When is the best time to prune grapes? I have 4 grape vines that produced no fruit this year, so I'm assuming that the vines need pruned. When do I do this and how do I do this? Also, would like some plans for a new grape arbor. The one that is there is rather sad looking. This will be our first fall at the new house and lots of pruning coming up.

You can prune grapes while they are dormant. After the leaves fall and through the winter.

Sorry, don't have any idea for a grape arbor for you.

How do you prune them? To the ground?

Hello Morningstar,

What kind of grape vines (variety) do you have? [Pruning method depends on the grapes' variety]

How old are the grape vines?

Are you raising them for shade or fruits?

As Lillylac said, the grapes should be pruned when they are in dormant season [and past the danger of frost], depending on location is usually in the winter or in early spring before buds swell. In Ohio, this done in March.

Two of the widely used method of pruning are:
Spur pruning and Cane pruning. Both can be used to train grapes on arbors.

Spur pruning is used for european table grapes and wine varieties.

Cane pruning is used for American varieties, French-American hybrids, muscadine grapes, Olivette Blanche, Rish Baba and Thompson seedless.

Basically, during the first year, you let the vine grow unchecked (don't try to train growth). The more leaves, the better the root development.

See OSU for more info on Growing Grapes