How to properly store grapes at home for the winter in the refrigerator and cellar
Grape berries have properties that are beneficial to the human body and have a pleasant taste. You want to keep them fresh as long as possible so that you can replenish your supply of vitamins in the cold season. Not every variety is suitable for such purposes, and the process itself has many features and tricks. How to store grapes correctly so that they do not lose their commercial and flavor characteristics over a long period of time?
Grape varieties for long-term storage
The density of grapes, the degree of their ripening, the level of sugars contained in them greatly affect the duration of successful storage. For bookmarking for the winter, experienced growers advise using varieties with medium or late ripening periods, the fruits of which are dark in color and covered with a thin layer of pruin.
It is this substance that protects grapes from excessive evaporation of moisture, pest damage and mechanical damage. For bookmarking for long-term storage, moderately ripe loose brushes are selected. Bubki should be firmly attached to the stalks, free from damage and signs of disease. The higher the sugar content of the grapes, the longer it will be able to maintain its characteristics.
For bookmarking for winter storage, professionals recommend the following varieties:
- Moldova;
- In memory of Negrul;
- Senso;
- Moldavian Black;
- Muscat of Alexandria;
- Alden.
Bunches of grapes of these varieties are not prone to being affected by fungal diseases, retain their wonderful smell and taste characteristics for up to six months, and also do not change their original color for a long time. Also, these varieties are suitable for long distance transportation.
Tips for growing and picking grapes
Long terms for the successful storage of grapes are not guaranteed only by a good choice of a variety. To achieve the maximum result, it is necessary to strictly observe the conditions of agricultural technology and adhere to the recommended rules for collecting fruits. Constant and strong moisture at the end of the growing season does not have the best effect on the preservation of fruits, therefore, 1.5 months before it is planned to harvest a ripe crop, watering of plants is stopped altogether. This will make it possible to increase the amount of sugars and reduce the amount of excess fluid.
To increase the shelf life of the crop, about 25% of all bunches are deliberately removed in advance. If you do not carry out this procedure, then the grapes will begin to crumble, become lethargic and unsuitable for long-term maturation.Correctly and timely applied dressings also affect the safety of the collected brushes.
It is better to fertilize vineyards with phosphorus-potassium dressings, since the introduction of organic or mineral components with a high nitrogen content will not bring the expected benefits.
It is necessary to promptly introduce preventive measures for grapes against fungal diseases, since the affected bunches should in no case be sent for long-term storage. Bunches of ripe grapes should be harvested on a dry and sunny day. After cutting from the bush, the brushes are quickly hidden in the shade. It is impossible to carry out work early in the morning or in the evening, because just at this time there is abundant dew.
If the storage of grapes is planned to be carried out in a hanging position, then the bunches must be cut off with a small piece of vine up to 9 cm long. Only brushes with a stalk are put into boxes. When cutting brushes with fruits, the wax coating on them must not be damaged, therefore, it is advisable to wear gloves when carrying out work and try to touch the fruits with your hands less.
Storing grapes for the winter at home
At home, keeping grape clusters until the coldest days is not so easy. It is required not only to grow and correctly collect high-quality blanks, but also to carry out a number of preparatory measures. First of all, a thorough examination of the bunches is carried out, with the help of tweezers, berries that have signs of damage or are simply dry are removed. In order not to shorten the shelf life of grapes, it should never be washed before storing.
The storehouse for the winter is prepared in advance, since the fruits are capricious and need special conditions. If the house has a good basement, then the humidity inside it should not exceed the recommended parameters. Otherwise, you cannot send grapes there. Good ventilation is provided in the storage, sometimes it is necessary to organize ventilation so that there is no increase in dampness and the appearance of fungus.
If in winter the temperature indicators drop to negative marks, then additional insulation will need to be organized, because for the safety of grape fruits, the regime should be maintained from +1 to +8 C. This temperature ensures maximum safety of the fruit.
With an increase in this indicator, the fruits quickly lose their moisture reserves and begin to dry out. It is recommended to maintain humidity at 80%. If this figure exceeds the recommended value, then it would be nice to put a bucket filled with sawdust, charcoal or quicklime in the corner.
To prevent the formation of mold, the walls of the grape storage are whitewashed with a solution of quicklime. To prevent the appearance of pests, the room is fumigated with sulfur. All work must be carried out a month before harvesting is planned, otherwise the grapes may be poisoned by chemicals. It is not recommended to locate the crop near products with a strong and strong odor or vegetables, from which excessive moisture is released.
If the harvested crop is small, then it can be stored until winter in jars filled with clean water.
