Proven ways to preserve grapes for the winter at home

How to preserve grapes for the winter at home is a question that worries many gardeners. Fresh berries are healthy, but they quickly spoil and lose their appearance.

We will share the secrets of experienced winegrowers that will help you enjoy them even in winter.

Are grapes suitable for long-term storage at home?

Many people consider storing grapes to be a useless exercise. The culture is very fastidious and is susceptible to fungal diseases, midge attacks, and rotting. Amateur gardeners are more accustomed to consuming berries in the form of raisins or jam.

Experienced winegrowers know what to preserve grape fresh - not an easy but doable task. It is important to choose the right variety and place of shelter, monitor climatic conditions, and promptly eliminate unfavorable factors. The fruits are fragile and contain a lot of juice, which is quickly lost under unsuitable conditions.

Best varieties for storage

Late varieties are ideal for storage. They have elastic flesh and peel, stable immunity to pests, and a dense waxy coating on the fruits. Not all regions of Russia can grow them. Dark varieties are better stored than light varieties, which over time develop dark spots and brown spots that spoil the appearance of the product.

When choosing grapes for long-term storage, pay attention to the grapes:

1. With loose clusters and large berries.They should be undamaged and hold tightly to the stalk.
2. High in sugar. It helps the crop survive longer. The sweeter the variety, the better the keeping quality.
3. With dense clusters. They do not break when suspended.

Varieties with a high calcium content are best stored. This includes Moldova. An excellent option would be the following varieties:

• Alexandria Muscat;
• Hamburg Muscat;
• Moldavian black;
• Lydia;
• In memory of Negrul.

The greatest shelf life (up to 139 days from the moment of collection) is shown by the following varieties:

• Moldova;
• In memory of Negrul;
• Anniversary of Moldova;
• Original;
• Crane Anniversary;
• Kutuzovsky.

The following are stored for up to 111 days:

• Liana;
• Light;
• Kriulyansky.

Selection and preparation of bunches

Taking grape harvesting seriously will help keep it tasty and fresh for a long time:

1. Collect brushes on a sunny day. Do not cut fruits in foggy, rainy weather. Excess moisture will cause the product to quickly rot.
2. Select fully ripe bunches. Do not use unripe or overripe ones for storage.
3. Wear thin gloves and try not to touch the berries so as not to erase the protective wax layer. It will preserve their taste and aroma.
4. Using rounded scissors, remove damaged berries from the bunch - they can become sources of rotting.

Choosing a grape variety and picking it correctly is only half the battle. The safety of the product is also affected by caring for the plant itself:

1. Stop watering the plant 40 days before harvest. The berries will lose excess moisture and gain sugar.
2. Unload the vine from some of the bunches in a timely manner.
3. Excess nitrogen fertilizers will not allow the berries to last long. Limit such feedings, or better yet, replace them with potassium phosphate ones.

Storage locations

The capricious culture is placed in a dark, dry and clean place. When choosing a room, be sure to take into account the following factors:

1. Humidity. In shelter it should be no more than 80%. Lime or sawdust placed in small containers next to the fruit will help reduce its level. This will prevent the fungus from spreading.
2. Light. From its influence, acids are destroyed, and this leads to rotting. The best storage option is a darkened room.
3. Temperature. Temperatures that are too low or too high will spoil the fruit. The best option is from 0 to +5°C.
4. Air. The room is regularly ventilated, especially if mold appears.

Grapes should not be washed after harvesting. It is advisable to place the clusters at a short distance from each other.

Suitable for storing the product:

1. Cellar. Be sure to treat the room with antibacterial agents or whitewash it.
2. Fridge. Preserves the product for a long time if the bunches are undamaged. Store in the fruit drawer or in the freezer.
3. Balcony. Not the best option, but if you put the grapes in cardboard boxes or boxes and ensure optimal temperature and humidity, the fruits will last for several months.

When storing grapes in the cellar, there should be no other fruits or vegetables there.

Storage methods

Every year, gardeners experiment and offer new storage options. To treat yourself to juicy berries in winter, use proven methods.

In water

With a small amount of harvest, water containers will come to the rescue:

1. The bunch of grapes is cut together with a piece of vine measuring 15-20 cm.
2. Its end is placed in a bottle filled with distilled water with 1 tablet of acetylsalicylic acid or activated carbon dissolved and secured at an angle.
3. The bunches are hung so that they do not touch each other.
4. The berries are systematically inspected and rotten and fallen ones are immediately removed, and the water is changed.

On green ridges

A simple design does not take much time, but with this method there is a high risk of drying out the berries:

1. A strong steel rope is pulled between the walls.
2. The bunches are tied together in pairs.
3. Hang at a short distance from each other.

