Grapevines can be propagated by several methods, but they are most commonly propagated by hardwood cuttings. Hardwood cuttings are made from the dormant canes of the preceding year’s growth. Cutting material should be collected in late winter.
Home gardeners pruning their grapevines in late February or March can make cuttings from the pruned material. Grape cuttings should be approximately pencil-size in thickness and 12 inches long. When making the cuttings, the bottom cut should be just below the lowest bud while the upper cut should be 1 to 2 inches above the top bud.
After making the cuttings, loosely tie them in a bundle. Place the cuttings in a plastic bag with some lightly moistened peat moss, then store in a cool location, such as a refrigerator or garage. As soon as the soil is workable in spring, remove the grape cuttings from cold storage. Set the cuttings in the ground vertically with only the top bud just above the soil surface. Cuttings that successfully root and leaf out can be transplanted to their permanent locations before growth begins the following spring.
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