Description
Somerset Seedless is a very cold-hardy red seedless grape bred by the American grape breeder Elmer Swenson from ES 5-3-64 crossed with Petite Jewel. The small, firm, very sweet berries, around 1.5–2 g, are carried in compact bunches of roughly 100–180 g. It is one of the earliest seedless grapes for northern gardens, ripening in mid-September even in Minnesota.
Characteristics
Red/pink seedless table grape; small firm berries 1.5–2 g; very sweet; compact bunches 100–180 g; early ripening; very winter-hardy; good disease resistance
Growing Tips
Somerset Seedless is one of the few seedless table grapes that can be grown in really cold areas, though in USDA zone 3 the canes should be laid down and buried for winter. The vine is not especially vigorous but crops well, and it has good resistance to downy and powdery mildew, so it needs relatively little spraying. Because the berries are naturally small, enjoy it for its sweetness rather than trying to push berry size.