Grape, Somerset Seedless
Vitis vinifera 'Somerset Seedless'
8-12 inch at sale, bare root
Sourced from VT
Red. Table style. Bears in ~3 years. Ripe August/September.
Description
Developed in Wisconsin by Elmer Swensen, Somerset Seedless is one of the more popular varieities for cold regions. The grape is red, firm and seedless. The flavor is very sweet, the individual grapes are on the smaller side but clusters are large. Expect flowers in June and ripe grapes August/September.
Pollination: Pollinated by wind and insects. They can self pollinate but yield will increase with multiple plants or variety of plants. The flowers of grapes are small and yellowish/green and form on racemes. They bloom in June and are ready to harvest August/September.
Care: Grapes prefer a bit of an acidic soil, between 5.5 and 6.5. They need a location with full sun. You may get a harvest in a couple of years, but you can expect to wait up to 4. See the Resources below for additional information related to cultivating grapes.
Resources
Growing grapes in the home garden, University of Minnesota Extension
Protecting Grapevines from Winter Injury by Skinkis and Olmstead
Growing Grapes in Maine, Univeristy of Maine Cooperative Extension
Northern Grape Growing, University of Vermont Extension