Muscadines

Host: Gary Bachman, Ornamental Horticulture Specialist

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Muscadines are popular in Mississippi because of their adaptability and long life today on Southern Gardening.

Southern Gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

One of the true native southern fruits that many homeowners enjoy are the muscadine grapes. Muscadines grow well in the heat and high humidity of Mississippi and late summer will reward the homeowner with their sweet fruity flavors. Muscadines should be planted from November through February. The basic muscadine plant has a truck and cordance or literal arms that are trained and used for support.

Home plantings are of simple design. The most popular is a singular horizontal wire attached at about five and a half feet above the ground and attached to post twenty feet apart.

This spacing allows the main cords or arms on each plant to grow up to 10 feet in each direction on the horizontal tralace. The fruiting spurs develop on the cordance. Commercial grows use a more sophisticated double tralace system. Muscadines require consistent soil moisture for good fruit production. The use of drip irrigation can help ensure the moisture needs the vines are met.

Three of the most popular for the homeowner to grow in Mississippi are Carlos is high yield variety having bronze skins and medium size fruit. Dourine has bronze skin and medium size fruit. And Noble having heavy yields of purple fruit.

 All three of these are self-fertile varieties that are excellent for juice, jelly, and wine.

Muscadines are great for the homeowner and are not difficult to grow, whether for table juice or even wine, homegrown Muscadines are great for the landscape.

I am horticulturist, Gary Bachman with Southern Gardening.

Southern Gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.