Which variety of Muscadine is best for eating? I want to try them and I live in Zone 9, hot humid south Louisiana. When I was a kid we could find them growing wild, but it seems that they have disappeared from the wild. I could also use tips on where to buy and how to plant and arrange a trellis.
Karl

I believe Ned has some for sale. Last time I was down at his place he had a few.

Janebell, Supreme, Triumph, Pineapple and Tara are all good muscadines and are productive here in hot, humid, SE South Carolina (Zone 9). I have never tried Ison, but I have read that it is a good grape. I have a few vines at the nursery, but don't ship.

Several on-line nurseries provide them, with Ison's Nursery having a large selection. I haven't ordered from Ison's in many years, and I noticed they have some negative responses on the Garden Watchdog. Also, I think they only ship bareroot, so you wouldn't be able to plants until they are dormant.

Be aware that I have tried a lot of different varieties, and have found many lacking in various respects, such as taste and productivity. Take a little time and choose varieties carefully. I am sure LA Extension Service has on-line info available. You might check your state market bulletin too. I am not sure, but would guess Louisiana has one.

I might all that they root easily by layering.

Ned
I have found Southland and Pam muscadines locally. Do you have any opinions on these?

Ison's has excellent plants and instructions. Higgins is one of my favorites, Black beauty is another excellent one, ate some of them today. Black beauty need a pollinator (late Fry). It is a thin skinned muscadine
Request their catalogue they give good descriptions of their cultivars.

I spoke to Ison and they are not too high on the southland. I am now thinking of going with Pam and late Fry. Ison told me that the late Fry is a good pollinator for the Pam. I have located the Pams but the fry is looking difficult to find. If all fails I will order from Ison but I would prefer a potted plant rather than bare root.

I have never tried Southland or Pam, but Pam is one of Ison's muscadines. I have Darlene (another Ison vine) and it tastes good, but has been a very poor producer for me. This may be a regional thing, but you are in zone 9 too, so I would avoid Darlene.

The State market bulletins often have someone selling grapes in the winter when they can be sent bareroot. I have had Higgins, and it is a good grape, but it has a thick skin, which I don't like as good as those with a thin skin, but I think that is more a matter of personal taste.

Ison is on-line - I think it is Ison.com. Like Bonnie said, they have a lot about muscadines, but they praise Darlene, which, as I said, has been a poor producer for me. They use to sell a little book written by Mr. Ison, that was interesting and informative.

Here is a link that might provide some leads. Also, you might try posting on the NAFE messageboard.

http://www.nafex.org/supply_source.htm

Here we go again. I think that I may need counseling. What started out to be just a couple of muscadines had escalated to six. I have always been one who thinks if a little is good then a lot has to be great. Oh well the grand kids are giving me they eye. I acquired 4,000 feet of 2 3/8 well tubing a while back and I hate to see it not go to good use. Same thing happened to the citrus. Started with three and now I have 15. Not to mention the pecans, bananas, persimmons etc. Is there a cure to this insanity?

Some very large berries:
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c163/mr-tx/BlackBeauty.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c163/mr-tx/SweetJennySmall.jpg
What I am growing:
http://members.fortunecity.com/pjsauber/Muscadines.htm

I like the bronze ones for fresh eating and the black ones for jelly. I include the hulls in the jelly to make muscadine marmalaide. Overall, the taste is more alike than different for the varieties. My favorite bronze is Darlene or late fry. Darlene doesn't seem to be a heavy producer but this is the first year producing. Favorite black is supreme or black beauty. Supreme produces huge berries on a not very vigorous vine. Black beauty is more vigorous. Darlene makes very large fruit as well. Ison ripens small berries evenly.