Kabuti: You need the latest selections from the breeding program of David Ramming, USDA grape breeder at Fresno. Some of these I would like to get are Summer Muscat, Sweet Scarlet, Thomcord, Scarlet Royal, and Autumn King. The later, at least, is late. I now have Crimson seedless. It is very late, very vigorous, large fruit, red, and very sweet. Was my latest fruit last yr. Have seen it on the vine under temporary poly in early Dec. around Fresno. Autumn Royal is another late variety of Ramming's I have. But it lacks vigor and I have had trouble fruiting It.

Another variety you should get is Summer Royal, a mid-season Ramming release. It is blue, large fruit, med-high vigor, high yielding, and a great grape.

Ramming in the past has handed out cuttings in late winter for free. See if you can get on his list for the varieties you want. May not still hand them out. If you find the answer, please post it here.

In CA these grapes are under-appreciated by the ave homeowner. They are easier to grow than most fruit and very good quality.

The Fruitnut

I,too, would like the information.

Has anyone tried grafting grapes? I am limited on space and would like to grow a variety of grapes. I thought that grafting might be the way to go, but don't know how to go about doing it.

boballi : )

Boballi: Like you I have limited space in the one good place I have to grow these grapes. I know grapes can be grafted in spring just like other fruit trees. I've never done it but will try if I can get wood of some of these new selections.

All you guys have to do is call Ramming at his work place in Fresno. He's approchable and not that busy most of the time. I'm going to call next winter.

The Fruitnut

Thanks so much for posting this information. My son wants me to plant a seedless grape vine for fresh eating, and itÂs been hard finding what some of the "newest and best flavored" cultivars are. No Brix index information. Most California college websites on viniculture focus on pests and pestilence, biggest and heaviest clusters, shipping and storage. Wine grapes dominate the research. Where are the "top taste winners? Even CRFG, usually so helpful, has nothing but muscadine information.
I grew ThompsonÂs, Black Monukka, and Flame here in the San Gabriel Valley when my son was growing up, and Black Monukka was the only one that sweetened up enough here to bother fighting over with the birds.

Is it possible that there is no "great" seedless California table grape yet for home growers yet? Summer Royal has been mentioned, but UC Davis research suggests such poor berry set and scraggly clusters that the vines have to be girdled and shoot tipped in early bloom to get a decent fruit set. From FruitnutÂs report, perhaps Autumn Royal is also a "challenge". Crimson Seedless sounds worth a try. LetÂs hope the grape researchers enjoy eating delicious grapes as much as marketing them.

altadenamara -

"vines have to be girdled and shoot tipped in early bloom to get a decent fruit set."

I have three grapes - now about 3 years old - two Thompsons and a Sauvignon Blanc - that appear to be doing quite well. A bit of a surprise because I'm fairly close to the ocean, and was not sure if the cool summers would be to their liking.

They were pruned heavily this winter - with a strong central leader on a sturdy trellis.

What is meant by girdling and shoot tipping? They are all doing nicely with lots of new growth on the short pruned side stems, and the central leader has reached across the trellis. Should I be doing something more now?

Most of the pruning guides I see involve two wire type spacing, rather than overhead trellising.

Also - I'll bet my blue jay will have a ball in case I get any fruit set. He visits every year about now to check out my trees. Fortunately, the plum tree - his favorite - has always been a good provider. But grapes - whee!

Bejay

My Summer Royal has set large clusters with large berries both here in my greenhouse and in CA near Fresno. Berries are as large as most in the stores and this is without any sprays or girdling. A major objective of Ramming's breeding program for many yrs has been to produce large fruited cultivars without the need for all the growth regulator sprays, girdling, etc. I think he has been very successful and you will see it if you can get ahold of the new cultivars.

The old cultivars like Thompson and Flame, without sprays and girdling, are hardly recognizable compared to the pumped up commercial fruit in the stores. Last yr I had Flame, Summer Royal, Crimson seedless, and Glenora in my greenhouse. Flame had smaller fruit after three GA sprays than Summer Royal or Crimson with no sprays. The Flame fruit was very crisp. Glenora, a favorite Eastern seedless was far inferior in bunch size and about 50-60% fruit size. The people that tried my Flame and Glenora last yr raved about them until they tried the other two. I cut out the Flame and Glenora this past winter to give more room for Crimson and SR.

The eating quality of Summer Royal was great near Fresno and in my greenhouse. Crimson is a little slower to bear so I didn't get much fruit in CA. But it is loaded with fruit this yr and the quality was great last yr in Oct and Nov.

I'm sold on some of Ramming's fruit I've tried so far and hope to get more of the new cultivars. Maybe only half of what you try will work esp in cooler summer areas. But that has always been true of anything I've tried.

The Fruitnut

BeJay9, The article linked to below told about trying to increase bud fruitfulness and berry set, and mentioned that Summer Royal had poor berry set resulting in straggly clusters. Girdling and shoot tipping are referred to in the article, but they really donÂt describe how to do the procedures.

Is there any commercial source for home gardeners for Dr. RammingÂs wonderful grape vines? Most of the sources listed with the National Grape Registry are big wholesale-only suppliers.

Here is a link that might be useful: Research Sheds Light on Bud Fruitfulness and Berry Set

Dr. Ramming should be very busy now. He just won one of the USCA Agricultural Research Service's highest honors at an agency annual awards ceremony. The article has a picture of him, with links to some of his new seedless grape cultivars.

Here is a link that might be useful: ARS Honors Technology Transfer Winners

Alta: Thank you for the links. You have me even more excited about getting ahold of some of this new material! Hopefully these new varieties will be avaliable to the public soon.

The Fruitnut

Summer Royal is available custom grafted from Broadacres Nursery in Hubbard, Oregon for about the same price as from other nurseries. TheyÂre grafting now, and the plants will be available in June.

A grape called Diamond Muscat is also available there. ItÂs an early seedless muscat grape from Dr. RammingÂs grape program. ItÂs different from Summer Muscat. Has anyone tasted both, can recommend one over the other?

Here is a link that might be useful: Broadacres Nursery