The ripening period of different grape varieties. Features of ripening and harvesting grapes

The fifth phase is characterized by the beginning of the ripening of berries - their softening and color change. In uncolored varieties, chlorophyll completely disappears, and in varieties with colored berries, color appears in the skin. Formation is complete. In the most intensively produced organic substances, which are used for the ripening of berries and partially for the ripening of shoots and the structure of the upper young leaves.

The increase in size occurs mainly due to cell stretching due to the influx of water and sugar into the berries. The size of the berries increases especially strongly during irrigation, which is carried out at the beginning of ripening, or during precipitation.

From the beginning of the fifth phase, the sugar content in the berries begins to increase rapidly, and the amount of acid decreases. At this time, other chemical changes are observed in the berries, the amount of tannins decreases and the amount of coloring substances increases, the content of nitrogenous substances increases, and an increase in the starch content is observed in the ridges and legs of the berries.

By the end of the fifth phase, the skin of the berries becomes thinner and more transparent, and a bluish (smoky) waxy coating forms on it - which protects the berries from decay. Seeds at this time finish growing and acquire a characteristic color for the variety. The moment when the seeds complete their ripening is called the physiological maturity of the berries.

During the period of physiological maturity, the content of two types of sugar, glucose and fructose, levels off. From the moment of full maturity, the further intake of sugar from the leaves into the berries does not occur. The organic substances produced in the leaves go to the maturation of annual shoots. Part of the organic matter is deposited as a reserve in the trunk of the bush, roots and perennial shoots.

Harvest of table grapes usually coincides with physiological maturity. The collection of such varieties, which are used for bekmes, strong and sweet wines, is made later than physiological maturity.

The time of onset of physiological maturity depends on the conditions and variety. The decisive condition for the rapid ripening of grapes is temperature. In addition to temperature, the ripening of grapes is also influenced by humidity. With excessive moisture, the ripening of berries is delayed. With a lack of moisture, the berries slowly accumulate sugar. Moderate moisture content in the soil, if other conditions are favorable, ensures the timely ripening of berries.

In addition to physiological maturity, there is also the so-called technical, or removable, maturity, which may come earlier than physiological.

Depending on the variety and conditions, the duration of the fifth phase ranges from 20 to 50 days or more. At the same time, it lasts from July 28 to October 2, in the foothills from August 8 to October 1, in the steppe from August 2 to September 23.

The ripening period of grapes directly depends on the climatic conditions in which the grapes are grown. The main elements of the climate are light, temperature, humidity.

Temperature air has the strongest influence on the ripening of grapes. Vegetation of grapes begins at an average daily temperature of 6-12°C. But the main processes occur at different temperatures more intensively, for example, the laying of fruit buds most successfully occurs at temperature 25-30°, at temperatures below 16-14 ° grapes ripen very slowly, if it rises to 28-32 °, the ripening process goes quickly due to the accumulation of sugar and a decrease in acidity in the berry, during the flowering period, temperatures below 15 ° are no longer comfortable for grapes. If the temperature rises above 40 °, which often happens in our climate of Volgograd, then we see burns on the leaves - the edges turn yellow and necrosis appears on the leaves, the berries become shriveled and begin to dry out. Very often we complain that the vine of fruit-bearing bushes ripens faster than the vine of newly planted bushes, but there is an explanation for this! Young planted seedlings react more strongly to temperature conditions than long-planted plants. For them, during the period of shoot growth, temperatures below 10-12 ° are already considered unfavorable, and during the ripening period, below 16-17 °. Thus, we can state that in different periods of growth of a grape plant, different temperature tension and amount of heat are required. That is why southern grapes are sweeter and northern ones more sour. How to choose grapes so that they are sweet? After all, we do not want to eat sour grapes on our plots!
The scientist Selyaninov proposed an interesting method for calculating the sum of temperatures required for the ripening of grape varieties. He noticed that the biological zero for grapes is set at 10 degrees Celsius. That is, to determine it, you need to take the daytime temperature and the nighttime temperature, add them up and divide them in half. (For example, at night t=4, during the day t=16, 4+16=20, 20/2=10). If you add up the number of days with average daily temperatures above 10 degrees Celsius, you get the sum of active temperatures during the growing season for growing grapes in your area. This method has its drawbacks, but in general it has become widespread for comparative characteristics terms of maturation of grape varieties in different zones of grape cultivation. The study of ripening terms and the sum of active temperatures for different grape varieties in the northern regions of viticulture scientist F. F. Davitai, allowed him to conclude that:
for varieties of early ripening, the sum of active temperatures was 2500°, for varieties of medium ripening 2900° and for varieties of late ripening 3300°
What does this give us?
This helps us to choose grape varieties for our zone - that is, if you have a sum of active temperatures of 2600 °, then varieties of late ripening will simply not ripen in open ground conditions.

