How to store grapes at home, rules and methods of harvesting berries for the winter
The ripening of the grapes takes place at the beginning of autumn. This beautiful sunny berry ripens all summer. Many people believe that grapes cannot be stored for long at home, because they will deteriorate. However, they are deeply mistaken. Think about how to properly store grapes in a cellar, refrigerator, how to freeze a product in order to provide you with vitamins for at least six months.
General features of grape storage
When storing in the basement, you need to understand one rule: the laying of the crop should not be carried out with vegetables. In such conditions, it will not be possible to keep the berry, since zucchini and potatoes release moisture. The grapes will spoil quickly. Thick-skinned fruits can be stored for a long time. These include Senso, Pobeda, Taifi rose varieties. It is better to send harvested grapes to storage early in the morning, when the dew dries up. When inspecting a bunch, you should remove any berries that are not marketable.
Selection of varieties suitable for long-term storage
Early varieties should be discarded immediately.You can store only medium and late ripening berries. These fruits have a thick skin and their pulp is elastic.
List of the best varieties for storage:
- Moldova;
- Liang;
- Karaburna
- Air;
- Chocolate.
An important feature is the fact that the variety is resistant to transportability. Late varieties with large berries with dense skin, holding a loose cluster, store better.
Home Storage Methods
There are many ways to store divine berries. Let's consider each of them in more detail.
In the cellar
Before laying, the basement will need to be prepared, since fruit growing does not tolerate high humidity, temperature fluctuations and pests. In the cellar, it is necessary to ensure a good renewal of air so that there is no mold. During storage, doors should be opened for ventilation. By following all the recommendations, you can avoid the appearance of mold.
The temperature should not fall below 0°C. The optimum storage temperature for fruit is + 1… + 8°C. At high temperatures, moisture loss will occur, which will cause the berries to dry out.
On a note! To reduce humidity, place a bucket in a corner and pour sawdust, charcoal or quicklime into it.
Prevention of mold and insects
Whitewashing the walls prevents mold. A method of fumigating the basement with sulfur and lime vapor will help get rid of the pests. Disinfection should be carried out no later than a month before the berries are laid so that they cannot absorb harmful substances. It is forbidden to store fruits with products with a strong smell. You should also avoid the quarter with the vegetables.
Containers with water
This method will help keep the crop small.To do this, you need to cut the bunches from the branch, grabbing the vine. A narrow container is fixed next to the bunch, it is filled with water and the vine is placed in it. The amber berry brush should hang loosely. In order to disinfect the water, it is recommended to add activated carbon to the bottle, 1 tablet will be enough.
hanging on a thread
Grape brushes should be tied in pairs, then hung on the prepared wire. Instead of wire, you can use wooden poles or synthetic rope. During storage, the brushes must not touch each other.
Clinging to ridges
The bunches of grapes are cleared of the vines. When storing on dry ridges, it is necessary to hang the grapes on special rails with rings or on hooks. Streaked green storage method extends shelf life until spring. To do this, you need to cut a bunch with a vine half a meter long. Powder the lower cut with ash and place it in a container with water, in which salt is diluted, charcoal is poured.
In boxes or wooden bins
The bunches are also stored in bins and wooden crates. The height of the walls of the boxes should be about 20 cm, the bottom of the boxes should be filled with dry foliage or sawdust to a height of 3 cm, then the bunches should be laid. When installing, they also need to be sprinkled with sawdust. Small bouquets can be laid in 2 rows, large ones - in 1. After laying, all products are covered with a layer of sawdust.
On shelves
When arranging the shelves, it is important to calculate the depth of the shelves, which should be 80 cm, the distance between them is 25 cm. With this calculation, the fruits can be easily inspected.It is recommended to spread a layer of straw ash on the surface of the shelves, which prevents the development of mold and contributes to better preservation. During the laying, the bunches are placed with the berries turned towards themselves, the streaks against the wall.
Fridge
A home refrigerator is a great place to store a small amount of amber berries. With a plentiful harvest, it is recommended to rent a refrigerator or buy a used one. The optimum temperature is 3.9°C.
Frozen
You can freeze any type of divine berries in the freezer. It is important to follow the rule: berries cannot be refrozen.
Attention! Dark varieties have a longer shelf life than light varieties.
After removing the bunches, they are cleaned of foreign debris, berries with visible traces of spoilage are removed, washed with water and left on the table to dry. After 2 hours, the berries are placed in the freezer for 30 minutes. Then they are removed and placed in containers. Individual fruits are suitable for portion storage. Then you can take as many as you want and use them to make desserts. For light varieties, the method of freezing berries for the winter in sweet syrup is suitable. It is prepared as follows: in 2 tbsp. water dissolve 1 tbsp. Sahara. Non-proportioning will lead to the deterioration of the product.
Be careful! Long-term storage in the freezer is only possible if the temperature is maintained at -24°C.
If necessary, thawing of berries is carried out by immersing them in cold water. After thawing, the fruits have a limited shelf life, it is advisable to eat them immediately.Many people recommend this method: after removing the container with berries from the freezer, you should place them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Thawing will not be so intense, the elasticity of the fruit will remain.
About expiration dates
Dark varieties with good transportability can be stored for up to 5 months. These include: Oktyabrsky, Tashly, Isabella, Pozdny. A little less, up to 3 months, table varieties are kept: Tabriz, Husayne, Senso. You can figure out how long the grapes will rest by the appearance of the fruit. The berries will be stored the longest, the surface of which has no cracks, the berries themselves sit firmly on the stems. Large-fruited varieties keep longer than small-fruited varieties.
How to choose the right one
Each grower must choose the most suitable way to store the harvested crop.However, you should know that there are certain conditions, compliance with which will extend the shelf life of the fruit until spring.
You must understand that:
- late varieties are more suitable for long-term storage, these berries have a thick skin, dense flesh, they have good transportability;
- fruit collection should be carried out very carefully, because if you wipe the wax from the berries, they will not last long;
- the bunches are collected in dry weather, preferably in the morning, just wait for the dew to dry;
- if the weather is rainy or the fog cannot dissipate in the morning, it is better to postpone the harvest to another day.
When removing the brushes, do not shake them, remove them with one hand if possible and support them from below with the other. It is best to cut the bunches with secateurs.
Consequences of improper storage
If the optimal conditions are not observed during storage: the air humidity was not observed, the humidity in the room increased, the brushes were damaged, the temperature in the freezer was below - 24°C, then these berries will deteriorate rapidly. It will be especially offensive to lose a large harvest. It will be impossible to eat such fruits, and they taste terrible.
Additional tips and tricks
The average shelf life of grapes is 5 months. During this time, the fruits wither a little, become lighter. This feature is observed as a result of evaporation of water from the fruit. The higher the storage temperature, the faster the water evaporates. Stored in a room where the temperature is kept at 0°C, the water may not evaporate at all and the berries will not lose their turgidity.
To replace the loss of fluid, it is recommended to perform the following manipulation. Prepare the syrup: boil 1 liter of water and dissolve 200 g of sugar in it. After the syrup has cooled slightly, you will need to dip the diet in it, then dip it in cold water and store until the berries are cold. This procedure helps restore the turgidity of the berries and restores their former softness. Knowing the methods of keeping grapes, you can not be afraid to plant whole plantations of different varieties on your site.