Outdoor Grape Varieties

[DiG]

I will soon hopefully have the ideal south facing wall on which to grow a grapevine or two. Has anyone any experience of the seedless varieties "Lakemont ' and 'Flame' ? They seem to be recommended, in the catalogues, as well flavoured dessert grapes for outdoor growing but there is nothing like hearing from people who have actually grown them.

Can anyone recommend any other seedless dessert varieties that I could try?

Regards, Diane

[Nature's Babe]

I inherited an old vine Diane, and have no idea what variety it is, the grapes are sweet rich and dark, they used to plant them with half a dead sheep under them, so I guess they are heavy feeders, so prepare the planting hole well Half of mine grows outside and I feed a couple of leaders into the greenhouse too, so I get an early crop under glass and a later crop outside from the same vine. Different grapes crop early, mid season or late, if you pick a late maturing one and we get a poor summer they might not ripen. Variety depends a lot on choice, I like an aromatic muscat flavour so if buying one would probably choose something earlyish with that sort of taste.

[Beryl]

I am growing Lakemont. Very vigorous grower, needs lots of strong support. Delicious sweet grapes, heavy cropper needs lots of thining.
I grow it on my allotment and it withstood all last winters bad weather.

Beryl.

[Beryl]

This might be a better photo.

Beryl.

[PLUMPUDDING]

I bought a Flame seedless grape two years ago. It is in a large pot in the greenhouse and so far it hasn't even tried to produce any flowers never mind grapes. It seems a bit weak compared to my other varieties.

I do have two outdoor ones Madeleine Angevine which are very productive, strong plants and they are sweet tasting and also make good wine (if I can keep the wasps off them).

My favourites are Pink Chasselas, one planted in the greenhouse, but with its roots outside and one grown as a standard in a pot. These both taste lovely and produce a very nice pink sparkling wine.

[DiG]

Thank you ladies for your replies and photos. All very helpful. I have made a note of all the varieties mentioned for future reference. The area hasn't been cleared yet and there is some construction work to do before I can consider planting - hopefully next year.

Diane.

[Nature's Babe]

Hi Diane, good luck with your new vines. Another consideration is air circulation, I find allowing a good circulation of air in the greenhouse prevents any mould problems, we are eating our grapes now and the leaves are still perfect for stuffed vine leaves, thinning the leaves helps ripening too.

[yummyveggies]

Hi Diane, other seedless varieties good for for outside ... Himrod - a white seedless (fruits best when using cane replacement rather than spur pruning) ... this is true of a lot of the seedless varieties both inside and out. Suffolk - a pink seedless - with a good flavour. Lakemont is a good choice - but Flame is really better off inside as it is quite disease prone and relatively tender - although does ripen outside. cheers, yummyveggies