Compared to conventional store-bought grapes, muscadines have a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
If needed, amend the soil withcompost or other amendments, and theninstall a trellising system.
Each muscadine grape vine should have at least 20 feet of trellising.
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After that, backfill the hole with soil and give the newly planted vine a deep drink of water.
If youre new to growing grapes, the following tips can set you up for success.
When grown in shade, muscadines spread aggressively in search of light.
Soil and Water
All plants need quality soil to grow properly, and muscadines are no exception.
Muscadine grapes grow best in deep,well-draining soilamended with organic matter.
They prefer slightly acidic soils with a pH of between 6.0 and 6.5.
Never let muscadines sit in soggy soil, as this can promote root rot and other issues.
They do well in areas with high humidity.
Test the soil every three years to double-check the plants are receiving the nutrition they need.
Harvesting
Unlike other grapes, muscadine grapes dont ripen all at once.
Instead, grapes begin to mature individually around the end of summer.
However, as sturdy as these plants are, they can still be susceptible to certain pests and diseases.
Birds often gobble up fruit while theyre on the hunt for water.
Powdery mildewis a common plant disease that can affect many different crops, including muscadine grapes.
Affected plants develop a white, powdery film on their leaves, causing their growth to be stunted.
Place a stone or brick on top of the buried section to keep it in the ground.
Stem cuttings:Takesoftwood cuttingswhen the vine is actively growing in summer.
Cut 6 inches from a growing tip and remove the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting.
Check it daily and water it as needed.
In four to six weeks, the cutting should show new growth, indicating it has rooted.
It is illegal in the U.S. topropagate patented plants.
Check theplant’s tagfor patent information or consult a local horticultural expert before propagating your plant.
Some muscadine varieties are self-fertile, while others need multiple vines to fruit.
Here are a few favorite muscadine types, but you may find other cultivars you love even more.
The grapes, which are a bronze color, are delicious to eat and excellent for making wine.
‘Carlos’ has greater cold tolerance than most other types.
It is not a patented cultivar.
It displays good disease resistance and has a strong muscadine flavor.
‘Alachua’ is not patented.
It grows in southern Georgia and surrounding areas but doesn’t thrive outside the South.
It isn’t as cold-tolerant as other grapes, and it is not self-pollinating.
‘Supreme’ is a patented cultivar.
