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["Geoffrey Stone" <gfstone@bellsouth.net>]

This is the 1st year that my "Jumbo" muscadines are producing. My question is: "how do I know when they are ripe?"

I was recently told that they are ripe when the seeds are black. However, some of them are dropping off the vine early (apparently) as the seeds are still green. The berries are green and then start getting dark red with the green at the stem turning last. If I pick them early will they ripen on the shelf?

    Help?

Geoffrey Stone - Black Mountain, NC

PS: I have a second variety called "Bountiful" for pollination. These grapes are still very green and smaller in size at this point.