Pruning begins in the third winter and should be done every year during the dormant season, in winter or early spring. Pruning helps keep the amount of fruit in check and ensures that the fruit is of good quality.

Check with your nursery or a garden guide to determine if your variety should be spur-pruned or cane-pruned. Spur pruning is generally used for muscadine and European grapes, while cane pruning is more commonly used for American grapes and some European grapes. Some varieties can be pruned either way.

Spur pruning. In the third winter, begin by removing the weak side shoots, or spurs. Leave the strongest ones in place, keeping them between 6 and 10 inches apart. Cut them back to two buds per spur. Each following winter, cut the upper shoot of each spur back to two buds and remove the lower shoot.

If you're training the vine onto an arbor, cut back the shoots selected in the third spring to two buds during the third winter. Then follow the guidelines above.

Cane pruning. In the third winter, choose one strong lateral shoot near the trunk on each arm. Cut that shoot back to two buds; this will be the renewal spur. Then choose another strong lateral shoot near the trunk, cut it back to 12 buds, and tie it to the wire or support. This will produce the fruiting canes. Remove all other shoots. The next winter, remove all of the previous year's fruiting canes. From the renewal canes, choose the two strongest shoots. Cut each back to 12 buds and tie them to the wires. Choose the two next-strongest shoots and cut them back to two buds; these will be the renewal spurs. Remove all other shoots. Repeat this process each year.

If you're growing the vine on an arbor, cut back the branches on either side of the trunk to long canes with 12 buds and spurs with two buds. Then follow the guidelines above.