Thinning dessert grapes

In this video, I tackle the tedious task of thinning some dessert grapes. One of our glasshouse grapes - Black Hamburg - really benefits from thinning. Here I am removing excess bunches and also thinning the individual berries to relieve crowding. This allows the remaining berries to develop to their full potential. None of the bunches are great this year, likely due to poor weather earlier in the season, but thinning should help to make the most of them.

[@NMranchhand]

Thank you very much. That’s precisely what I needed to see as my clusters are just in the shape yours were at the beginning. And, like you…three weeks ago. Woulda’, shoulda’, coulda’…no time for regrets in the summer garden, eh?

[@jonnyskitchengarden]

I think most of my videos include the words "I should have done this weeks ago" 😂

[@NMranchhand]

@@jonnyskitchengarden Perhaps you should make it your tag line! It anneals you to us mere mortal gardeners.

[@jonnyskitchengarden]

😂

[@GordonjSmith1]

Ok I felt I was developing OCD watching this masterclass! I genuinely felt that I learnt much about pruning grapes, but my 'inner me' was screaming 'why does he not just hack off the horrid bunches and leave the others'? You of course answer me perfectly by explaining why the removal of the small berries benefits the larger ones, but I am still 'itching' that you were not more barbarous with the whole plant - cut the ones I don't want off! Very impressed that you have the patience to do what you do. I expect the grapes will be wonderful, my vines are (according to anyone who sees them) 'rubbish'. So bravo to you and your efforts! Love following your journey!

[@jonnyskitchengarden]

My patience was greatly tested by this job - I’m sure the first half were done with much more care than the second - and there was plenty of barbarism off camera 😂 I think these might be our worst bunches - I’m blaming the weather 🙄

[@NMranchhand]

The wonderful thing about grape vines is that ‘rubbish’ is always only one or two good winter prunings away from treasure. They provide so many new shoots in “better” places, and grow so fast that you can always turn the whole thing around. Keep swinging!

[@gardentours]

Really interesting, thanks for sharing. 🍇🍇🍇👍

[@jonnyskitchengarden]

Thank you :)

[@MrRussbros]

Very interesting Jonny.😊. Is there any merit in using those fine scissors and do a preliminary thinning at the flowering stage? I'd imagine that there is less scissor travelling and it wouldn't matter too much which flowers you discarded? It might make it a lot easier when the grapes set and a lot less work for the final thinning?

[@jonnyskitchengarden]

I think it would certainly be a good idea to do it sooner than I did - they were already packed a bit tight and made the job harder than it needed to be. That was entirely my fault for leaving it too long. I don't think I would go so far as to thin at the flowering stage, though, as you never know which will develop into decent berries. I'd prefer wait until the shape of the bunch can be seen.

[@BeFree-BeFrugal]

You’ve got lots of grapes, where I used to live I had a vine on a south facing garage wall

[@jonnyskitchengarden]

This variety always produces lots of grapes :) I guess your vine enjoyed the south facing wall?

[@BeFree-BeFrugal]

@@jonnyskitchengarden Yes it did

[@Dovoro.]

Just what I was looking for, thanks Jonny. My 2x vines are in year 4 now so I've let them fruit away this year compared with last year's brutal fruit limiting. I've left it a bit late as well but hoping I have caught it in time to snip off the small unformed berries as you have here to still make a difference. They're mounted on a South facing wall and this heatwave has worked a lot of magic. Out of curiosity, do you make wine with yours or eat them? Cheers, Dave

[@jonnyskitchengarden]

You did the right thing limiting the bunches in its early years 👍 It probably is a bit late to make much difference, though it will depend on the variety, but it won’t do any harm and you will be improving airflow so it’s still good. The grapes are certainly enjoying this weather 🙂 We just eat ours. For wine, one might thin the bunches but not the individual berries.

[@Dovoro.]

@@jonnyskitchengarden thanks Jonny, appreciate the reply. Had a fantastic yield this year.

[@user-yr9pq7le5k]

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