I don’t know if the mulch caused the trunk problem but I keep it about 6" away.
2 Likes
Thanks y’all.
Man, I feel pretty stupid for allowing that to develop…i feel convinced it was the mulch contact with the trunk over a year or more. Self-inflicted wounds are the worst!
I have not been watering this vine…only a couple times the whole year and nothing that would result in that much damage so quickly.
I also didn’t realize how bad it was until i took those pictures. Neglect for the win! 
It looks pretty heinous. The vine has fruit - maybe this will be its last hurrah.
On the flipside, it’s fun to now be shopping for a new vine 
Per my previous comments here, Darlene was really sweet but just hasn’t produced much. It’s not really been a winner for me, especially considering I only have space for 2 vines - i need something more productive.
2 Likes
Oh, its nothing to beat yourself up on. Whenever I do some dumb and mess up something, I just call it “Idiot tax”. And I do mess up plenty. 
Btw, I see that you are in Tennessee. Where are you in TN? I’m just east of Memphis.
2 Likes
That is a classic example of cold damage to the trunk of a muscadine. Part of the stem is killed leaving a living layer. Am I correct that the damaged area is facing south toward the sun?
1 Like
you could start an airlayer of the darlene now… pick your longest runner. it would likely root and be ready to plant by fall.
2 Likes
Normally I would have posted this under this thread but I wanted to attract a wide group for their knowledge about snakes. Below is the link.
Things that makes your heart flutter
I actually was wondering about cold damage and thinking the moisture trapping caused by the mulch may have exacerbated it.
This is on the north side actually.
I know it’s impossible to know for sure but what is your opinion on its chances to survive?
1 Like
Thanks! Yep - it’s a good wake-up call.
I am in middle TN near-ish to Nashville 
1 Like
This morning I did a little pinching back on the Black Beauty vine and connected the electric wire. Hopefully putting the wire in early the night raiders will give up before the fruit is ripe. Lane is loaded and a little less aggressive a grower. BB is in the first picture and Lane is in the second.
4 Likes
If I do replace the Darlene, can anyone recommend a variety that has a bold spicy/musky flavor?
I’ve actually been a little disappointed in both my Ison and Darlene because I got hooked on farmers market muscadines that had a really strong flavor.
These 2 for me have been quite milder in comparison. Sweeter perhaps (sweet is good!) but blander if that makes sense…
2 Likes
My experience with damaged trunks is that it is always better to either re-root the trunk or to grow a new stem from a smaller branch.
Summit is very good for a bronze/pink variety. Paulk would be a good black variety.
1 Like
Hey @auburn, are your Lane’s coloring up yet? Mine are but not totally purple and still rock hard. How much longer until they are ready? I’m guessing they need to be completely deep purple and have a little give to them when squeezed. Is that accurate?
2 Likes
Coincidentally I was just looking at the UGA PowerPoint on Paulk and was turned off by their own admission of disease susceptibility.
If something is gonna get diseased, my garden will make sure of it LOL
My Lane are still mostly green. Last year I picked my first ripe ones on 20100728 and on 20190808 I picked about a quart. The others on the vine ripened soon afterward. When it starts to soften they are starting to ripen. If they hang on a little longer they will get really sweet.
I haven’t had much disease pressure on any of my vines but Paulk has been a problem child and a poor grower for me and for several people I correspond with.
2 Likes
They will get black and loose their sheen. And if you squeeze them and wonder if they are soft enough…they aren’t. You will know when they are ripe. I ate many of them thinking they were ripe and when I finally let them get ripe I was much more impressed with the taste. It doesn’t hurt to taste test them along. They are good and sweet and crunchy even before being “ripe”. But you’ll know the difference when you get there so don’t pick all of them until you get there. 
2 Likes
Thanks!
Looking at the Ison comparison chart, I wonder if Late Fry may be good since it’s rated excellent for disease resistance and cold hardiness, has high yields and good sugar content.
But looking at my Darlene again today, I don’t know that it’s as bad/deep as I thought. Maybe it’ll make it.
I think I’ll wait to see if it totally dies or at least stops fruiting. Then I’ll pull it.
1 Like
Before you consider late Fry make sure your season is long enough to ripen it…
Right-o … not sure how to know precisely. I’m in 7a, middle TN. It’s usually mild even into mid or late October.
1 Like
I think Ison’s has info on its website under late Fry
1 Like