How to Take Care of Muscadine Grapes
- 1). Plant the muscadine grapes in soil that has a pH of 6.0 to 6.5. If you do not know the pH of your soil, purchase a soil testing kit from a garden center. Caring for muscadine grapes will be easier if they are planted in soil with their preferred acidity level.
- 2). Amend the soil before planting by adding lime if the soil test reveals a pH below 6.0 or peat moss if the soil pH is above 6.5. Break up the soil with a pitchfork before amending, adding it according to label instructions.
- 3). Make sure that the holes in which you plant the grape plants are large enough to accommodate their root systems. The leaves of the muscadine grape plants should remain above the soil line. Leaves buried under the soil are likely to cause disease. Space the holes at least 20 feet apart to give the grapes plenty of room to grow. Crowded grapes will make care difficult.
- 4). Water the grapes thoroughly throughout the first growing season. Use a soaker hose, keeping the soil moist at a 1-inch depth at all times. After the first year of growth, grape plants will require watering only during dry periods or drought.
- 5). Attach each of the grape plants to a bamboo stake using flexible cord. Flexible cording will not harm the wood on the stems of the plants. Set a trellis up directly behind each of the bamboo stakes, which will guide the grape plants as they grow.
- 6). Apply a 3- to 4-inch layer of mulch around the muscadine grape plants. Mulching the plants with straw or bark chips will reduce weed growth, help with drainage and protect the roots.
- 7). Nourish the muscadine grapes with a 10-10-10 fertilizer. Apply the fertilizer to the soil around the muscadine grapes according to the label instructions and allocation time frames set by the manufacturer.
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