For this technique, the brushes are cut off together with a branch of the vine, the larger end of which is dipped into a bottle of water, fixed at a certain angle, so that the bunch can hang freely. To prevent putrefactive processes in the water, one tablet of acetylsalicylic acid or activated carbon is thrown there. In order for the vine to better absorb trace elements and nutrients from the water, a new incision is periodically made on it. Subject to the above recommendations, the grapes are stored for at least a couple of months.
The harvested crop can be stored in a large, spacious room on a wire. To do this, twine the tails with twine and tie the brushes in pairs. After that, the grapes are hung on a tightly stretched wire, thick twine or rail. In order to prevent grape clusters from touching in a suspended state, the height of their attachment should not be the same.
Aesthetic appearance and original taste are preserved for about 3 months, but how long this period will be exactly depends on the temperature indicators and the established humidity in the store. It is recommended to lay cellophane or burlap under the grapes so as not to trample falling fruits. If this is not done, then there is a high risk of a vinegar fly, which spreads bacteria to a healthy crop.
For storage of grapes, boxes are also used, the bottom of which is pre-covered with sawdust.
Layer thickness should be at least 2 cm. Folded brushes should not touch adjacent ones. The container is filled to the top, alternating layers of grapes and sawdust. Sawdust is poured on top, and a lid is placed. It is not worth covering the box tightly so that the air exchange processes are not disturbed. It is not recommended to use sawdust from coniferous trees in this case, because they negatively affect the taste characteristics of the grapes. If possible, replace the sawdust with cork powder.
You can build wooden racks for storing grapes, the depth of which will be about 75 cm, so that it is convenient to inspect and remove the brushes. The distance between the shelves is left within 30 cm. The bottom is lined with ash from straw, which will serve as an additional antiseptic and will help protect the crop from common diseases and pests. The grapes are folded in one layer, with the ridges away from you. This procedure makes further examination of the brushes more convenient.
Can I refrigerate?
Storing grapes in closed rooms (cellars, glazed outhouses, balconies) does not always give a positive result, especially if the berries need to be stored for a long time. This is explained by the fact that in the prevailing conditions it is very difficult to maintain temperature and humidity at a constant level, as well as to fight pests and pathogens.
In the case when the harvest is small, there is a real opportunity to store it in the refrigerator, where it is quite easy to provide the best storage conditions. Industrial refrigeration units allow you to control not only the temperature, but also the gas environment. At home, it is enough to organize the temperature regime at the level of 0 ... + 2 C, and maintain humidity at least 90%. If these parameters are observed, fresh fruits are stored for up to six months.
Before being sent to the refrigerator, the grapes are not washed or wrapped in cellophane. The brushes are folded upward with combs, avoiding their contact with each other. It is also permissible to place the fruits in the freezer. It is believed that fresh grapes of dark varieties retain their qualities better than light ones; any varieties you like are suitable for freezing.
Do not allow repeated exposure to low temperatures.
Before being sent to the freezer, the brushes are washed, allowed to dry, the berries are carefully sorted and laid out on a tray. All this is sent to the refrigerator for a couple of hours, then in the freezer for half an hour. The grapes are taken out, packed in bags or containers and immediately sent back to freezing.
The temperature there is kept at -24 C. If you need to defrost the berries, they are placed in water heated to room temperature for an hour and immediately eaten.Also, for defrosting, the product is placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator overnight, as a result of which the whole process will proceed more slowly and the taste will be better.
General tips for storing grapes
Long-term storage of grapes leads to evaporation of moisture and withering of the berries, as a result of which they become not so sweet and tasty. You can get out of this situation if for 10 seconds. dip the fruits in sugar syrup (20%), then immediately transfer them into ice water and wait until they cool completely.
If the temperature indicators in the room tend to increase, then in order to preserve the fruit of the grapes longer, it will be necessary to frequently inspect it and remove the damaged fruit. It is recommended to raise and lower the temperature in the storage using air vents. When this indicator approaches a negative mark, it is necessary to organize heating.
When storing the harvested grapes on the shelves, they are inspected by gently lifting by the tail. Those brushes that are suspended on ropes or a vessel with water are not touched with their hands once again. When examining bunches stored in boxes, it will be correct to put them in a clean container. If the owner is sure that the recommended storage conditions are observed in the storage, then it is better to limit yourself to a superficial examination and not disturb the delicate grapes.
If mold is found in the room, they immediately organize a thorough ventilation and fumigate the basement with sulfur. It must be remembered that grapes cannot be stored in the light, as they may lose their taste and unique aroma.