But how to identify them in such a variety of varieties?
Scientists give an answer to this question, based on phenological data. The growing season from bud break to full ripeness of the grapes was calculated for each variety! Based on phenological studies and the size of the sum of active temperatures for northern viticulture, scientists M.A. Lazarevsky established the sums of temperatures for grapes.

Table 4. Temperature sums for different groups of grape varieties

Light is of great importance in the life of grapes - it includes heat, light and chemical rays. Moreover, the absorption of physiological radiation (according to Professor A.M. Negrul) is less than 50%, since part of the sun's rays fall on the soil between the rows. Why is viticulture last years sharply stepped north? The answer would seem to be on the surface - Professor Ivanov A.V., conducted research and proved that in Spitsbergen there is quite enough phydiological radiation for growing grapes, therefore, light conditions in the northern zone are favorable for viticulture. When growing grapes in greenhouses, an interesting effect was noticed - with a lack of light, it laid fruit buds worse, the surface of the leaf canopy became larger, the internodes became longer and the structure of the wood was more loose.
So, there is enough light in the northern regions, but Professor Negrul claims in his works that "The change of day and night is a necessary condition for the normal development of grapes. Experiments on photoperiodism (Ya. I. Potapenko, E. I. Zakharova, etc.) have shown that under the conditions of a long northern day, the grapes vegetate for a long time, give long, poorly ripening shoots. With an artificial shortening of the day, the shoots grow less intensively, ripen earlier and better. With a short day, more powerful development of the roots also occurs. Grape varieties of southern origin respond more strongly to shortening days than northern ones. Many varieties of northern origin almost do not respond to shortening of the day."

Humidity. We must understand that water is what the plant consists of, water plays a very important role in it - it is with its flow that nutrients cross the plant, salts dissolve in moist soil and become available to the plant for sucking by the root system. For irrigated vineyards in summer cottages, this factor is not as important as for non-irrigated vineyards, since the owner can always water his grapes. Growing grapes in rainfed conditions (without watering) allows us to conclude that the grape is a relatively drought-resistant plant, but this should not be abused. Of course, it tolerates drought more easily than the same pepper or cucumber, but without watering it gives a low percentage of sugar and freezes more often in winter. Without watering in drought conditions, grapes accumulate sugar poorly, do not reduce acidity, shoots ripen worse, which leads to poor preparation of bushes for the winter period.
However, excessive watering is bad for the grapes! If the rainy period coincided with the flowering period of the grapes, then this contributes to poor fertilization, causes shedding of ovaries, and peas in the brush. Excess moisture at this time also has a bad effect on the formation of fruit buds of grapes. Rains and abundant watering during the ripening period contribute to cracking and rotting of berries, poor ripening of shoots and a decrease in sugar in the berry. Abundant watering also negatively affects the keeping quality of grapes, transportation. That is, it is necessary to observe the golden rule of sufficiency and avoid overflows and drying out of the soil. Only moderate watering throughout the growing season. The results of field experiments were summed up in which the vineyard, planted in areas with groundwater 1 meter from the surface, did not experience signs of excess moisture, although the root system definitely reached the groundwater.

One of the favorite plants of gardeners is grapes - one of the oldest plants on the planet. The vine and bunches are called a symbol of fertility, labor and peaceful life. When growing it, you want to get a rich harvest of juicy and tasty berries. To do this, you need to know when the grapes ripen and other important points.

Grape harvest is a responsible process. It must be approached with special trepidation. The grape vine comes to life in spring at an air temperature of + 10 °C. At this time, the active movement of the liquid begins, which is called the weeping of grapes. Next comes the swelling and blooming of the kidneys. The warmer the air, the faster the leaves will appear.

Then the grapes begin to bloom. This is very important point even though it doesn't last long. It is best when it occurs in dry weather with a slight breeze. The wind will provide good pollination, there will be no need to carry out additional work. The timing of grape ripening depends on many factors, including:

• air temperature;
• soil temperature;
• humidity;
• heat;
• sunlight;
• soil fertilizer;
• good care;
• disease treatment.

During the ripening period of berries, you need to monitor the soil well, it should be moderately moist. It is recommended to carry out top dressing. When clusters begin to form, the plant slows down its growth. This makes it possible for the berries to fill up, the grape bush increases in volume and part of the vine becomes stiff from below. The fruits ripen more slowly when the air temperature is below 20 °C. Under these conditions, they will grow small, sour, or may not ripen at all.

