Muscat Bleu Grapevine Plants

Vitis vinifera 'Muscat Bleu'

Producing large, sweet black grapes, this is a justly popular variety, on account of its ability to thrive outdoors in most parts of the UK. As well as the muscat-flavoured black-seeded grapes, produced when there has been a long, hot summer, use it to provide summer shade and enjoy its large large lobed leaves that have superb autumn colour. The dazzling autumn display goes from green to dark crimson, red, orange and yellow.

It can be kept in check with judicious pruning, so is suitable for small gardens or courtyards.

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Features:

• Large deciduous healthy climber
• Early bunches of sweet black grapes suitable for eating
• Size: To 7m x 3m
• Dazzling autumn colour
• Fully hardy
• Will need light support
• Sunny or lightly shaded position
• Mildew resistant

Growing 'Muscat Bleu' Grapevines

Full sun is essential if you plan to harvest the fruit but generally vines are much more cold-climate friendly than you might think. They love being able to bask against sun-kissed walls. They prefer fertile, well-drained but moist, alkaline to neutral soil.

Vines need a framework, trellis or wire support, quickly growing to fill a space 8m x 2.5m. It can be pruned in mid-winter to create a framework and again in mid-summer if required.

In your Garden Design

Vines are ideal Mediterranean style garden plants and are often grown over large pergolas or other ornamental structures where they can provide summer shade and an ideal place in which to eat or sit, sipping on a glass of Muscat wine. Pair with other sun worshippers such as lavender and rosemary. Alternatively plant gorgeous tea roses alongside for a romantic Bridgerton-style look and shrubs with good autumn colour such as Cotinus coggygria to add glamour. Good colour contrast would come in the shape of marigolds and bright orange dahlias. In greenhouses, ideal companions are herbs such as basil and hyssop which help keep pests at bay.

Did You Know?

The Muscat Bleu sometimes goes by the name Blauer Muskateller, a jaunty nickname borrowed from another grape. This is a hybrid variety which was bred in Peissy, Switzerland in the 1930s by Charles Garnier from Garnier 15-6 and Perle noire; the hybridisation of different grape species produces offspring with more resistance to fungi. It is also classified as a table grape.

How to plant Vitis vinifera Muscat Bleu:

Plant in a deep hole, backfilled with a humus rich compost, to which has been added a handful of bonemeal and some Root Grow, just planting to the pot level.

Firm and water in well and keep watering regularly while the plant matures. It will need some wires or a trellis as support.

Look out for: Resistant to Phylloxera and will cause very few problems. The foliage and sap are a slight irritant.