STARTUPBIZHUB

Growing Muscadines

Muscadine grape is among the native plants in America. It is valued for its health benefits as juice, wine and fruit. This plant can be raised from vine cuttings or seeds.

Would you like to know the ways to grow muscadine grape? Read and learn how from our basic guide.

Muscadine grapes are found to be a health food with its high content of cholesterol-lowering substance, the resveratrol, and potential anticarcinogenic effects. It is consumed as juice, wine, fruit, and fruit preserve. Muscadine fruit comes in a variety of colours – from green to red to purple to black.

Growing Muscadine from Branch Cuttings

Muscadine grapes, known as scuppernong locally, abound best in the Southeast as they traditionally do years and years hence. It is usually grown from vine cuttings. It thrives best in fertile sandy loam and alluvial soils that is well-drained and slightly acidic. Although it doesn't like too much water, it also could not withstand extended drought. The vines should be planted with a large clearance from each other because they could grow long vines. A trellis system should be put in place for the vines to climb.

At least 100 muscadine cultivars are now available for anyone wanting to cultivate the plant. Muscadine can grow to about 100 feet when left to grow unrestrained. To keep them manageable, pruning of the vines is needed. They are resistant to pests and diseases. A good variety of muscadine coupled with optimum cultivation conditions can produce 10 tons of grapes per acre. Muscadine can yield fruit in 5 years, but the period can be shortened to 3 years if the plant is provided with the best care.

Growing Muscadines from Seeds

Muscadines may also be grown from seeds (sourced from local nursery or fruit), although this could be a challenge. And usually, muscadine grown from seeds, except for the wild muscadine, do not grow true (it will develop characteristics that will be unlike that of the parent plant). To grow muscadine from seeds, you need to simulate germination of the seed in winter by storing the seed in cold temperature for about 4 months. To do this, dried seeds are kept (unsealed to prevent molds from growing) on paper towels on plastic bags and kept in the freezer, basement or any area that is cold.The seeds are left undisturbed until the germination time is completed.

Muscadine seeds have hard skins. In order to help break that skin and let the plant emerge, the germinated seeds are soaked in boiling water before planting. After that, the seeds are ready to be planted in a temporary bed with rich soil. Wait for around two weeks for tiny leaves to emerge from the seed. After more than a month, the muscadine seedlings will be ready for transplanting.

<< Growing Pomegranate Trees
Growing Chestnuts >>

3 Comments

  • Donna said on April 4, 2011
    Alexandria, VA. I visited a winery in Georgia and they had muscadine grapes but they were more tree like than vine like. Is it possible to do this successfully as a homeowner?
  • Mouzon Vegetable Farm said on November 24, 2012
    I am bill and i have a small farm in Kingstree, S.C. 29556.
  • kiran said on March 11, 2013
    sir i have a murrah buffalo how much it cost & how much milk given for day please tell me

    Comment

    (All the above fields are required.)

    Categories

    Popular Articles

    Join Our Newsletter