I have a lot of hybrid vitis seeds, many of which are 1/2 L-50s, a superior Vitis riparia selection from Minnesota. What sort of seeds do you have to trade? Most of my hybrid crosses are with Muscat flavored table/wine types, so they are not pure wild species, but I do have a lot of combinations, using some of the better hybrids. I'd love to get seeds of an early ripening Vitis Lincecumii or Post Oak grape. Will also have cuttings later this fall. Boizeau

fruithack: We have had no problem with any of the disease in the different varieties of grapes we have grown so hopefully a Red Flame would do OK. Relatives in Roswell, NM @ 3000 ft. but zone 6; had their first crop this 2nd year after planting & was great they said. I know I just love those 'crunchy'!! Red Flames I buy in the grocery so was wondering about growing it here. Many vineyards around this area but they are of the wine varieties ... You mentoned the Steuben to have a 'light' Concord flavor ... I wonder if I'd miss the heavenly flavor of these old seeded Concords we have now? The birds seem to leave these blue grapes alone but the Thompson & Lakemont seedless are always taken by the birds before we can get to them! fruitnut: Yes we are at 5200 ft. right at our area of Albuquerque. Rarely have too much moisture here but hearing from relatives near Austin this summer, I understand what you wrote! They had 90 days of over 105 weather & NO rain at all I guess; they then usually get 90 days of nothing BUT rain!! Thanks everyone for all of your help & info. I just might give the Red Flame & seedless Concord a try anyway ... but realize I have all of your input!

American Soil & Stone has this on its website: Super Grape Compost Made from composted grape pressings. Last season's grape harvest is this year's Super Grape Compost! Super Grape is OMRI listed as Harvest Compost. An extremely nutrient rich compost great for topdressing to improve fertility or blend with existing soil to increase the organic matter content and fertility. An excellent source of nitrogen. Can be used as a topdress placed at a depth of ¼-½ inch. Incorporate into soil at approximately 25% by volume. Upper Valley Recycling is the producer of Harvest Compost. Contains: Composted Grape Pressings (Pomace) No info on nutrient content. I checked Upper Valley and their website has no info on nutrients either as far as I can tell. So, difficult to make any judgments on its 'quality'. But I stand by my earlier post and many others in the thread saying that it's probably great, but probably not worth a premium price.

I haven't tried to cross any grapes myself. I did buy and plant a Tomcord from Starks Bros. Nursery. Supposedly a cross of the thompson seedless and concord. I planted it already leafed out when the ground was still cold. It just sat there. When the ground warmed up it really took off. It seemed to be very disease resistant.