The vine, symbol of French culture and source of the refined product of wine, can now be propagated by your own hands thanks to the cutting technique. This method of vegetative propagation, accessible to gardening enthusiasts and passionate winegrowers alike, offers numerous advantages and makes it easy to reproduce your favorite grape varieties.
Whether you dream of garnishing your trellis with a tasty variety of table grape or creating your own small vineyard, vine cuttings open the door to a unique world of taste and aesthetics.
In this article, we’ll take you step-by-step through the intricacies of this simple and rewarding technique, revealing its secrets for obtaining vigorous, productive plants. You’ll discover when and how to take cuttings, prepare them for optimum planting, and ensure their growth in the best possible conditions.
When to take cuttings?
The best time to take cuttings is between late autumn and early winter, i.e. from November to December in France. This period corresponds to the plant’s downward sap flow, when the leaves fall and the sap concentrates in the woody parts. This is when the vine shoots, the stems of the vine, are best able to root and develop new, vigorous shoots.
3 Different vine cutting techniques
There are three main techniques for taking cuttings from vines:
Technique n°1 - Crossette cuttings :
Tools and materials required
- Sharp pruning shears
- Hand saw (optional)
- Spade or planting spoon
- Healthy, vigorous vine shoots from the current year (taken in autumn or winter after leaf fall).
- Horticultural potting soil or garden soil
- Sand (for stratification, optional)
- Pots (plastic or terracotta)
- Mister
Optional :
- Cutting hormones (to stimulate rooting)
- Newspaper (to moisten cuttings during transport)
Steps to follow
This is the most widely used technique, and the easiest to perform. It consists of removing a section of vine shoot with a cross-shaped piece of wood from the previous year.
- Taking cuttings: in autumn or winter, after the leaves have fallen, choose healthy, vigorous shoots from the current year. Cut into sections 20-30 cm long, ensuring that each cutting has 2-3 eyes (buds).
- Pruning cuttings: cut the lower part of the cutting at an angle, just below an eye. On the upper part, cut the tip flat, just above an eye. Remove leaves and thorns from the lower part of the cutting.
- Stratification (optional): to encourage rooting, you can stratify the cuttings. To do this, place them in a pot filled with moist sand and store in a cool place over winter.
- Planting: in spring, when temperatures rise, plant cuttings in pots or in the ground. Fill a pot with horticultural compost or garden soil mixed with sand. Plant the cuttings about 10 cm deep, packing the potting soil tightly around them.
- Care: water the cuttings regularly to keep the soil moist but not soggy. Place pots in a sunny spot sheltered from the wind. Maintain ambient humidity by regularly misting the leaves.
- Repotting or planting in the ground: once the cuttings have developed roots and leaves, you can repot them in larger pots or plant them in the ground in your garden.
Technique n°2 - Heel cuttings :
Tools required
- Sharp pruning shears
- Spade or shovel
- Bucket or container
- Labels (optional)
- Vine shoots 2 to 3 years old (harvested in autumn or winter)
- Horticultural potting soil or a mixture of sand and potting soil
- Cutting hormone (optional)
- String or yarn (optional)
Optional for stratification :
- Wooden or plastic crate
- Sphagnum moss or damp newspaper
Steps to follow
This technique is similar to the crossette cutting, but uses an older piece of wood, 2 to 3 years old. This produces more vigorous plants.
- Taking the cuttings: follow the same steps as for crossette cuttings, but use an older shoot to obtain the heel. The heel should be about 2 to 3 cm long.
- Pruning cuttings: cut the lower part of the cutting at an angle, just below the heel. Cut the upper part flat, just above an eye. Remove leaves and thorns from the lower part of the cutting.
- Stratification (optional): stratification is recommended for heel cuttings.
- Planting: follow the same planting steps as for crossette cuttings.
Technique n°3 - Cuttings from ordinary branches :
Tools and materials required
- Sharp pruning shears
- Spade or shovel
- Bucket or container
- Labels (optional)
- Vine shoots from the current year (taken in summer)
- Horticultural potting soil or a mixture of sand and potting soil
- Cutting hormone (optional)
- String or yarn (optional)
Optional for stratification :
- Wooden or plastic crate
- Sphagnum moss or damp newspaper
Steps to follow
- Taking cuttings: take sections of the current year’s shoot, 20-30 cm long, with 2-3 eyes.
- Prune cuttings: cut the ends of cuttings at an angle, just below and above an eye. Remove leaves and thorns from the lower part of the cutting.
- Stratification (optional): stratification is not necessary for ordinary branch cuttings.
- Planting: follow the same planting steps as for the other techniques.
Our tips
You can take cuttings from several vine varieties to diversify your grape production.
Don’t hesitate to pinch the first shoots to encourage the plant to branch out.
Protect young plants from disease and pests.
Be patient, it can take several years for vine plants to reach maturity and produce abundant bunches of grapes.
Popular vine varieties for cuttings
- Chardonnay: a white grape variety known for its elegant, aromatic wines.
- Merlot: red grape variety producing full-bodied, fruity wines.
- Cabernet Sauvignon: a red grape variety famous for its powerful, complex wines.
- Grenache: red grape variety used to produce fruity red and rosé wines.
- Syrah: red grape variety producing spicy, fleshy wines.
