FAQ: Muscadine varieties incorrectly labeled and few fruit produced

I planted 4 muscadine vines Feb.2012,they were 2 years old, one black jumbo,black loomis, one black southland and one bronze magnolia scuppernong. In 2013 each vine had a few fruit to mature but they all were bronze, none were black. I pruned them this year and I saw lots of very small fruit. They slowly started drying up. I only harvested three fruit. What could be my Problem? Please help! 

Well, it's obvious that you did not get what you thought you bought, otherwise you would have had red grapes on the Loomis and black on the Jumbo and Southland. If the ones labeled Loomis, Jumbo and Southland were not actually Loomis, Jumbo and Southland, it's possible the Magnolia wasn't a Magnolia. In any case, there's no telling what varieties you have.

Here are my thoughts:

You're not going to get many fruit from very young vines, even if you have a good mix of female and self-fertile varieties.

Are you sure the "very small fruit" you saw drying up were actually fruit and not flowers? Sometimes the flowers are mistaken for very small fruit. If flowers dried and fell, it's possible they were never pollinated. Since you don't know what you have, it's possible you don't have a pollinator (self-fertile variety) in the whole bunch. If you have no pollinator, yet had a few fruit, the pollination could have come from wild muscadine vines out in the woods or even from a distant neighbor's property.

If what dried and fell were, indeed, small fruits, they may have fallen off due to dry conditions, fungus encouraged by wet conditions, or magnesium deficiency in the soil. If you observed  yellowing between the  veins of the leaves, you probably have magnesium deficiency. Take a soil sample to your local Cooperative Extension office for testing. You can correct mag deficiency by applying epsom salt at approx. 4 oz. per vine broadcast evenly at approx. 4 to 5 sq. foot area.

Find your local Cooperative Extension office using this interactive map: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/

I hope this helps.

Why and how you should add Epsom salt to your garden.

"Why and how should I add Epsom salt to my garden?" is a question I'm frequently asked.

Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate. Magnesium is important for producing chlorophyll and fruit. It also strengthens cell walls and improves plants' absorption of vital nutrients such as sulfur, nitrogen and phosphorus.

Sulfur is vital to plant growth. It helps plants produce enzymes, vitamins and amino acids.

Magnesium deficiency may be difficult to detect without taking a soil sample. Some plants such as roses, tomatoes and peppers exhibit deficiencies more readily than others. Common symptoms include yellowed or misshapen leaves and stunting.

Magnesium is often deficient in soils with alkaline pH, high potassium and calcium content. Take a soil sample to your regional Cooperative Extension Service for testing. It's the best way to determine whether your soil needs magnesium. If the test shows severe magnesium deficiency, the service may recommend addition of dolomite lime to the soil. But don't rely on dolomite lime alone to correct the problem. Add Epsom salt, too. If the soil test shows adequate magnesium along with high potassium and calcium content, you should still add Epsom salt to your garden.

Epsom salt has the advantage over other sources of magnesium because it is highly soluble. The salt granules can be sprinkled around plants. Diluted with water, the Epsom salt solution can be poured around plants or sprayed on their leaves. The foliar spray delivers maximum rapid results.

How much Epsom salt you should apply depends on the size of the plant and the method of application. Vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers benefit from 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt granules at planting time. Sprinkle the granules around the transplants. Larger plants such as roses and shrubs will benefit from 1/2 cup of granules applied in spring and again in fall. Depending on plant size, apply 1/2 cup to 1 cup of granules around grape vines, fruit and nut trees at the drip line because that's where the feeder roots are. The drip line is the outer circumference of the leaf canopy.

For foliar spray, add 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt per gallon of water. Apply generously two or three times during the growing season.

Gardeners often report better plant color, stronger growth, improved fruit set, better tasting fruits and vegetables. Epsom salt applied to tomatoes may help to prevent blossom-end rot.

Epsom salt can be purchased at grocery and drug stores.

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