Hi,

Could anyone advise me on the best way to train Chambourcin vines? Two or
three arm Kniffin, or some other method? The vines are quite vigorous, and
develop cane very quickly, so if I don't train them right, I will have a
mess on my hands. Thanks for any help!

Gary in NC

http://home.carolina.rr.com/winemaking/

Gary wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Could anyone advise me on the best way to train Chambourcin vines? Two or
> three arm Kniffin, or some other method? The vines are quite vigorous,
> and develop cane very quickly, so if I don't train them right, I will have
> a
> mess on my hands. Thanks for any help!
>
> Gary in NC
>
> http://home.carolina.rr.com/winemaking/

Since your vines are quite vigorous, you might consider one of the divided
canopy methods such as Lyre. It is my experience that early growth (prior
to fruit set) Chambourcin vines will snap at the cordon junction if you try
to move them. This is also true in varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc. To
me this would discourage systems such as GDC, Scott Henry or Smart Dyson in
which you have to force some of the shoots to grow in directions that they
really don't want to grow. Others may have different experience and
disagree. Next year I am going to experiment with cane pruning some as
opposed to spur pruning.

Gary,
Lyre would be probably the best as chambourcin has an upright growing
pattern. If you use the GDC just make sure you have adequate space
between rows. There is a grower on this board who has chambourcin on
the GDC and uses catch wires to comb them down which is a good idea.
Just wait till after bloom to do that.Most vines canes' are tender
BEFORE bloom so as far as training the canes , be gentle before bloom.
Also, since chambourcin alwats has at least 2 clusters per cane and
the clusters are LARGE you could use the fruit to slow down the growth
and cut some off after veraison.

Bob


"Gary" > wrote in message r.com>...
> Hi,
>
> Could anyone advise me on the best way to train Chambourcin vines? Two or
> three arm Kniffin, or some other method? The vines are quite vigorous, and
> develop cane very quickly, so if I don't train them right, I will have a
> mess on my hands. Thanks for any help!
>
> Gary in NC
>
> http://home.carolina.rr.com/winemaking/

Gary wrote "Could anyone advise me on the best way to train Chambourcin
vines? Two or
> three arm Kniffin, or some other method? The vines are quite vigorous,
and
> develop cane very quickly, so if I don't train them right, I will have a
> mess on my hands. Thanks for any help!

Gary - Here in the Kansas City area Chambourcin are also very vigorous. I
grow mine on a single high wire at 6 feet. There is a second wire at 4 feet
and if I have a side shoot coming off at that height I let it grow to sap
some of the vigor. Also, I let the suckers grow up and chop them off a
couple of times a summer...saps more vigor. I let the shoots grow as long
as they want and prune them off a ground level. I grow my Chambourcin as I
do because I want a lot of room between rows (10 feet). If the rows were
wider I would consider a GDC trellis...there is plenty of vigor to fill this
type trellis, at least here where we get maximum sunshine and heat.

Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas USA