The gardener can help the grapes by adding boron and potassium permanganate, partially pruning the leaves and removing the stepchildren. An important factor for the ripening of grapes are weather conditions. Even how the grapes are harvested matters. It is worth remembering the normalization of plants. It is necessary to leave the minimum number of clusters. This will allow you to get a good and ripened crop on time.

Terms depending on the variety

Plants are divided into different groups, depending on when the grapes are harvested. For early varieties during ripening, one of the signs is the suspension of the growth of young shoots, early formation and ripening of fruits. In the later ones, the opposite happens: first the young vine grows, and then the berry ripens. In order to provide themselves with a delicious treat for a long time, gardeners plant bushes with different ripening periods. Grapes can be divided into six types based on how many days the fruit ripens.

Super early

Super early grape varieties are in demand in places where summers are short or not very warm. Such varieties ripen for about 100 days. Among them are popular:

• Olympics;
• Timur;
• Elegant.

Grapes of these species are distinguished by the ripening of berries just in time. Despite the name of the group, it is clear that they will not grow in a day. You can collect them already in early August.

very early

Very early varieties are most grown in areas with harsh weather conditions. The choice is large enough, and the harvest is generous. These include fruitful frost-resistant types of grapes, for example, the Crimean Pearl.

The period for which your garden will grow healthy treats, is 115 days.

Early

The early ones include species that have been proven over the years and give a good harvest in a harsh climate. They are easy to care for, unpretentious. The ripeness of the berries is checked by color and taste. For example, varieties Yantar and Donetsk pearls grow for about four months.

early-middle

Early-medium grape varieties are found in the south. Beautiful large berries are a real find for growers and winemakers. These species are used for the production of table wines. They also ripen in the region of 135 days, they tolerate cold very well. Gardeners choose Russian Concord and Arcadia for growing in summer cottages.

Medium

Medium varieties are grown most of all in those places where industrial enterprises for processing berries. Their collection dates are at the end of August - beginning of September. Very tasty berries of varieties Muscat Odessa, Starting. Many of them are well stored and suitable for transportation.

Late

Late ripening grapes are grapes that ripen for five months. It gives a high yield and keeps well. Most of it is grown in places where warm weather prevails over cold. If unforeseen cold weather sets in, then a small number of bunches will still have to be cut.

Do not regret the lost fruits, you can get a generous harvest. A very late grape variety ripens in 165–170 days. Grape harvest is carried out in October, and even in early November. You can store it in the refrigerator until December and it will not lose its appearance and taste.

Harvesting

Grapes become truly tasty and healing when they are completely ripe. At this point, you can start harvesting. Grapes of dark varieties when ripe have a dark blue color, but if most of the berries are brown, this tells us that the berries have not ripened. White grape varieties have ripe berries that are amber or golden in color, while unripe ones have a dirty green appearance.

It is also important to note that grapes that are fully ripe are darker at the junction with the shoot, the berry gently breaks away from the tail, fragrant and sweet. When cutting bunches of grapes, it is very important not to erase the plaque that covers the berries, since when it is removed, the fruits deteriorate faster.

Early varieties ripen faster and do not store for long, so they need to be sold immediately after harvest.

Middle and late species can be stored for a long time on the bushes. Grapes should be harvested in dry weather, preferably in the morning without dew or in the evening, and in no case after rain. For storage, use a spacious room, put the bunches in boxes or hang them by the ponytails.

Video "Summer pruning of grapes"

From this video you will learn how to properly carry out summer pruning of grapes.

Grapes are a perennial plant that changes life cycle throughout the year. From research, it became known that the following parameters are important for growing: air and soil temperature, amount of sunlight, air and soil humidity plays a role.

early grape varieties

Stages of cultural development

The period of life of a grape plant consists of a number of stages of development. This period of time is called the growing season of grapes. Vegetation is a time period of growth and development of a plant. It begins with the spring awakening of the bush, when the sun is gaining activity and ends with the fall of the leaves in the fall, when this activity is reduced.

In total, the growing season falls on the warm part of the year, from early April to the first half of October.

The beginning of the growing season of grapes - sap flow

The development of vine shoots, flowering and growth phases of bunches of grapes depend on the condition of the soil and ambient temperature. The period of development has its own features for each variety in a particular region, and in many respects it depends on the climatic nuances of the area, the composition of the soil and other indicators.

Life phases of grapes, from flowering to ripening

During the growing season, the grape plant goes through a series of successive phenological phases.

Below we consider some of the phases that a grape bush goes through during the growing season.

