Agriculture and Natural Resources

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE
Cooperative Extension Service

Muscadine Grape Production

in the Home Garden

Dr. Keith Striegler Muscadine grapes have been Black Beauty – Large-fruited,
Extension Horticulture grown successfully in Arkansas home imperfect flower, early-mid season;
Specialist – Fruit gardens for many years. This fruit is excellent flavor; high vine vigor; fair
an excellent addition to home fruit winter hardiness.
gardens due to its low susceptibility to
diseases and insects. Muscadine Cowart – Yields well; perfect
grapes are native to Arkansas and flower; medium-large fruit; mid-
grow in all parts of the state except season; moderate vine vigor, fair
the most northern counties. winter hardiness; good pollinator;
Muscadine fruit are eaten fresh or processing type used for juice and
processed into juice, jelly, jam and jelly. Also, acceptable for fresh use.
wine by homeowners.
Nesbitt – Consistently performed
Varieties well in Arkansas trials; perfect flower
with large berries; high vine vigor;
Cultivated muscadines have good winter hardiness; mid-late
plants of two types: vines producing season; very good flavor for
imperfect flowers (pistillate – only fresh eating.
female parts) and plants producing
perfect flowers (both male and female Noble – This variety is popular
parts or self-fertile). Imperfect- with juice and wine makers; small
flowered muscadines require a fruit size; perfect flower, late season;
perfect-flowered plant for pollination. excellent flavor; high yields; high vine
One vine of a perfect-flowered variety vigor; good winter hardiness.
can pollinate eight surrounding
pistillate plants. Within a row, plant Bronze Varieties
3:1 (pistillate to perfect) to ensure
adequate pollination. Sweet Jenny – Imperfect flower;
large fruit; early-season; high vine
Black Varieties vigor; excellent flavor; fair winter
hardiness.
Sugargate – This variety has very
large fruit and is popular for the fresh Summit – Large-fruited variety
market; imperfect flower, early season; popular for the fresh market;
excellent flavor; inconsistent yields; imperfect flower; mid-season; high
moderate vine vigor; good winter vine vigor; good flavor; good disease
hardiness. resistance; good winter hardiness.
Arkansas Is Fry – Yields well; imperfect flower;
Supreme – Very large fruit of
Our Campus excellent quality; imperfect flower, large fruit; mid-season; moderate vine
mid-late season; moderate vine vigor; vigor; fair winter hardiness; good
undetermined winter hardiness flavor; standard for fresh market;
Visit our web site at: in Arkansas. susceptible to fruit rot.
http://www.uaex.edu

University of Arkansas, United States Department of Agriculture, and County Governments Cooperating
 Granny Val – Perfect flower; late-season; large Bare-root plants can also be used successfully if the
berries and high yield; good disease resistance and roots are kept moist (not wet) and the plants are
flavor; poor to fair winter hardiness and low-medium refrigerated until planting. Optimum planting time
vine vigor. for bare-root plants is prior to budbreak (March).

