cane pruning, a form of winter vine pruning in which the buds are retained on longer bearers called canes, typically including six to 15 buds. This pruning system usually takes longer to perform by hand than the alternative spur pruning. Cane pruning is typically used for vines which have fewer fruitful buds at the base of canes, which is the case especially in cool-climate wine regions. The tendency in warmer New World wine regions is to use spur pruning, which can be equally productive, requires less labour, and can be mechanized. For more details, see guyot pruning. See also mechanical pruning.
