Joseph,

What I would do is prune back to about 24 buds and see how that goes.
The buds will be on last years growth which is the growth that doesn't
have any bark on it and is probably a tannish color. ex. if you keep
trunks then you could keep 1 canes per trunk with each cane having 8
buds each, or keep 2 canes per trunk with 4 buds on each. This pruning
, after done, will seem excessive but it's what needs to be done. After
the pruning , to the untrained eye, your vine will look like it
wouldn't grow but it will. You will be pruning aproximately 95% of last
years growth off and any other wood that needs to be cut. When pruning,
if your going to keep 8 bud canes, cut the cane after the 9th bud and
look at the cane from the end. THe pith ( center) should be small and
the xylem ( the next layer out ) should be a greenish color. If the
xylem is brown or very dry it's probably dead and you could cut back
to the fifth bud and see if it would make a good 4 bud cane. You could
also use 6 bud canes. You get the ida, but the goal is to only keep 24
buds from last years growth. Avoid canes near the bottom of the trunk.
The canes need to up in the sun. The more reddish tan the cane, usually
the better chance it's a good cane.


Bob

Joseph Toubes wrote:
> our grape vines got away from us over the years, and we have three strong
> canes, but the vines go here, there and up the pear tree ( really). I need
> to get ahold of these and turn the grape area into more than a nice hedge.
>
> Now it is winter in Iowa, and some days are better than others, but with
> regards to pruning, what do you suggest to get them more in a productive
> state.