Grape harvest

The grape harvest is one of the most exciting parts of having a vine plantation and this process is sometimes called the harvest.

Although in most cases the grape harvest refers to large fields that will be used for wine production, you could have your plants in a small home garden.

That means that you also need to know how to execute this task in the right way and we are here to tell you that. So get ready to enjoy this reading that will take you a few minutes and in return will give you very valuable information on this whole subject.

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When is the grape harvest?

The harvest of grapes in Europe is usually carried out in the months that correspond to summer – autumn, between August and October. The variability of the date responds to the fact that not all the needs are covered with the same level of maturation of the grapes.

This means that some are harvested more mature than others depending on the objective. Other factors that also influence this are:

Planting height, since as the altitude increases, the maturation time decreases.
The type of grape in question. In general, black grapes ripen earlier than white grapes.
The humidity that the grape has, since it is better that it is dry outside at the time of harvesting it.

Now, another interesting point to consider around the time of harvest is the weather during the day of harvest. It is best to carry out this process at night because the temperature drops and the grapes do not run the risk of fermenting due to the action of the sun.

How many times a year does the grape bear fruit?

The grape bears fruit once a year after at least three years have passed since planting. However, there is excellent news because it is one of the longest-living plants that exist and can produce crops for a period that goes from 50 to 100 years.

How is the grape harvest?

The harvest of grapes is a process that is carried out, preferably, during the nights. The idea is to gradually detach the fruits from the vines and place them in containers that will later be placed in the cellars.

In large grape plantations, it is common to use flat trays that help the grapes to be distributed on the surface and not to be crushed. But if you don’t have as many vines at home, you can take advantage of containers that are convenient for you to keep them in good condition.

As for the harvesting techniques used, there are two: manual and mechanical.

manual collection

It is the type of harvest that the farmer does without the support of machinery and that you will probably do at home. The idea is to separate each cluster from the vine and store them later for possible use.

In the case of grapes that will be used specifically for the production of certain wines, this process covers even more details. The reason is that the farmer is also in charge of defining which grapes are suitable and which are not, demanding more investment of time and effort.

mechanical harvesting

It is a process that is supported by the use of machinery that loosens the clusters without classifying them in any way.As is logical, it is a much faster action, economical in the long term and used in large plantations.

This grape is used for wines of lower category and whose production is much higher than that of the selected grapes.

How long does the grape harvest last?

Harvest time will vary depending on the harvesting strategy used. In the case of manual selection, the process can take several days because it requires significant human effort. For mechanical harvesting, this time is reduced by approximately 85%.

Under what conditions can the grape be harvested?

At the time of harvesting, the grapes must be:

With a certain degree of maturity, looking for the correct relationship between sugar and acidity.
It dries from natural moisture that is generated by the environment, such as rain or dew.
Let perceive a certain characteristic aroma of the fruit.

The cultivation of grapes in the world dates back thousands of years and its three main uses are oriented to the production of wines, fresh and dry consumption. Thanks to the fact that it is a plant capable of adapting to certain weather conditions, you will have the opportunity to enjoy a harvest of grapes at home.

Just make sure you plant a suitable species and harvest according to the parameters we gave you above.

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