White Table Grape Plants

Seedless Varieties

• There are many seedless varieties of white table grapes. The most widely grown varieties include Himrod, Interlaken Seedless, Lakemont and Marquis. Himrod is the most successful variety released by Cornell University in 1952. It has large bunches with honey-like flavor and juicy, melting texture. Interlaken Seedless is an early-ripening variety with medium-sized clusters. Lakemont has a mild flavor with small berries and compact clusters. Marquis was introduced in 1996 and has a large cluster with sweet flavor that holds well on the vine.

Seeded Varieties

• Seeded varieties of grapes are often called dessert grapes. A few of the most widely available seeded white table grapes include Ontario, Niagara, Golden Muscat, Seneca and Edelweiss. Ontario is an early white grape that is free from disease. Large, loosely formed clusters with sweet flavor make this an excellent choice for the home garden. Niagara has large clusters and berries with high-quality fruit on vigorous vines. Golden Muscat produces huge, golden clusters, some weighing in at 7 lbs. Seneca is a high-quality white table grape with firm texture and medium-sized clusters. Edelweiss produces early and is similar to its parent, Ontario, but is much more winter hardy.

Planting White Table Grapes

• To start your own white table grape vineyard, first you must choose a location with full sun and well-drained soil, free from frost pockets or low spots in your yard. White table grapes are vines and will need a trellis to grow on. There are many different ways to trellis grapes, but a 4-cane, single-trunk Kniffin system is the most common. Provide 2 parallel wires strung on posts with the first wire 36 to 46 inches above the ground. The second wire should be placed 56 to 66 inches above the ground. Prune your vine to have 1 trunk, with a set of "arms" being tied to each wire, for a total of 4 "arms."

When to Harvest White Table Grapes

• When to harvest your white table grapes will depend upon what you will be using them for. If you plan to make jelly, pick the grapes somewhat early to avoid sugar crystal formation during production. For fresh eating, choose berries that have reached their peak color and flavor and before the fruit drops from the bunch. Harvest your grapes using a clean, sharp pair of scissors to gently remove the clusters and avoid jolting the berries off.