Description
Thompson Seedless is the American name for Sultanina, long America's number one seedless grape and the most popular table and raisin grape in California. The small to medium, pale green, oval berries are sweet and mild, and in California most of the huge acreage goes to raisins. In shops the berries are large because growers spray a natural growth regulator; garden fruit is smaller but just as sweet.
Characteristics
White seedless grape; pale green berries, sweet and mild; California's main raisin and a leading table grape; ripens mid-August to September; must be cane pruned
Growing Tips
Thompson Seedless must be cane pruned: UC advisers recommend four to six canes per vine, which suits a trellis with long wires. Harvest runs from mid-August into September in hot inland California, so in cooler areas give it a south-facing wall to help it sweeten. Home growers usually skip the commercial growth-regulator sprays and simply enjoy the smaller natural berries.