I have a Ponca, Prime Ark Freedom and Ouachita growing on a rotating cross arm and not found a lot of pruning videos. I planted my plants 2.5’ apart so I planned on just having multiple canes growing up to the top wire 6’ tall then tipping the tops to promote lateral growth. Most canes are shooting out lower laterals now and the main cane is only 4’ tall.
Should I cut these lower laterals so the main cane and upper laterals start growing? I’m also worried about bending the trellis in winter that the lower canes might be more vulnerable to braking since they are below the bottom wire?
No! The leaves are developed and producing food. You might want to cut their tips off so they don’t grow anymore.
So you think the lower laterals will go up to 6’? I really don’t want berries below the bottom wire at 2’ since it’s on a rotating cross arm system I think the main point is to have the berry higher up for easier picking in the shade?
I decided to leave 1 plant alone and let the laterals below the wire grow hoping they will grow up to the top wire (6’). The other plants I cut the laterals below the bottom wire so I hoping the upper laterals above the bottom wire will grow or new shoots will grow quicker. This will keep all the laterals above 2’ where the trellis is going to be bent over during winter thru spring. I already pinched the tips off both main cains on each plants at 6’.