In more detail and in detail, we will consider the period from the ovary of berries to full ripening and the opportunity to enjoy your favorite grape taste.

grape shoot growth

After fertilization, the flower begins to dry out, after which a small scar may remain, in a mature berry it will be noticeable, in some sources it is called the navel. In turn, the ovary thickens, acquiring a shape more like an oval, sometimes it lengthens somewhat and inside which there is a berry.

The comb begins to acquire its final size at the same time as the berries increase in size. But they still remain green for the time being, due to the high content of chlorophyll in them, and when pressed, the hardness of the fruit is clearly felt. The sugar content is still very low, its maximum reaches 20 grams per 1 kg of grapes during this period.

During this period, acids accumulate intensively and they reach their greatest value when the berries are just beginning to ripen.

Grapes before flowering

Fruit set occurs when the flowers are fertilized. However, it is simply impossible to achieve 100% fertilization due to the physical capabilities of the bunches. On a cluster of a standard size, sometimes there are up to two or three hundred flowers, but there will be fewer grapes. Such losses are necessary, because the flow of juices that the plant produces is insufficient for the normal development and subsequent ripening of berries. This natural process occurs constantly, has nothing to do with the pathological shedding of young ovaries and flowers. If the flowers fall off more than normal, you need to analyze the condition of the plants in order to exclude diseases or any omissions in care. Many factors can influence this.

The phenomenon of physiological shedding due to poor nutrition of the grape bunch is observed in cold weather.

grape flowers

The amount of harvest will be affected by insufficient pollination, which occurs as a result of adverse weather conditions. The shedding of flowers as a result of bad weather and a significant amount of precipitation is called climatic. Under such conditions, fertilization is passive, and the berries are not tied at all, or a very small number of them are tied. It also depends on the grape variety, because some varieties are more susceptible to shedding, others are less sensitive to weather changes or humidity fluctuations.

Fruiting phases

During the ripening of grapes, the plant needs water already in small quantities, but at the same time there remains an increased need for useful substances, mineral fertilizers. From the list of substances, the plant will need potassium. Just at this time, the cutting of the shoots is carried out, the necessary unloading of the grape bushes from the harvest, enabling them to accumulate nutrients and be ready for winter rest.

Unripe grapes on a bush

When harvesting, attention is paid to plant moisture. Watering is carried out moderately, so as not to allow waterlogging of the soil in any case.

After all, waterlogging can cause increased growth of vine shoots, which will affect the viability of the bush. After irrigation of plants and after spontaneous rain, if it is quite insignificant, the sweetness of the berries may decrease, and the flavors of the grapes also deteriorate. This is due to the fact that the amount of sugar and aromatic substances can decrease, up to the processes of cracking berries. This probability greatly increases at the time of ripening when the grape bushes absorb moisture through the leaves during the rainy season.

Cracking berries causes excess moisture

Crop maturation by variety

When grapes reach the peak of their maturity, their varieties have their own individual colors. The changes also affect the skin of the berries, on which a matte wax coating appears. The taste acquires saturation, sugar content, and the percentage of acids decreases markedly, a pleasant aftertaste appears. Changes occur unevenly, gradually in different berries on bunches. Therefore, it is impossible to harvest the entire crop at once, this happens in several approaches.

White ripe grapes

Full ripeness of all berries is reached within about two to three weeks, the period may last - it depends on the particular variety.

It is extremely difficult to name the exact dates when the grapes ripen. The size of ripe berries increases significantly, they become transparent, slightly more elastic, softer and more aromatic. This happens as a result of a process when the plant loses chlorophyll, unique pigments specific to each variety are produced, and with the growth of vacuoles, the size of the grapes even doubles. Along with this, the chemical composition of the berries changes. White grapes become yellowish, and reds are filled with a variety of shades from light pink to dark purple and eggplant overflows.

The pulp of the berries quickly accumulates sugar, and the acidity decreases - and you can enjoy your favorite berries.

red ripe grapes

This state of the fruit is called the maturity of the grapes and it proceeds unevenly, and depends on weather conditions, rainfall. The role is played by water, due to which the mass of berries is added, but a sharp increase in the amount of moisture after a drought provokes cracks in the grapes, as a result of which the percentage of putrefactive processes increases.

The colors of ripe grapes

Grapes are divided into three categories according to color:

• Red;
• White;
• black.

Black ripe grapes

The color scheme has weak transitions of color shades, because of such nuances, the transition from category to category is not very imperceptible. With the beginning of ripening, the color of the grapes only begins to appear, and reaches its maximum saturation only when it is fully ripe.

From this we conclude that the size and color of berries, sweetness, turgor of a particular grape variety can vary under the influence of various factors. It plays a role and compliance with weather conditions, the nature of the soil, the number of seeds, the condition of the plant, and so on.