Thanks Scot. I'd rather go for taste than worry about seeds. I'll look into Swenson Red. I love red grapes. Have you all noticed the size of the gigantic green (seedless, tasteless) grapes in the supermarkets these days. They are like ping pong balls! Mrs. G

Sometimes it's hit and miss with fruit This summer my wife bought some giant grapes at the market, but they were excellent. Both red and white, fantastic taste, crunchy almost like apples. I grow grapes, but often wonder why as the marketplace grapes are far superior. At least at times. The grapes might be local, not sure? Usually the wife buys them. This summer they were amazing. Some of the best grapes I ever ate. Our apples are also excellent. I just ate an excellent apple a few minutes ago. Cherries too, again huge, crunchy like apples too. I know they were Amish grown cherries. I got them at the Eastern Market. We often shop there for goods.
My cherries also were no where as good as these Amish cherries. Many bad cherries at the regular market. So yeah most times they are not good. Again hit and miss.
Fruitnut grows a number of grapes, you should ask him. One he likes is Summer Royal.

Drew, the grapes that fruitnut grows are not resistant to east coast diseases. They can be grown (and I grew several of them) but don't think its worth all the spraying needed.

Scott

Thanks for the info Scott! I grew a seeded one my dad had for decades, but I removed it this year. I really didn't like the grapes. I will probably look into another in a few years.
Yeah I never sprayed the one my dad grew, ever! No bugs, and no fungal problems. I'm not sure what is was? Probably a Concord. Man it produced like crazy, but the skin was a mile thick, and lot's of seeds. The taste was good! Blackberry plants are going on the trellis now.
I do have a Einset growing but it is struggling. Any experience with that one? A red from New York Fruit Testing.

Might as well throw in my opinions here for what little they might help Mrs G. The best tasting hardy seedless I've tried is Glenora. It's not all that hardy and froze to the ground in Amarillo at about -12F. It has at times reminded me of blueberries but that was before I really knew what a blueberry tasted like.

I think Jupiter is nearly uneatable, mainly the skin. Canadice is sweet, productive, and hardy but like Scott I think it's not all that good, too bland.

Compared to Summer Muscat that I'd rate a 10 for flavor, Glenora is more like a 5 or 6. Summer Royal would be about 8. But like Scott says my favorite CA grapes aren't going to work in a humid climate.

Your best bet out East might be trying the new grapes Scott mentioned or waiting until he gives a review.

Thanks Fruitnut. For me they are more worth trying as it's not really humid here. They need to be hardy though and your selections and the Arkansas series is just barely hardy enough. I won't try them. I want to try the Cornell seedless (zone 5), but so far Einset is not growing well. But it could be the plant, and not the cultivar. I'll try others in the future. Like Lakemont, Glenora, and Canadice.
Speaking of hardy it's -12 degrees here right now!

This post was edited by Drew51 on Mon, Jan 6, 14 at 23:36

Thank you Fruitnut!
I too was thinking about Scott's report/results on the new grapes. I am not getting younger, and really want a vine to get into the ground next spring. I like the description of Swenson Red, which was Scott's recommendation. Have you grown this grape?
I tried Canadice when I lived in Maine and didn't like it. Sweetness is key with a crisp skin. Many thanks for the suggestion of 'Glenora' might try that one as well.
I found a nursery on line named Double A Vineyards. Have you, Scott or anyone ordered from this resource? Many thanks for your time. Mrs. G

Yup Double A is an excellent source, I think a lot of us including me have had good experiences with them.

Double A is by far the best grape vine nursery, they are top in every regard.

My suggestion is to plant a Swenson Red right next to one of the AK grapes, and you can remove the one you don't like. Just train one grape one way on the trellis and the other the other way. I started my grapes 3' apart and the ones I liked I let get bigger. Swenson Red now has about 12' of trellis.

If you like crisp over fruity flavor get a Gratitude. If you like flavor the most get a Joy. If you are somewhere in the middle get a Hope.

Scott

Lol! Now that I'm up to 35 fruit trees, after my new grape experience I can see that collection growing too. Now Its time to put in more trellises! Mrs. G

I'm just north of Chattanooga and have had a Venus vine for the past several years (just added a Mars last year as well).

It has done very well, and the grapes are quite good for the table, IMO.