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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Grape selection, southeast

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  • From: Anton Callaway <marillen@earthlink.net>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Grape selection, southeast
  • Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2009 09:51:47 -0500 (GMT-05:00)

Betsy,

Personal taste and degree of ease-of-care are probably the primary factors
for your final choice. Depending on how large your arbor is you may want to
consider vigor as well. Muscadines will be much more vigourous in the long
run than other grapes. The Cowart & Seedless Concord would probably be
fine. However, grape breeders in this country have really done a fantastic
job over the last 50 years and there are some newer cultivars that you may be
happier with.

If you had room for more than one muscadine, I'd recommend 'Black Beauty'.
To my taste, it's the best tasting black muscadine. (Insert standard
disclaimer here about the highly variable nature of personal tastes). Ison
is a wonderful self-fertile black muscadine. Stay away from 'Fry Seedless'
unless seedlessness is very important to you. In my opinion, it's only OK in
flavor.

Seedless bunch grapes for this part of the South that have done well for me
include 'Reliance' and 'Canadice' They both have very good flavor. Maybe
'Canadice' is a little better, but the berries run smaller. If you want to
make jellies and preserves and will consider seeded cultivars, 'Daytona',
'Stover' and 'Diamond' are very good. The last 2 are white grapes, so you
may have to add aronia or mix with dark grapes to get that wonderful color of
purple grape products. Also be aware that ripening 'Diamond' grapes are
intoxicatingly fragrant and will attract foxes who will steal your fruit. In
my former vineyard, the foxes would feast on the 'Diamond' fruit before
touching any other grapes ripening at the same time.

My family & I have grown grapes in NE GA & NC for over 30 years, but we
haven't grown everything, so there are probably many other cultivars that
would also be very good in your region.

Anton
Piedmont, North Carolina, Zone 8, 16 degrees this morning

-----Original Message-----
>From: Hilborn.E@epamail.epa.gov
>Sent: Jan 12, 2009 10:53 AM
>To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
>Subject: [NAFEX] Grape selection, southeast
>
>I am finally getting my arbor built. I am planning on trying 2 varieties
>of grapes that I have selected for: low care in my hot, humid climate
>and for fresh eating, cooked fruit items, and maybe preserves if I get
>ambitious. I plan on only using Surround for insect control (Japanese
>beetles are a perennial problem for me). I am currently favoring Cowart,
>a disease-resistant muscadine, and am considering the seedless Concord.
>I grew up loving the seeded Concord in the northeast, I am wondering how
>the seedless will do.
>
>Any thoughts?
>
>Betsy Hilborn
>7a, NC
>
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