Regular ventilation and temperature control will help preserve fruits for up to 3 months.

Attention! It is important to monitor the appearance of midges in the room and prevent the berries from rotting. This will ruin the entire harvest.

In boxes

For grapes, choose boxes with low sides. Before placing the bunches there, the bottom is covered with 3-4 cm of linden or poplar sawdust. The brushes are laid out with their ridges up so that they do not touch each other.

The top of the bunches is covered with a small layer of sawdust. The boxes are placed in a dark, dry and cool place.

On shelves

Another option is to place your brushes on racks. The distance between them should be at least 20 cm, and the racks themselves should be no more than 90 cm deep. The shelves are covered with straw or straw ash, which has antiseptic properties and will protect the grapes from pests.

Reference. The grapes are laid out with ridges facing away from you. This makes it easier to inspect damage and remove rotten berries.

In barrels

This method allows you to save the harvest for up to 8 months. Cork powder is poured into the bottom of a small barrel.

The brushes are laid in several loose layers, each of which is sprinkled with cork powder. The barrel is covered with a lid and placed in a cool place.

Other ways to store grapes

If the above options are not suitable, consider other methods.

Freezing

A freezer will help keep berries fresh without unnecessary equipment. Both dark and light varieties are suitable for freezing.

To successfully freeze a product, follow these simple steps:

1. The berries are separated from the stalk, washed and sorted.
2. Dry on paper towels.
3. Place the grapes in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours to cool.
4. Then put it in the freezer for 30 minutes.
5. The berries are taken out and packaged in bags or containers.
6. Put it in the freezer.

The optimal temperature is -25°C. Before consumption, berries are immersed in cold water for an hour. Secondary freezing is prohibited. When frozen, the product retains all its beneficial properties.

Drying

It is also beneficial to eat berries in dried form.. Raisins are rich in potassium, phosphorus, fiber and serve as an excellent source of energy. It's easy to make it at home.

A simple method that does not require financial costs is natural drying. To do this, the grapes are sorted, washed and blanched for 3-4 minutes in a soda solution at the rate of 1 tbsp. l. for 1 liter of water. After processing, the wax coating is erased and a mesh is formed through which moisture escapes faster. The berries are dried with a towel, placed on a sieve and placed in the sun. It takes 20-30 days to prepare raisins.

Important! During drying, the sieve is covered with gauze to prevent birds and insects, and brought indoors at night.

It’s faster to make raisins in an electric dryer or oven.It is necessary to blanch the berries in a soda solution before drying.

Conservation

You can enjoy the sweetness of grapes without freezing or drying. Canning will help with this. Sunny berries will decorate the table and delight the household. The main thing is to choose ripe ones.

You can preserve grapes in sugar syrup using a simple and reliable recipe.

For a container with a volume of 0.7 liters you will need:

• 500 g berries;
• 100 g sugar;
• 1 tsp. vanilla sugar.

Cooking method:

1. The berries are washed, sorted and placed in containers. Do not fill jars up to the neck.
2. Add both types of sugar.
3. Pour boiling water over, leaving 1 cm of free space on top.
4. Cover the container with a lid and sterilize for 20-30 minutes.
5. Roll up the lids and leave upside down until completely cool.

Jams, juices, jellies, jams are also prepared from grapes, preserved in marinade with spices.

Shelf life

How long do grapes last? At room temperature it will last only 72 hours, in water and boxes - 2 months, in a suspended state - 3 months, in the refrigerator - up to 6 months, in the freezer - from 8 to 12 months.

Additional processing of fruits will help increase shelf life.

How are grapes processed for long-term storage?

A small amount of berries will be preserved by treating them with paraffin or wax melted to 70°C. But before eating, the grapes will have to be immersed in water heated to the same temperature.

When storing in boxes, potassium metabisulfite tablets are placed at the bottom. When they react with oxygen, sulfur dioxide is released. It has excellent antifungal and antiviral properties.

Sometimes brushes are processed:

• fungicides “Acrobat”, “Polychom”, “Paracelsus”, “Fundazol”, “Topaz”, “Quadris”, etc.;
• potassium permanganate solution;
• calcium chloride solution.

Conclusion

Preserving grapes at home is a labor-intensive task, but anyone can do it. Choose late varieties that are dark in color. Provide the optimal temperature in the storage - 0...+5°C - and humidity no more than 80%.

A cellar, refrigerator, or balcony are suitable for storage. The longest time—up to 1 year—grapes will last in the freezer. Alternative methods are canning and drying. If all rules are followed, the product will retain its beneficial properties and taste.