The grape variety 'Muscat Bleu' is one of the most popular blue table grapes. In our article, we show how you can grow and harvest Muscat Bleu grapes yourself.
The name Vitis 'Muscat Bleu' describes this popular table grape very well: the intense blue berries enchant with a strong Muscat aroma. We will show you how to cultivate the robust grape variety 'Muscat Bleu' in your garden.
contents
- Muscat Bleu: fact sheet
- Origin and history of the table grape
- Taste and characteristics of the grape variety ‘Muscat Bleu’
- Special features when growing and caring for ‘Muscat Bleu’
- Harvesting and using Muscat Bleu grapes
Muscat Bleu: fact sheet
| fruit | table grape; big; blue |
| the taste | sweet, Muscat flavor |
| harvest time | early |
| vigour | strong |
| climate | sunny, warm; also suitable for cool regions |
| diseases and pests | little susceptible to gray mould, good tolerance to powdery mildew |
| frost sensitivity | small amount |
Origin and history of the table grape
The grape variety 'Muscat Bleu' is ideal for fresh consumption and is therefore counted among the table grapes, which are sometimes also referred to as wine grapes. The 'Muscat Bleu' is a new breed from Switzerland. In the 1930s, the vine grower Garnier crossed the Garnier 15/6 variety with Seyve-Villard 20-347. The variety 'Muscat Bleu' is called a hybrid, since not only genetic material of the European grapevine (
Vitis vinifera), but also contains genetic material from other grapevine species. This is a popular method in breeding to cross in resistance to fungi. The table grape 'Muscat Bleu' is sometimes also referred to as 'Blauer Muskateller'. However, this designation is misleading, as there is already a historical grape variety with this name. The naming of grape varieties is sometimes not very clear.Taste and characteristics of the grape variety ‘Muscat Bleu’
When growing grapes, powdery mildew (Erysiphenecator) and downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) the two most common diseases. The grape variety 'Muscat Bleu' shows a good tolerance to powdery and downy mildew. In addition, the variety has good frost hardiness down to about -20 °C. In autumn, 'Muscat Bleu' offers grapes with large berries with few seeds, which have a pleasant sweetness and an excellent Muscat aroma. The berries form large, loose clusters that are not very susceptible to gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) are.
Special features when growing and caring for ‘Muscat Bleu’
What does a suitable location for a table grape look like? The optimal place for the 'Muscat Bleu' variety is sunny, warm and with sufficient air movement. Vines are not very demanding in terms of soil composition and soil nutrient content. If you want to cultivate the vine in a very calcareous soil with a high pH, you should Be sure to use a lime-tolerant rootstock such as '1103 Paulsen', '125 AA' or '140 Ruggeri', respect, think highly of. '1103 Paulsen' and '140 Ruggeri' are also very well suited to dry locations, while '125 AA' is particularly suitable for compacted and therefore poorly aerated soils.
You can find out how to plant your Muscat Bleu vine correctly in our special article on the subject Planting grapevines. Grapevines should only be planted when a suitable location is available. Mildew, gray mold and other diseases are very common in places that are too cool, shady and damp or in places without air movement.
For the inquisitive: vine grafting
Table grapes such as 'Muscat Bleu' are always available for sale as grafted plants. But what actually is a refinement and why is it necessary? The grafting process means that a vine serves as a so-called rootstock. The vine is cut off at the top and the so-called scion - here 'Muscat Bleu' - is placed and fixed on it in such a way that the two plants grow together. The result is a plant that combines a resilient and vigorous root with good fruit characteristics.
Refinement of the vine is necessary because the roots of the rootstock protect against the phylloxera introduced from North America (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae) are tolerant. The European grape varieties, such as 'Muscat Bleu', are not tolerant. The growth strength of a graft depends not only on the scion, but also on the rootstock. The table grape 'Muscat Bleu' tends to be a vigorous variety. Which base is used is not only relevant in terms of growth strength. There are rootstocks that are adapted to certain locations, for example rootstocks can be particularly drought stress tolerant or lime tolerant.
Climbing aids and annual regression are important if you plan to use your 'Muscat Bleu' for many years and want lots of bunches of berries. In spring you can prune the vine back to a few buds per shoot. There are a variety of cut forms, these are referred to as educational systems. Raising it overhead as a pergola provides good sun protection to avoid sunburn on the grapes. In addition, the ripe grapes can be easily harvested.
Although vines have a very low nutrient requirement, annual fertilization in spring is still recommended. Here you should pay attention to a good supply of magnesium. We advise you to use a predominantly organic fertilizer with a good long-term effect. It is essential to avoid mineral fertilizers containing chloride, as the vine does not tolerate this. Our Plantura organic tomato fertilizer supplies your vine not only with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, but also with magnesium. The organic tomato fertilizer is a predominantly organic fertilizer with a long-term effect of over three months. More tips about Fertilizing grapevines Find out in our special article.
Harvesting and using Muscat Bleu grapes
The 'Muscat Bleu' is a precocious variety. Depending on the location, the deep blue grapes can be harvested from the beginning of September. Therefore, the 'Muscat Bleu' is also suitable for cultivation in cool regions. In October, the leaves of the 'Muscat Bleu' turn bright yellow and decorate your autumn garden. So that you don't have to share your harvest with uninvited guests, our special article tells you how Protect grapes from wasps and birds can.
The low-seed grapes are ideal for fresh consumption. You can also press the grapes and process them into a juice or a delicious jelly. In a few regions, such as Switzerland, wine is also made from the grapes of the 'Muscat Bleu'.
Further blue, red and white grape varieties we have put together for you in our overview article.
