so my husband can make the major cut of last year's "lay down cane" with his battery operated shears and then I follow him and clean up and lay down this year's fruiting cane. The last three tasks takes us 2 hours per row.
One can make all the projections about how long tasks will take and establish goals, but Mother Nature will still have her way. You know the saying,
April showers bring May flowers, well, we had that in spades this April, with even a few snow days sprinkled in.
Good news, bad news: I am not overly complaining because the snow/rain/wind days gives us a chance to recharge our batteries, but pruning is a race against bud break. With the temperatures being lower than normal for April, our buds are lagging behind.
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