Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Monday - July 11, 2011
From: China Grove, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Pruning, Vines
Title: How to prune wild mustang grape vines.
Answered by: Guy Thompson
QUESTION:
Now that my mustang grapes are harvested. When can I trim them out of the tree top and redirect them to an arbor where I can reach them next year? The main vine is at least 3" across. The vines from this reach at least 50' away. What diameter of this vine can I cut that will re sprout with new growth? Thanks !ANSWER:
Grape vines should be pruned in the dormant season (winter). Pruning later than February may result in "bleeding" of sap from the cut stems, but this will not be a serious problem. A good discussion of how to prune is given in this web site. However, this discussion does not deal with wild vines growing far up into a tree.
Hopefully, your vines have lateral branches spaced along the main stem. You want to prune back these laterals so that each has only 2 to 3 sets of buds. It is these that will produce the fruit. Leaving too many buds will result in smaller fruit. If the lower section of the main stem is free of lateral branches you had better save a greater length of main stem until you reach the point where laterals and their buds are located. Attaching the bare main stem to a horizontal arbor will encourage additional lateral branches to come out in the next growing season.
If you can retain suffiicient buds on the lower portion of your vines, it should be safe to prune even a 2-3 inch thick stem. If that is done, it might be a good idea to paint the cut surface with pruning compound or paint, although many experts say that pruning paint in unnecessary.
From the Image Gallery
More Pruning Questions
Rejuvenating an old Wax myrtle hedge
February 15, 2016 - I have 8 wax myrtles that were planted about 9 years ago as a screen from our neighbors. They are about 12 feet high. During the past 9 months they are getting thinner and thinner. Two of them hav...
view the full question and answer
Trimming inland sea oats from Waco TX
January 30, 2013 - Re: Inland Sea Oats and trimming back in early spring
"It passes through most of winter a soft brown, but becomes tattered and gray by February, a good time to cut it back to the basal rosette."
...
view the full question and answer
Sad Germanders in Johnson City Texas
September 16, 2011 - I have some grey bush germanders that never seem to do well although they did at first when I planted them four years ago. They have sun and dappled shade on the south side of the house. A friend in ...
view the full question and answer
Texas sage losing inner leaves
May 14, 2015 - I have a Texas Sage bush that on the outside is beautiful with green leaves. The inside branches (the middle) of the bush are bare of any leaves. Why?
view the full question and answer
Pruning non-native peach in Austin, TX.
June 18, 2015 - I planted two five gallon Texas Star peach trees last February but didn't have the nerve to prune them back to knee height. After having been convinced that this is a good thing to do, I'd like to k...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |