Can anyone whose tried both concord grapes and muscadines compare their flavor? I’ve never tried a muscadine but have always wanted to since they sound like a bigger version of a concord grape.
@thecityman, all it takes is the two sprays I mentioned and your (non-muscadine) grapes should come out OK. There are many more difficult things to grow in your climate. Just keep your eyes peeled for black rot so you will know when it is coming.
@ztom, the muscadines I have eaten have a texture between concord and crunchy store grapes, and they taste more like store grapes than Concord.
My muscys are sweet and juicy. The inside pulp is gooey, almost like gum. The outer skin is chewy and tart. Although some of my bronze has edible skin that is thin and not too chewy. Pop one into your mouth and you get a big burst of juice, similar to Welches grape juice, except much better.
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My only real issue is the seed in muscadines. I’m hoping that I can get all the great muscadine characteristics without the seed with the newly developed RazzMaTazz sold by Gurneys.
Dave- your description sounds exactly like my concord and Catawba grapes, for what that’s worth.
Razz ma tazz sounds very intersting. I will probably look at that one. Lord knows, I have ample room for another vine. Thanks for the heads up @Auburn
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I don’t know if anyone answered your question and this is coming a year later. The answer is maybe. You do eat muscadines that way and many of them are purple. They come in small cluster and are picked as individual berries. The various varieties of fox gapes such as Concords are like what you describe. However they are bunch grapes. God bless.
ztom, muscadines have a distinct aftertaste that is quiet unique. Some call it burnt rubber. That may not sound appealing but in the overall flavor profile of a muscadine it’s actually very appealing. Some black varieties have a foxy (Concord) like flavor, but they are their own thing. They come about as close to tasting like a really sweet plum as they do other types of grapes.
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Hi all. Sounds like many of you are further north than me and are closer to the edge of muscadine country than I am. I’m in SE Georgia. My mature vines are Ison, Supreme, Pam, Late Fry, Nesbet, and Black Beauty. I have a Big Red that will be ripening muscadines for the first time this year. Next year I should get a hand full of Florida Fry, Early Fry and maybe some Darlene next year. Of the ones I have, I like Supreme the best so far for fresh eating. Pam makes the best jam so far. God bless.
Marcus
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@coolmantoole. I live one state over and I’m back growing a few muscadines after getting away from them for about twenty years. It is one of the most trouble free fruit to grow other than the annual pruning it requires. This time around I have planted a relatively new variety Lane and a hybrid muscadine-grape called Southern Home. Bill
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I added a Lane to my vineyard this past winter. It made it to the wire, but has not grown much since doing that. Maybe it has another growth spirt in it this year. I hope so,
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I’ve got a muscadine in a pot. It was doing great last year, but a few missed watering a and I had thought it was a goner. It’s come back vigorously, but I don’t know if I’ll ever see fruit off of it…
I’m quite jealous of those of you who have plenty of room (though reading about deer and cattle, maybe I should just be happy with my little 1/8th acre.
Scott
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Last year, at close to this time, I had tiny grapes which never amounted to anything. I’m not sure if it was a pollination issue or if the vines just weren’t old enough.
Back when my “normal” grapes were blooming, I posted (in another thread) that there weren’t any flowers on my muscadines. Well, it looks like I was premature. All 4 of my varieties now have tiny berries. I have no idea if they will hold to maturity.
I find it interesting the developmental differences.
Black Beauty (muscadine):
Fry Seedless (muscadine). This could also be Supreme, as I have trouble telling them apart in the pics, as they both have a lot of growth on the ground.
Jupiter (seedless UoA):
Niagra (seeded):
The seeded Niagra seem to be further along than all my seedless grapes (most of which are UoA). But, judging from last year, the Niagra were the last one to ripen. Strange…
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I’m just starting with muscadines this year. I have Cowart (for pollinator); Black Beauty, Fry, and an unknown variety (that actually got me started). All are at least half way to the wire and the Black Beauty vines are winning the race at being only a few inches from the top. I have eaten wild ones but know very little about growing them except for what I’ve researched. They are giving me great pleasure to watch them grow. They are vigorous plants.
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Bob, of all those you listed, I have only Niagra, which I consider a slip skin, but not a muscadine. I think of it like a white grape version of Concord. The JB’s decimated its leaves practically over night this year. The difference between growing them in the North and the South is that mine are almost ripe. They still have to develop sweetness.
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Yes, I completely agree- They were there when I first moved in and I took a while to ID them. A “white version of Concord” perfectly describes them. They also get plenty of black rot, which a spray of MFF seems to have resolved last year. I may have been a bit late with it this year, as I see a few affected grapes.
I wasn’t posting them to say they are muscadines, but to say that “normal” grapes are far ahead of muscadines in terms of fruit size. I know muscadines should end up bigger, so mine will either be very late, or they will size up quickly.
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Bob, if the varieties you listed are all you have, your fundamental issue is pollination. All the varieties you mentioned are either female or essentially sterile. Fry Seedless is called “simi self fertile” in that it’s kind of like a fig. It does not need pollination to bear seedless fruit. It is characterized by low fruit production anyway and is little more than a conversation piece. Your Black Beauty and supreme are girls. You need to get yourself a real self fertile variety such as Ison, Nobal, Late Fry or Triumph. There are many to choose from.
Chills you will need a big container to get muscadines. As I’m sure you are discovering, it’s a rather thirsty plant even though it doesn’t like wet feet. It transpires tons of water which is why it’s not a good species for a non-humid climate. God bless.
Marcus.
The following is my latest muscadine video. In this one I talk about all the varieties I have. God bless.
Marcus
https://youtu.be/52uLc8Y8PcU
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Please elaborate on the term crunchy table grape use for two of your muscadines. Are these comparable with eating a seeded grapes like concord. My recent addition Lane is supposed to have this characteristic. If I need to clarify the question please advise. Thanks Bill
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