How to Protect Muscadine Vines From Frost

Among the many grape varieties, muscadine grapes stand out as an oddity. The grapes hang from the vines individually instead of in bunches, and they need a climate with mild winters. Native to the southeastern United States, these grape vines freeze to the ground at temperatures below 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Exposure to frost can prevent or delay the fruit production for that growing season. To maximize your harvest, protection of the muscadine vines during frosts and freezes is critical.

Blankets or plastic sheeting

Instructions

- 1
  Choose your planting site for the vines to avoid frost damage. Plant rows of the vines high on the north side of a hill in a north-south direction.
- 2
  Water the ground around the vines well to a depth of 12 inches. Moist soil takes in more heat during the day than dry soil. This heat is released at night, even during a frost, helping to keep the muscadine vines slightly warmer.
- 3
  Cover the entire vine row with blankets or plastic sheeting, using the trellis supporting the vines to hold up the blanket. Ensure they go all the way to the ground on both sides.
- 4
  Remove the blanket as soon as the temperatures rise above the frost level.

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