Effect on Plant Size and Crop Yield
Pruning a plant reduces its ultimate adult size and the crop yield in at least the following season. To compensate for this loss of bearing area and yield, other factors, largely economic, must be considered in planning a pruning program.
Effect on Fruit Size
By reducing the number of fruit buds (and hence clusters) on the bush, pruning results in an increase in the size of the individual berries. Up to a point, the more severe the pruning, the larger the remaining berries are. Pruning for increased size is a compromise between desired size and yield (numbers) of fruit.
Effect on Ripening Period
Moderate to heavy pruning tends to shift the ripening period forward so that most of the remaining fruit ripens together and early. Light pruning results in a longer season of ripening. It may be more profitable in southeastern North Carolina to prune fairly heavily, even at the expense of some yield, to realize the earliest possible maturity.
Vine Planting Information
