Tuesday, October 8, 2013

WHOO HOO MUSCADINE GRAPE VINES

Muscadine grapes
I FINALLY found some more Muscadines!

You may recall when I blogged HERE about our surprise of some fresh grapes from a vine I had kept in the original container for a year, planning on planting it next Spring since it got too hot too fast this year.  They were so delicious, and unexpectedly hardy, I've been looking for more ever since so I can plan a grape area at the farm.

Of course, it's not the best time of year to find them since everything is on sale for end of season and practically sold out, but because they are on sale, I was determined.  So on Saturday, I ran to another garden center I hadn't tried yet.  The problem I ran into is that I would find plenty, fifteen or twenty at each garden center, but they always had a generic tag on them that just said "Muscadine Grape".  It didn't mention the variety.  Since some are self pollinating and others require different varieties to fruit, I didn't want to take the chance on getting ones that I'd plant but would never produce.

But good news, I finally found three more!  I got another "Carlos", since that one did so well for us, a "Cowart" and then a "Dearing", which is supposed to be well suited to juice/wine.  That will give us four vines.  I thought maybe I should get another, but when I read that the Carlos alone can produce almost 250 lbs of fruit per vine (once established), I think four will be plenty, ha.

Grapevine trellis pruning, image from Wikipedia
Best of all?  $4.00 each!  That's right, for $12, we have the beginnings of a mini vineyard, LOL.

Let the planning for next Spring begin!

12 comments:

  1. Did you say Wine? LOL! Glad you found what you needed. Get that Grapevine trellis ready!

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    1. Wine, yes wine! OK, so I'm sure THAT is a few years down the road but hey, this has always been about the journey, it might take us some time to get there but it's all infrastructure building until then right? Ha. Thanks!!

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  2. I shall be looking out for the 'Little Farm Winery'!
    Kirk

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    1. Ha, if only! Not sure I'll ever get enough to get that may bottles but if we had a few per year to enjoy, I wouldn't complain. I shall put you on the list, ha :-)

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  3. Wonderful. Yup, that's how they do it in Napa Valley with the grapevine trellis.

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    1. I've actually been thinking of place to put them because it's obviously a multiyear commitment. You'd think with all the acreage it would be easy, LOL. So much is not cleared so that's why I'm thinking of where to put them, so I can start clearing it this Fall.

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  4. So glad you finally found what you were looking for! Good luck with your grape farming :)

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    1. You'd think they'd be easy to find. And I suppose next Spring they will be but of course then they'll be $40 each, ha. What can I say, I'm frugal at heart, ha.

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  5. 1st Man,

    Great find my friend!!!! Now when spring comes you'll need to post about the grape vines and provide us with some pictures. Who knows in time, you may have your own vineyard.

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    1. They were a score for sure (though not as great a score are your awesome new Deere, ha!). Oh there will be pics, good bad and ugly, ha. Right now I'm thinking of places to put them that aren't already 'future spoken for'. There could be worse things than having a vineyard, huh? LOL!!!! Thanks for stopping by!

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  6. Some people put grape vines in one long "fence" that goes along the sides of other plants. That way there is no need to dedicate and "area." I see these in the country and here in town.

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    1. Wow, great suggestion. Never thought about that, thank you!!!

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