I have purchased several Red Suffolk grapes. It is almost mid October and I am in Willamette Valley, Oregon. Can you folks help me out? I am a newbie and really want to get this right the first time. Here are my questions. First, here is the post I located on the Garden Web: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fruit/msg0215224324919.html Do I wait and plant these in spring? At the very least, I need to put these little guys into a larger container due to rootbound. What mulch is the best? Do I need to mulch in the containers they will be in until spring? What type of mulch? Best fertilizer? The card hanging on the plants indicate I should fertilize in spring and summer. Am I leaving out anything that you can think would help me? Oh, yes, how long before there is actually fruit that you can eat? Thanks so very much. I am not here very often and do not know if this will automatically give you my email addy so here it is. peaceinoregon@gmail.com Thanks again, Linda

Rosefolley and Fruitnut- tastes vary. To my taste the labruscas come in at the top and bottom of the scale, with viniferas in the middle. Glenora, Jupiter, Suffolk Red, and Steuben are the best grapes I've had. Canadice is comparable to a good vinifera.Then the viniferas take the middle. There are lots of labruscas that really are not that good. Venus is OK, but not as good flame, crimson, ruby, etc. Reliance is just off flavored in my vineyard. But the labruscas are in a league of their own when it comes to disease resistance. I use NO chemicals in my vineyard, and have no disease or mildew problems. Also, last year's late frost wiped out the entire crop for the local wineries, but I got a big crop out of my labruscas. Vinifera grapes tend to have a lighter and more neutral flavor (almost flavorless to me) which is what supermarket shoppers and wine drinkers like. Good luck to you Rosefolley. When are you going to plant some jupiters, Fruitnut?

A grouping of "4th of July"...should be renamed "1st of August" :o) http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3478/3814494103_7277768372.jpg "Black Prince" The BEST sliced thin on homemade pizza dough! http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2434/3815303970_d5d1c1b419.jpg The plants look a bit scraggly due to some overzealous pruning on my part. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2480/3815303806_9c55c1b0a6.jpg The ultimate fate for my 'maters and some homegrown basil... http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2463/3814494191_ff53157bcb.jpg

HI Mark! Na I planted 6 large and medium size varieties and the grandsons and daughter mixes them all up when picked. I'll list the varieties here. 1. Beefmaster (large variety)80 day Indeterminant 2. Better Boy (large variety)75 day Indeterminant 3. Celerbrity (medium-large variety)72 day determinant 4. Moreton Hybrid F1 (small-medium variety)70 day indeterminant (Harris Seed Co exclusive) 5. Jet Star (small-medium variety) 75 day indeterminant (low acid?)(Harris Seed Co.) 6. Supersonic (medium size)78 day indeterminant (Harris Seed Co.) All these tomatoes are similar in taste and texture when grown in the soil where I live. Its a clay base heavy soil. I use peat moss and worm castings as soil amendiments. No chemicals. I water with treated Lake Onterio Water and of course rain. I have had no disease problems to speak of and am luckey so far. My wife as she processes the harvest she mixes all the different up. what she grabs is whats in the jar/freezer bag. larry