Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/616629
www.goodfruit.com GOOD FRUIT GROWER JANUARY 1, 2016 15 table grape cuttings and potted vines are sold to garden centers and nurseries throughout the United States and Canada. He believes table grapes grown in Washington could fill niche markets. Retail nurseries within the state rely heavily on Inland Desert because Washington grape quarantine laws require agricultural officials to inspect grape plant mate- rial imported from other states. Quarantine regulations are designed to protect the state's grape industry from unwanted pests and diseases not currently found in Washington. "When Washington State Department of Agriculture officials began checking on grape plant material sold at big box retail nurseries, we became valuable to those businesses because we can provide clean plant material produced within the state that doesn't need inspection," he said. (Inland Desert is registered with the state as a certified nursery and undergoes annual state inspec- tions to ensure plant material is free of known grapevine diseases.) Potential Judkins sees opportunity for table grapes in Washington, particularly for growers interested in direct marketing, at places like farmers' markets and u-pick operations. In the past, Inland Desert supplied grapes to a farmers' market vendor. These days, Inland Desert sells its table grapes for a dollar per pound to those willing to pick their own fruit. "Between birds and friends, we get fruit off the vines," he said. Table grape research trials have not been conducted in Washington, so there is little information regarding which varieties do best and what type of training and trellising is needed. However, eastern Washington tem- peratures are similar to those of southwestern Idaho, which has a small, but growing table grape industry. Judkins has found that some of the varieties they grow are disease resistant and need few, if any, sprays for mil- dew, a trait he believes could be a benefit for grapes sold at farmers' markets. Also, some cultivars are cold hardy and said to survive cold temperatures down to -15°F, although such extreme temperatures have not yet tested his table grapes. Interlaken, an early-season white seedless variety developed at Cornell University, is the first table grape variety to ripen at Inland Desert. It usually ripens around the end of July. Another early-season variety is Jupiter, which has blue berries and was developed by the University of Arkansas. Table grape harvest at Inland Desert ends in October with Flame Seedless. "Washington will never compete with California's table grape production," Judkins said. "But for those interested in niche markets, table grapes in the state have potential." • Jupiter, a variety with Muscat-flavored fruit, has been exported to Taiwan by a few growers in Idaho. Consider for your next planting: • BRUCE PONDER • SUSAN WILKINSON • ADAM WEIL • DAVE WEIL 503-538-2131 • FAX: 503-538-7616 info@treeconnect.com www.treeconnect.com BENEFITS: • Disease tolerant • Cold hardy • Adapts well to all cherry-growing districts • Forms flower buds and comes into bearing quicker than Mazzard with a better distribution of flower buds Dwarfing Cherry Rootstock Krymsk ® 5 Krymsk ® 6 [cv. VSL-2, USPP 15,723] [cv. LC-52, USPP 16,114] "Krymsk ® 5 and Krymsk ® 6 cherry rootstocks have proven to be the best rootstock for our orchards. They are yield efficient, grow and adapt well, and are cold hardy." —John Morton The Dalles, Oregon Adapts well to all cherry-growing districts [cv. VSL-2, [cv. VSL-2, USPP 15,723] 15,723] USPP 15,723] USPP 15,723] 15,723] [cv. LC-52, [cv. LC-52, USPP 16,114] 16,114] USPP 16,114] USPP 2016 ROOTS AVAILABLE NOW Call Tree Connection: 800-421-4001 Your market seconds or excess crop can help feed our neighbors in need For more informa on, contact: Rob Adams, Agriculture Rela ons Specialist 509.469.0357 or RobertA@northwestharvest.org northwestharvest.org