Debudding varies from one vine to another because the bud count depends on a variety of factors including:
- The age of the vines: a young vine develops more buds than an older vine.
- The number of fruit-bearing buds left during pruning: too many buds left during pruning may require a second round of debudding.
When necessary, fruit-bearing debudding can be done at the same time as pruning, from when the leaves fall up until the last week before budburst (December to March). This is sometimes called fruiting pruning. This avoids the need for a second intervention on the plot, enabling significant economic and time savings. This procedure should not be confused with dédoublage, a type of thinning or removal of secondary buds, (also considered a type of fruit-bearing debudding) which can be done at the same time as desuckering.