How to store grapes?

In order to feast on juicy grapes for many months, it is necessary to ensure the correct storage of the harvested crop. In the absence of a basement or cellar, it is possible to place fruits even in a refrigerator.

To ensure long-term storage of the crop, it makes sense to collect only mid-ripening and late-ripening grape varieties, the fruits of which are characterized by the presence of a dense skin and elastic pulp - "Isabella", "Memory of Negrul" and others. The ability of the variety to transport should also be taken into account. Pruning should be done on a cool, dry day. It is required to remove the brushes from the tree together with a piece of vine from 8 to 10 centimeters long, gently holding on to the comb and in no case touching the berries, so as not to violate the integrity of the wax plaque. The resulting fruits should be immediately taken to the house or at least to a shaded place so that the grapes are not in direct sunlight.

Before being transported to a permanent storage site, the crop is cleared of dried, decaying, damaged or unripe berries.

Some gardeners believe that grapes harvested in the early morning, but when the dew has dried out, is best for storage. You should not shake the vine: it is more correct to remove it with one hand, and support it from below with the other. Direct pruning is carried out with a well-sharpened and disinfected secateurs.

An alternative is to unscrew the bunches from the vine. Work should be carried out in thin gloves to avoid damaging the plaque. It should also be mentioned that watering the vine should stop about a month before harvesting, so that the sugar content of the berries increases, and the moisture content, on the contrary, decreases. The resulting grapes should not be placed where vegetables are already stored, especially when it comes to courgettes or potatoes. The fruits of these crops will begin to actively release moisture, which will lead to spoilage of the berries.

At home, grapes can be stored in different places, but it is extremely important that this happens at temperatures from 0 to +7, as well as at a humidity level not exceeding 80%. The selected space should be dark and allow for regular ventilation.

A cellar or basement is suitable for storing crops if the temperature in it is from zero to +6 degrees, and the humidity remains within the range of 65-75%. A room about a month before harvesting must necessarily undergo preliminary processing, since the fruit crop does not tolerate high humidity and temperature jumps. The ceiling and walls are first whitewashed with fresh lime to prevent mold, and then the space is fumigated. For the latter, it will be necessary to burn sulfur in such an amount that from 3 to 5 grams of powder is needed for each cubic meter. Upon completion of fumigation, the cellar is closed for a couple of days, and then thoroughly ventilated.

Regular air exchange is equally important, which, in principle, can be provided by regularly swinging doors. The installation of a ventilation system can also help. The gardener should remember that too low a temperature, below zero degrees, will lead to freezing of the berries, and a temperature above 8 degrees will contribute to the loss of moisture and, accordingly, drying out of the fruits. The grapes themselves can be stored either in shallow boxes or on racks, the boards of which are covered with wrapping paper.

An unusual, but quite effective method is to lay out the crop in vessels filled with water. In this case even at the stage of harvesting, the bunch should be cut so that one internode is preserved above it, and under it - a part of the branch with a length of 18 to 20 centimeters. This will allow you to immediately place the bottom of the shoot in a bottle filled with liquid.

Further, narrow vessels are located at a slight slope, which will prevent the berries from touching the walls of the dishes. The water poured inside will have to be renewed every 2-4 days. A significant plus would be to supplement it with a small amount of activated carbon, which is capable of absorbing gases, which, in turn, produce soaked branches. In principle, one tablet is enough for each bottle, which can be supplemented with aspirin, which creates an obstacle to the spread of bacteria. The openings of the necks will need to be plugged with cotton wool.

Grapes stored in this way are periodically checked and freed from rotten berries. The decreasing water level is restored by using a curved and elongated spout. It is imperative that the bunches do not get wet and that water does not spill in the room. So that the crop does not die from mold, about once a week it will be necessary to fumigate with sulfur. To process each cubic meter, you will need to use 0.5-1 g of powder, not forgetting about airing the room a day after the procedure. This storage method keeps the grapes fresh for a couple of months.

If the preferred room has the necessary square meters, then the grapes in it can be hung on a linen string, fixing the bunches with ordinary clothespins. A method that involves tying the hands in pairs and throwing them over a synthetic rope is also suitable. The ropes are mounted at different levels so that the upper bunches do not touch the lower ones. In one row, the brushes should also not be too close: they are hung tightly, but with a gap of 3-5 cm for air circulation. Thick wire or even wooden poles can serve as an alternative.

Before placing inside the grapes, boxes, barrels and other wooden containers must be covered with clean paper, dry leaves or sawdust, of which a three-centimeter layer is formed. It is important that the height of the walls reaches 20 centimeters, and the container itself is pre-treated with sulfur or an antiseptic. At the bottom of the containers, a single layer of grapes sprinkled with sawdust is formed, and the crest of the bunches looks up. After the filling, the entire contents are also covered with sawdust material. Boxes and barrels should not be filled to the top - it is important to leave some space between the lid and the fruit.

The shelf life of the crop laid in this way should not exceed one and a half to two months. It will turn out to be correct if, during this period, the fruits are periodically checked for the development of fungal diseases.

The racks on which the grapes will be placed should have shelves with a depth of 75-80 centimeters and a width of 40 to 50 centimeters. At least 25 centimeters should be left free between the individual tiers.The organization of such a design will allow not only to place the entire crop, but also to easily inspect it. A thin layer of straw ash forms on the surface of the shelves, which improves the keeping quality of berries and prevents them from mold.

Storage on ridges requires the construction of special crossbars with rings or the mounting of hooks. The collected bunches are freed from the vine and fixed on dry ridges, if necessary, wire or stretched threads are used.

In summer, it is customary to store fresh grapes, just bought or plucked from their own tree, in the refrigerator at home. Under such conditions, the berries are able to maintain their freshness for quite a long time - up to 4 months, but only if the temperature is maintained from +2 to -1 ° C. If the equipment has a “moisture control” function, and it can be adjusted to an indicator of 90-95%, then it will be even more to save table grapes - up to 7 months. In the refrigerator compartment, the bunches of fruits should be stacked in one layer so that the ridges point up.

However, in this case, it is important to remember that once thawed grapes must not be removed for re-storage. Such household freezing requires the use of fully ripe fruit - ideally dark-colored varieties. Before placing the berries in the freezer, they will need to be cleaned of debris, rinsed and left to dry naturally for about 2 hours. After the above time period, the fruits are put into the freezer for 30 minutes, then removed, laid out in containers and returned. When defrosting, they will need to be gradually warmed in cold water to maintain the integrity of the grapes.

Before harvesting the crop in the refrigerator, it makes sense to pre-fumigate the space by burning 1-1.5 g of sulfur for each cubic meter of space. Potassium metabisulfite also contributes to the improvement of keeping quality, 20 grams of which will be sufficient to preserve 7-8 kilograms of fruits. Its use is carried out as follows: first, the bottom of the refrigerator is covered with paper or gauze, then a thin layer of powder is formed, and finally another layer of paper or gauze is placed on top. For greater efficiency, potassium metabisulfite is combined with steamed or dried sawdust.

In general, it should be remembered that the higher the storage temperature, the faster moisture will evaporate from the grapes, which means that they will lose their presentable appearance and taste characteristics. Plastic bags with a zip fastener are categorically unsuitable for fruits - the lack of air accelerates the putrefactive processes. Frozen berries are an exception.

Hanging bunches of grapes should not come into contact not only with each other, but also with third-party surfaces - in all cases this will contribute to rotting. The violation of the integrity of the grape skins always contributes to a reduction in the shelf life. It should also be mentioned that it is generally impossible to save seedless hybrid varieties for a long time, so they will need to be eaten immediately.