Old gnarly grape vine arbour

Question

A neglected old grape vine arbour – it has run amok. It is a gnarly mass of wood – not sure how much I can cut (old wood) how far back can I cut & when. Photos taken last year early summer.

Answer 1

Apparently this is an old, well established vine, so you can cut it back pretty hard, and it should grow for you. As one of the articles says, “don’t be afraid to cut.” If you want to maintain the shade on the arbor, you’ll need to determine which of the old vines to use as your main trunk, then cut back all the side growth from those. If you don’t care so much about the shade, you could cut back almost to the ground, and regrow the whole thing. Here are some articles that could prove useful: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/grapes/prune-grape-vine.htm
http://wine.wsu.edu/research-extension/files/2013/02/GrapePruningBasics.pdf
https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fruit-nut/fact-sheets/grape-arbors/

You can also look for advice from the horticulture and gardening services which surely exist in your area. I’ve found the best thing is to call the nearest botanical garden, and ask them what local sources could help you out with your old grape arbor.