How to prune grape 'niagara'

Late winter (February–March), while fully dormant and before sap rises; avoid pruning once buds swell. For cane pruning: select 2–4 healthy one-year-old canes (pencil-thick, light-brown bark) and tie to the trellis wire; cut all other canes off. Retain a renewal spur of 2 buds near the head to grow replacement canes. For spur pruning: shorten each spur to 2 buds. Remove any dead or damaged wood.

Annually. Grape 'Niagara' is a vigorous American labrusca cultivar that must be pruned hard every year — grapes fruit only on new canes grown from one-year-old wood. Without annual pruning the vine produces masses of unproductive old wood. Spur or cane pruning removes up to 90% of the previous year's growth.

For cane pruning: select 2–4 healthy one-year-old canes (pencil-thick, light-brown bark) and tie to the trellis wire; cut all other canes off. Retain a renewal spur of 2 buds near the head to grow replacement canes. For spur pruning: shorten each spur to 2 buds. Remove any dead or damaged wood.