The Tropical Fruit Forum
Temperate Fruit & Orchards => Temperate Fruit Discussion => Topic started by: Desertcitrus on May 07, 2019, 11:07:01 AM
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What is your favorite grape and why? I am new to growing grapes. I remember eating grapes off my uncles grape vines. They were small and had a lot of juice and flavor and I really wanted to plant grapes like that. I just bought a seedless Thompson and a black monuka . I didn’t want the Thompson but we don’t have many options here, but now I realize I should have bought something online. I’m in a 8b zone with high summer temps. What would be some good grapes to grow here?
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I don't know anything about your climate or really the climate requirements of grapes.
Concord grapes have wonderful flavor but they have seeds.
I grow muscadines, which also have seeds, but are bigger and equally or more flavorful than Concord. Nothing like grocery store table grapes.
I have an "Ison" and a "Darlene."
The Darlene looks like it will finally fruit this summer. Ison was good last year but not mind-blowing.
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My uncle lived in zone 6 so I don’t know if I could even have the same grapes. I’m in zone 8b. Our weather is just a little cooler than Las Vegas. I would like seedless if I can. But I want something sweet with really good flavor. I don’t love the store bought grapes. I also was able to take the Thompson one back. I was thinking maybe a wine grape would be a good idea. Any suggestions?
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Moldova black grapes invented in the soviet times.Low maintenance and really high quality .They also last in the fridge until spring.For vine im growing somme really small and black grapes that make the darkest possible vine.Not verry tasty but probably the healthyest vine.I also have french vines and big edible grapes that i forget theyr names but those are high maintenance,they need to be sprayed with all soird of chemicals and i dont do it wich results in bad looking grapes.I make vine from them.Muscadines are american native grapes about wich ive heard only good things.
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I have heard things about muscadines also. Is there a specific one that is really good? We will probably be just eating them. Where is a good place to buy them?
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I think you made a mistake taking the Thompson back. It is an excellent homegrown grape at least in California. Commercial growers do things to make fruit big, look perfect, ship well, and be as early to market as possible. All this is usually in expense of the flavor/taste. A homegrown Thompson will be miles better than store bought.
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I have heard things about muscadines also. Is there a specific one that is really good? We will probably be just eating them. Where is a good place to buy them?
Mine are from Ison’s- www.isons.com (http://www.isons.com)
I don’t think you can go wrong with them. High quality vines.
I haven’t tasted any of the main varieties except Ison, which is good.
They have a chart on the website to help you choose. You will need self fertile or a combination of self fertile and female plants.
Going from memory, Supreme and Sugargate sound good and I kinda wish I’d gotten one of them. But Ison is self fertile, so I got that and Darlene (a bronze female reported to be very good). I would have to look up Supreme and Sugargate as to their flower type....
Edit - Supreme and Sugargate are female, so you’d need a self-fertile variety additionally to get fruit
Here is the comparison chart: https://www.isons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Muscadine_Chart.pdf (https://www.isons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Muscadine_Chart.pdf)
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Jupiter tastes distinctly reminiscent of lychee fruit.
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I think you made a mistake taking the Thompson back. It is an excellent homegrown grape at least in California. Commercial growers do things to make fruit big, look perfect, ship well, and be as early to market as possible. All this is usually in expense of the flavor/taste. A homegrown Thompson will be miles better than store bought.
Agreed.
I grow Flame, Thompson, Summer Royal, Princess, Crimson, and Summer Muscat.
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I grow flame in the baking sun of AZ and it grows very well, almost too well, lol. 3rd year in ground nd not tasted it yet, but, it probably has about 200 clusters of grapes right now.
If you are talking about store bought grapes, everyone in my family loves cotton candy.
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I figured the Thompson would be better in the garden than the store. But I wasn’t sure so I didn’t want to chance it.
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I grow flame in the baking sun of AZ and it grows very well, almost too well, lol. 3rd year in ground nd not tasted it yet, but, it probably has about 200 clusters of grapes right now.
If you are talking about store bought grapes, everyone in my family loves cotton candy.
That sounds like a pretty heavy crop load. I'd consider thinning them which should give you sweeter, larger grapes. It's usually done earlier but should still be effective. Do a web search on "thinnig grapes" and you'll find lots of information. I try to leave only 2 clusters per shoot but my vines are over thirty years old and not that vigorous.
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Concorde and Muscadine nothing else well except the new cotton candy (in moderation) white grapes.
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PS. my "noble" muscadine is superior to the plain vanilla not named muscadine I have.