Carlos – Used for processing into juice, jelly and At planting, prune the vines to a single vigorous
wine; early season; perfect flower; high yield; stem, 1 to 1.5 feet in length with a root spread of
medium-size berry; high vine vigor and good about 1 foot. Holes large enough to receive the
winter hardiness. spread-out roots can be opened with a shovel. The
hole should be large enough to spread the roots
Site Selection and Planting without crowding. Plant vines at the same depth that
they grew in the container or nursery row. Fill loose
Muscadine grapes are adapted to almost any well- soil around the roots and pack firmly as the hole is
drained, moderately fertile soil. Good internal soil being filled to ensure good soil-root contact. Water
drainage is very important for successful muscadine each vine after it is planted.
grape production. Vine injury and mortality can be
expected in sites where water stands for even short The spacing for muscadine plantings will vary
periods of time after heavy rainfall. Soil pH should be according to the equipment that will be used for row
between 5.8 and 6.5 for optimum growth and fruit middle management. Row width can vary from 10 to
production. A soil test should be done at least 14 feet, but 12 feet is recommended for efficient land
six months prior to planting. Follow the recommen­ utilization and prevention of damage to vines by
dations on the soil test report to correct any nutrient cultivation or mowing equipment. The minimum
deficiencies or adjust soil pH. spacing in the row is 20 feet between vines. It is
important to leave sufficient space for equipment to
Sites where muscadine grapes will be grown turn around at the end of rows.
should receive full sunlight. Fruit set and production
will be reduced if vines are grown in an area that is Trellising
shaded for more than several hours each day during
the growing season. Another important factor to Erect trellises before or soon after planting.
consider is the potential for low temperature injury Trellises provide protection during the critical first
during winter. The minimum temperature that vines two years and encourage rapid establishment of the
can withstand depends largely on vine condition and permanent vine framework. Vines not under the
weather conditions preceding the low temperature. trellis wire may be damaged or destroyed by
Muscadine grapes should only be planted in regions equipment used for cultivation. Train the trunk in a
where temperatures rarely go lower than 10°F and straight, upright position. Usually the end posts are
never below 0°F. 8 feet and the line posts 7 feet long, with 3 and 2 feet,
respectively, in the ground, leaving the posts 5 feet
Muscadine vines are available as bare-root or high. Brace the end posts so that the weight of the
container-grown plants. One-year-old container-grown vines and fruit will not pull the post from the ground.
plants are generally easier to use and are preferred The distance from the end post to the brace post must
for home garden fruit production. Container-grown be greater than the height of the post above ground.
plants are hardier and can be planted any time The end post should be angled slightly outward. Use
during the season as long as irrigation is available. a 6.5 foot post as the inside brace post. Place it 6 feet

