Grape
Thompson Seedless Pollination Guide
Thompson Seedless is self-fertile — a single tree will produce fruit without a pollination partner.
You don't need a second tree to get fruit from Thompson Seedless. It can pollinate itself. That said, having a compatible variety nearby can sometimes improve fruit set and yield through cross-pollination.
Thompson Seedless Quick Facts
Chill Hours
100 hours
Hardiness Zones
7, 8, 9, 10
Harvest
August to September
Planning Your Orchard
Most grape varieties are self-fertile, but muscadine grapes are an exception — many muscadine cultivars need a self-fertile pollinator variety nearby.
Browse our orchard planning guide or explore the full permanent plant catalog to find the right varieties for your garden.
Keep a record of every tree you plant — variety, rootstock, location.
Start your free tree log →Compatible Pollination Partners
Can I Grow Thompson Seedless?
Check if your climate has enough chill hours for Thompson Seedless. Use GPS, map, or zip code for an instant answer.
Check your location →Interactive Pollination Checker
Compare pollination compatibility across all 85+ fruit varieties in our database.
Open checker →Most people forget within a year.
Which pairs fruited well, what bloomed when, what you did each season — write it down from the start.
Free for up to 30 plants. No card needed.
About Thompson Seedless
Thompson Seedless is the world's most popular table grape — sweet, crisp, and seedless with pale green skin. It's the grape you find in every supermarket, and it dries into the raisins you grew up eating.
Growing Challenges
Needs long, hot summers to ripen properly; highly susceptible to powdery mildew; requires trellising and careful pruning.
Frequently Asked Questions
How close does a pollinator need to be to Thompson Seedless?
For reliable pollination, plant the partner variety within 50–100 feet of Thompson Seedless. Bees are the primary pollinators and typically work within this range. In practice, a tree in your yard or even a neighbor's nearby tree can work. The closer the trees, the more consistent the fruit set.
Can I grow just one Thompson Seedless tree?
Yes! Thompson Seedless is self-fertile and will produce fruit as a single tree. You don't need a second tree, though having one nearby can sometimes improve yield.
Other Grape Varieties
Related Tools
Pollination Checker
Interactive tool to find compatible pollination partners for any fruit tree.
Can I Grow Thompson Seedless?
Check if your zip code has enough chill hours for this variety.
Chill Hour Checker
Validate chill hours for any fruit tree variety by zip code.
Frost Date Finder
Find your first and last frost dates to plan bloom protection.
Pollination data compiled from university extension services, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) pollination group charts, RosBREED cherry S-allele research, and nursery compatibility guides. Pollination compatibility can vary by region and microclimate. For best results, consult your local extension office.