Vanessa Seedless Grapes

Vanessa (Seneca x New York 45910). Bred at Vineland, Ontario, Canada. The firm, fruity berries of this red seedless are easy to compare to Flame Seedless, though they are certainly not identical. The red color of Vanessa is more uniform, but more of a brick red than the brighter red of Flame. Vanessa has big, open vines that are very vigorous with very long internodes when young. As a result, young vines and vines on fertile soil need to be cane-trained so that extra buds can be left to produce enough crop to reduce the vine's vigor. On less fertile soil, and with more mature vines, the growth rate settles down and the vines can be cordon (spur) trained for easier handling. In dry climates the skin may sometimes be astringent, but one good rain after the fruit ripens and the astringency disappears. This is likely connected to its place of origin: Vineland selections are bred to resist rain at ripening time. The fruit keeps well in storage. The vines are hardy to about -15 to -20 F. Vanessa ripens sufficiently early to allow it to do well in a cool or short growing season. Ripens about four to five weeks before Concord.