Figure 1. One-wire trellis showing method of training, distance between posts and height of trellis. This diagram also
shows a partially pruned muscadine vine. Note the lateral shoots or spurs that are left after pruning. Each year, weak
spurs and shoots should be removed and the vigorous shoots headed back to two strong buds.
from the end post and position a 4 x 4 inch piece of of the trunk to the trellis wire to form the
lumber between the top of the two posts as a brace. permanent fruiting arms or cordons.
Run a double No. 9 gauge wire from the top of the
inside brace post to the bottom of the end post and 5. Train the cordon along the wire by tying it
twist it to tighten the entire brace system. loosely to the wire as it grows. Pinch lateral
shoots about 1 foot from the cordon to
The one-wire trellis (Figure 1) is the recom­ promote rapid growth and development. This
mended trellis system for muscadine production in practice should be done every two weeks to
the home garden. This trellis system is simple and allow maximum cordon development. Allow
requires less wire and reduced pruning time than a the cordons to eventually meet halfway
divided canopy system such as the Geneva Double between the vines.
Curtain System. Set the posts 20 feet apart and plant
the vines midway between them. A No. 9 wire should Dormant season pruning the first two years
be used on the one-wire trellis system. consists of the removal of side-growth on the trunk
and cutting back all current season’s lateral shoots on
Training the cordons to two or three buds (see Figure 1). When
summer training and pruning are not followed, form
The purpose of training is to establish the a trunk with no side shoots almost to the top wire
framework of the vine as soon as possible. This is and cordons to follow the wires.
done by pruning during the growing season for the
first two years. The summer pruning consists of the Pruning
removal of all lateral growth along the newly forming
trunk and then on the trellis arms to three or four After the framework has been established, prune
nodes at about 14-21 day intervals during the each year during the dormant season. Cut back all
growing season. shoot growth during pruning (Figure 1). Remove
completely all shoots not needed for spurs and
When training young muscadine grapevines, cordons. Cut other shoots back to short spurs, each
follow as closely as possible the step-by-step with two or three buds.
procedure listed below:
As the vines get older, they develop clusters of
1. After planting, prune the vine to a single stem spurs or spur systems. Eventually, overcrowding will
and a short stub. Cut the stem back to leave result unless some of the spurs, or entire clusters of
at least two buds. This balances the root spurs, are removed. Overcrowding causes weak shoot
system with the top, limits the number of growth, reduced fruit-bud formation and poor fruit set
growing points and forces new, strong wood after flowering. When weak shoots are noticed,
that rapidly develops into a permanent trunk.
remove some of the weaker spurs or parts of spur
clusters to induce the growth of strong new shoots
2. Tie a durable string, such as nylon or new
from the remaining two or three bud spurs.
binders twine, from the stub of the new plant
to the trellis wire. Do not tie to the stem
Too many vigorous spurs frequently are left at the
below the retained buds or girdling will occur.
top of the trunk. Prevent this condition by removing
most of the spur system at the top of the trunk.
3. As the new trunk grows, tie loosely to the
training string and pinch or clip out side-
shoots that develop in the leaf axils. Do not To prevent death by girdling, remove all tendrils
remove the leaves that are growing on the that encircle the trunk or arms. Tendrils also girdle
main trunk and do not pinch the terminal and kill spurs, but the loss of a spur is comparatively
growth of the main trunk until it reaches the unimportant.
trellis wire. Repeat the side shoot removal
process once every two or three weeks Vines may be pruned at any time during the
throughout the summer. dormant season. Late spring pruning may cause the
vine to bleed heavily in mild weather, but there is no
4. When the new trunk reaches the trellis wire, evidence that the bleeding injures the vine. Also, late
pinch it back to four inches below the wire. spring pruning will reduce the potential for winter
Tie a string from the top of the vine to the injury to vines. If the need for a new cordon or
wire and place enough tension on the string fruiting arm becomes evident, allow a new one to
to straighten the trunk. This encourages shoot grow from a new shoot arising near the
development. Train the new shoots at the top original trunk.
Fertilization application of 2-4 inches of mulch under the vine row.
Additional information on weed control may be
Young plants should receive a complete fertilizer, obtained from your local county Extension agent.
such as 12-12-12 (NPK) or some other commonly
available mixture, in early spring of the first growing Insect and Disease Control
season. Use this mixture at the rate of 1/2 pound in a
wide band around each vine. About mid-June, side- Muscadine grapes can often be grown without
dress with 1/8 pound of ammonium nitrate, or its spraying for insects or diseases. However, insect
equivalent of other nitrogen sources, per vine in a and/or disease pressure may become severe enough
similar manner. that spraying is required. There are many diseases
which affect muscadine grapes; however, the most
Make fertilizer applications the first year in a common are bitter rot, macrophoma rot, angular leaf
circle 3 or 4 feet in diameter. Roots grow 2 to 3 feet spot and the leaf spot phase of black rot. Dense vine
long in all directions the first year. In the second year canopies which have high humidity and low wind
increase amounts to 1 pound of the complete fertilizer speed increase the incidence and severity of fungal
and 1/4 pound ammonium nitrate. Increase the area diseases. Canopy modification by use of proper
of application to 5 feet. pruning and fertility management can reduce disease
problems. The latest information on insect and
disease control can be obtained from your local
The third year, apply 2 pounds of the complete
Cooperative Extension office.
fertilizer. For succeeding years, 2 to 4 pounds should
be sufficient, depending on the vigor of the vine and
soil test results. This application should be broadcast
along each side of the row before vine growth starts Harvesting and Handling
in the spring. Do not let fertilizer come in direct
contact with the roots or within 12 inches of the Fruit may be harvested by shaking (primarily for
trunk of the vines. Individual shoot growth on a making juice, jelly or wine) or by hand. Harvesting by
mature vineyard should average 30 to 36 inches per shaking requires two 10 x 20 feet sheets, which may
year. If more growth than this occurs, cut down on be cloth or plastic. Place a sheet along each side of
the nitrogen; if less, increase it. the trellis or use a picking frame. Shake each arm of
the vine with quick jerks. Separate leaves, twigs and
other trash from the fruit.
Weed Control
Those varieties having large, compact clusters
Frequent, shallow, clean cultivation is necessary
may be hand picked. Cut clusters with grape shears
the first two years. Keep all grass and weeds from
or knives into baskets or lugs.
around the plants. Never cultivate deep at any time.
Two inches should be the maximum depth, or you Hand-picked fruit remains in good condition for
will damage the shallow root system. several days after harvest. Keep in a cool place or
under refrigeration. Some bruising and injury occur
After the second year, mowing the middles of the when fruit is harvested by shaking. If such fruit is
rows and along the rows is recommended instead of not used quickly, decay is likely to develop. Handle
cultivation. Muscadines will benefit from the the fruit carefully and rapidly.

Acknowledgment is given to DR. JOHN R. CLARK and DR. JUSTIN R. MORRIS for their review and input on the manuscript.

DR. KEITH STRIEGLER is Extension horticulture specialist - Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and
fruit, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Fayetteville. Director, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arkansas. The
Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible
persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age,
disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status,
and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
FSA6108-PD-3-03N