I have a Late Fry and Supreme planted two years ago now and would have gotten a small crop last year if it wasn’t for the cicadas. I got a few Late Fry, very tasty, but had to prune everything off the Supreme that had grapes because of the damage.
But I’ve eaten plenty Supreme from some I’ve gotten from a farmers market to know it is very tasty as well. I was tempted by BB when I put them in, but there seemed to be less reliable cropping, smaller size and some reported it is more likely to vary crops year to year (biennial?). So while it might win in a taste test, I figured without a big vineyard full of vines, Supreme was a great choice. Now, as long as I never make the mistake of tasting a BB, I plan to just enjoy my Supreme while never knowing what I’m missing.
I actually put a Paulk in last year in a different space, so I should be able to get enough to compare those two this year.
Yeah, space is limited for me so reliability is important. I am already pushing it with 4. I plan to keep my vines a little smaller than traditionally grown so I figure with supreme’s heavy crop load it could a good thing. Can’t find much information on people growing BB, but plenty of people grow supreme.
I think I’ve gotten at least a few grapes from Black Beauty for the last 5 years, starting in 2017 (planted in Oct 2013). Not a ton- maybe somewhere between a pint and a quart in most years. Nothing like the 100lb crops that some people in the South talk about. Of course, the Vine isn’t massive either. It put on more growth this year, but until now, it was taking up under 5 feet of a single bar trellis. Supreme is much larger 10+ feet of trellis, but only produces about the same.
Black Beauty is normally ready in early October, while Supreme is a few weeks later (first frost being around November 1st).
I have Supreme, Black Beauty and Paulk. Paulk is the best choice. It’s sweeter than my Supreme due to a more balance crop load. It finished evenly and first. Black Beauty taste is unbeatable in my yard. It produces very well here. However, it’s a pain to pick because of wet stem scar. Supreme is the heaviest producer. It has to be dead ripe to be sweet enough. Otherwise, it’s very bland. I am will thin the crop on Supreme next year. If it doesn’t taste any better. I’ll remove it.
Overbearing will affect flavor. Supreme tends to load up very heavily meaning it overbears. The way to counter this is with very heavy winter pruning. I usually cut back Supreme and Ison to 2 buds per stem and limit stems to no closer than 12 inches apart on the trunk. The objective is a crop load of about 100 pounds per plant. Also, if you want them to bear fruit next year, give each plant about 10 pounds of 13-13-13 fertilizer now. It would be better if it had been given a few weeks earlier, but will still benefit the plant if applied now.
Caution, if you do not fertilize Supreme and Ison in the fall, the plants may die over winter after producing a heavy crop!
While BB has produced a decent amount in the past, this is the heaviest crop. I’m not sure if it is just making it ripen later, or if it has reduced the sugars. In the past, I had 15-20 brix, but this year it’s been in the 12-14 range. At some point I’ll need to pick them, as the frost will likely be here in the next 2 weeks. Do muscadines ripen once picked? I’ve seen conflicting reports online.
Is 1-2 weeks until frost too late to do any good? I don’t think I’ve fertilized them for several years, though they have been well mulched with organic material.
They don’t ripen after picking but they still have an ethylene response meaning they soften and if left exposed they lose water and shrivel.
If Supreme is not bearing heavily, something is wrong. Also, fertilizing your plants will dramatically change their production next year. Yes, fertilizing this late will still benefit the plants.
Black beauty, Paulk, Supreme. Maybe you pick them too early because I did that for a few years. They are very sweet. I pick them when they are dull and a little soft. I am moving away from these mid/late muscadines. I really like Hall, Early Fry and Lane. A properly thinned Lane is amazing! Paulk always finish before frost. Black Beauty always barely makes it. My 1st year with Supreme. It seems like it maybe too late.
Black Beauty and Supreme are well ahead of frost in Maryland so they should also be good for you in Virginia.
This year I don’t think my Ison flowered and it is my only male so I got no muscadines… first time that ever happened! I am going to let the Ison get bigger I must have pruned it back too much.
Interesting that your Supreme is still not fully ripe. I’m in Arlington, VA and all of mine were picked weeks ago. The few I missed are shriveled and well past ripe.
Of course each vine and condition may vary. Mine is in full sun and this is the 3rd year in the ground. Last year there were flowers and some fruit set, but the cicadas tore them up horribly, so I wound up having to regrow both arms. So possibly not carrying any fruit impacted ripening time this year? Also, while I had grapes, there were only about a 1/3 of what show on your vines, so maybe the light crop let it ripen earlier as well.
I don’t think it even sweeten up as well when it’s cold like now.
Maybe it’s my microclimate. We are very close. I am in Annandale. Overcropped vines do delay harvest for 3 weeks. I have 2 Lanes and that’s how those played out this year. Black Beauty do very well in my yard. Alway slightly overcropped. I can tell because the berries are a bit smaller in some section.
