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 show you how to cultivate the robust grape variety 'Muscat Bleu' in your garden.
Muscat Bleu: Profile
| Fruit | Table Grape; big; blue |
| Flavour | sweet, muscat flavor |
| Harvest time | early |
| Growth | strong |
| Climate | sunny, warm; also suitable for cool regions |
| Diseases and Pests | Low susceptible to gray mold, good tolerance to powdery mildew |
| Sensitivity to Frost | low |
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 'Muscat Bleu' variety is referred to as a hybrid because it not only contains genetic material from the European grapevine (Vitis vinifera), but also 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.
Flavours and characteristics of the Muscat Bleu grape variety
Powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator) and downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) are the two most common diseases in grape growing. The grape variety 'Muscat Bleu' shows a good tolerance toPowdery 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).
Special features of the cultivation and care of '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 value, you should definitely pay attention to a lime-tolerant rootstock such as '1103 Paulsen', '125 AA' or '140 Ruggeri'. '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.
To learn how to properly plant your Muscat Bleu vine, check out our special article on planting grape vines. Grapevines should only be planted when a suitable location is available. Powdery 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 the 'Muscat Bleu' are always offered 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.
The grafting of the vine is necessary because the roots of the rootstock are tolerant to the phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae) introduced from North America. 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 underlays adapted to specific sites,for example, rootstocks can be particularly drought stress tolerant or lime tolerant.
Climbing aid and annual regression are important if you plan to use your 'Muscat Bleu' for many years and want lots of grapes. 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 not only supplies your vines 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. For more tips on fertilizing grapevines, see our feature 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, learn how to protect grapes from wasps and birds in our special article.
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'.
We have compiled other blue, red and white grape varieties for you in our overview article.