Grape Harvest: What And Where To Store The Harvest?

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Video: Grape Harvest: What And Where To Store The Harvest?

Video: Grape Harvest: What And Where To Store The Harvest?
Video: STORAGE IS THE KEY - GRAPE 2024, March
Grape Harvest: What And Where To Store The Harvest?
Grape Harvest: What And Where To Store The Harvest?
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Grape harvest: what and where to store the harvest?
Grape harvest: what and where to store the harvest?

True connoisseurs of grapes are looking forward to September, when, finally, the bunches are poured to the point of full maturity. The grapes are interesting in that they are harvested gradually, and the first juicy berries can be used for food. And the brushes, which will be intended for processing, have not yet been removed from the bush. They are given some time, due to which more sugar accumulates in the bunches. And there is still a week or two to prepare storage for this valuable crop

Container for storing grapes

Fresh grapes are stored in a variety of ways. Boxes are prepared for healthy, tight bunches for long-term storage. These can be cardboard boxes or plastic crates. Such packaging will not damage the delicate thin crust of the berries. It is preferable to take a container with a volume of 10 to 12 liters, so that the berries are not crushed under their own weight. It is very good if the boxes have legs on the bottom, and on top there are grooves for the same legs of another box - this will prevent damage to the grapes if the harvest is rich and you have to put the containers on top of each other.

In wooden boxes, grapes can be damaged by a rough surface, chipped chips. Therefore, grapes are piled in them, which is intended for early consumption. And those clusters that show signs of illness or damage by insects or scissors during harvesting should be kept hanging, so that they do not touch and do not provoke the spread of rot, do not attract parasites.

Drawer preparation and storage space

Old boxes must be cleaned and disinfected before cleaning. To do this, they are washed with soapy water and dried well in the sun. Then the container is additionally fumigated with sulfur. Before putting the bunches of grapes into boxes, arrange a layer of sawdust at the bottom or line it with paper towels.

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You should also prepare and disinfect the storage. For this purpose, the walls and ceiling are whitewashed with lime. In this case, it is recommended to add about 150 g of copper sulfate to a 15-liter bucket of an aqueous solution of lime. When the room dries out, the storage is also treated with sulfur.

Not every room is suitable for keeping grapes. The storage must meet ventilation requirements. Doors or one wall must be equipped with an opening for air intake, and on the opposite side there must be a vent for ventilation or a similar opening to the first. When the bunches are kept in the basement, there should be a chimney here. Recommended air temperature for long-term storage is + 5… + 6 ° С, air humidity is about 80%.

Harvesting grapes

To harvest the grapes, you need to take a clear, fine day. The work is not carried out early in the morning. The keeping quality of berries is negatively affected by both raindrops and moisture from dew. Therefore, when you want your fresh crop to be stored for at least three months, you need to observe this important condition.

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First of all, bunches are removed from the vine from the most illuminated part of the shrub - in the middle part along the vertical of the trellis. Bunches should not be plucked from the vine. You need to use scissors or a sharp knife, holding the brush by the comb. You need to try not to touch the berries - they are covered with a waxy bloom, which helps to preserve the integrity and freshness of the grapes for a longer time.

The grapes are immediately sorted into certain boxes: for quick use, for long-term storage, and also put aside the one that will be stored suspended or immediately sent to the table. This is done so that the collected clusters do not stagnate in the sun - this is also one of the factors in reducing the keeping quality of berries, and immediately sent to the storage in sorted form.

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