Improving the muscadine grape

When Cassandra and Gary Wiseman bought 185 acres of land in rural Jackson County, Georgia, they envisioned preserving the land through sustainable forestry stewardship. Over the next decade, they recognized the abundance of naturally growing muscadine vines throughout the property. This bounty ultimately sparked the dream of operating a vineyard and winery on the property.

Home gardeners who want to expand their edible backyard bounty to include fruits are invited to participate in the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Backyard Fruits webinar series that runs through June 5.

From late summer into fall, Southerners start looking for muscadines — a popular grape native to the Southeastern U.S. Selections run from the dark purple, thick-skinned traditional muscadine to a light golden green variety. Soon, growers and consumers can add a new red variety to the mix.