Winter pruning removes most of a vine's growth
Grapevines are among the most severely pruned plants in any garden. At winter pruning, growers commonly cut away 80 to 90 percent of the previous season's canes, leaving only a few buds to carry the coming crop. That adds up to thousands of cuts in a vineyard, which explains why vine workers care so much about a tool that fits the hand. A hooked blade knife like this one, with its 8.5 cm curve and 10 cm dark wood handle, was shaped for exactly that repetitive pulling cut.
