Preparing for Muscadine season

It’s muscadine season again! For you who may be considering planting some or have just planted some muscadines this year, this article is especially for you.

There are few things more enjoyable than planting and harvesting fruit from your own muscadine vines. The muscadine is native to the Southeastern U.S. and thrives in our heat and humidity. Their sprawling vines typically yield an average of between 50 and 80 pounds of fruit per plant, and are one of nature’s richest sources of polyphenolic antioxidants. In short, muscadines are good for you!

Plant muscadines during January, February, and early March while the plants are still dormant. Set the plants 20 feet apart in rows 10 to 12 feet apart for a single wire trellis arrangement. Proper spacing provides good air circulation, adequate sunlight and adequate room for plant growth.

Muscadine varieties can be either female or self-fertile (bearing both male and female flowers). Females require a pollinator to produce a crop. Pollinators should be planted within 50 feet of female varieties to ensure adequate pollination.

Some excellent self-fertile varieties include Late Fry, Fry Seedless, Dixieland, Dixie Red, Granny Val, Ison, Janebell, Pineapple, Carlos, Cowart, Tara, Triumph, Noble, Nesbitt, Magnolia and Florida Fry.

Female varieties include Fry, Higgins, Jumbo, Summit, Darlene, Early Fry, Pam, Supreme, Black Fry, Black Beauty, Janet, Rosa, Scarlet, Sugargate and Sweet Jenny.

Sweetness is a factor for some people in their choice of muscadine varieties. Sweetness will range from 15% to 23% sugar content. Those with 15% to 18% sugar content (low to medium sweetness) include Carlos, Cowart, Dixie Red, Early Fry, Fry Seedless, Granny Val, Higgins, Hunt, Jumbo, Magnolia, Nesbit, Noble, Pineapple, Scarlet, Scuppernong, Southland, Tara, and Triumph. Some varieties with a high level of sweetness (19% to 23%) include Black Beauty, Black Fry, Darlene, Fry, Ison, Janet, Late Fry, Pam, Sugargate, Summit, Supreme and Sweet Jenny.

Harvest season is another important consideration when deciding on which muscadine varieties to grow. Some early to medium bearing varieties are Big Red, Black Beauty, Carlos, Cowart, Darlene, Dixie Red, Early Fry, Fry Seedless, Hunt, Ison, Janet, Jumbo, Magnolia, Noble, Pam, Scarlet, Scuppernong, Sugargate, Summit, Supreme, Sweet Jenny, Tara and Triumph.

Late varieties are Black Fry, Granny Val, Higgins, Late Fry and Pineapple.

Adequate nutrition is critical for good muscadine yields. In early April, apply one-half pound of 10-10-10 or its equivalent per plant. Broadcast the fertilizer over an area two feet in diameter, being careful not to place fertilizer closer than six inches from the trunk. Additional nitrogen, applied in late May and early July, will help growth the first season. Do this with a sidedressing of two ounces of ammonium nitrate (34-0-0) per vine.

For established vines, apply three to five pounds of 10-10-10 per vine in March of each year. Then apply one-half pound of ammonium nitrate per vine around June 1.

Check the soil pH every couple of years. If liming is necessary, use the dolomitic form, since it contains magnesium, which grapes require in large amounts. Shoot for a pH of 6.0 to 6.5.

Pruning is essential in producing the highest quality muscadines. Prune all side growth from the branches growing off the main stem back to three to four buds per branch in February or early March. Pruning stimulates new growth, increases yields, and helps to minimize foliar diseases.

Muscadine yields can go as high as 60 pounds per vine for females and 80 pounds per vine for self-fertile varieties. Plant some. You’ll be glad you did!

Tim Lewis is a Georgia Green Industry Association Certified Plant Professional, gardening writer, former Perry High School horticulture instructor, and former horticulturalist at Henderson Village and Houston Springs. He and his wife, Susan, own and operate Lewis Farms Nursery located on Hwy 26 two miles east of Elko, where he was born and raised. He can be reached at (478) 954-1507, timlewis1@windstream.net and LewisFarmsNursery.com.

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