The most fruitful wood grows from o

The most fruitful wood grows from one year old canes. This means that each winter you want to prune off 90% of the old growth and leave just a few new canes for next years growth to come from. Last years growth is always cut back to the head which is the top of the trunk of the vine. On a commercial vineyard the trunk is just under a meter tall to allow for easy maintenance between the rows. Over time the trunk thickens and the head forms a gnarly old fist from which the new canes spring forth. The one year old canes growing from closest to the head form the new replacement fruiting canes, and the suckers that sprout straight out of the head can be cut to 3-bud spurs which then grow replacement fruiting canes to tie down the following winter.