Many people, even those who adore him, do not know, grapes are a fruit or berries. This plant, without which the history of mankind could have developed completely differently, has been grown in different countries for more than 7 thousand years. At the same time, the farmers didn’t care at all; grapes were a fruit or berries. For them, the main thing was that he had a lot of properties useful to humans.
Grape Description
This is a plant of the genus Vitis, belonging to the family Vitaceae Juss. Its shoots, reaching a length of several meters, are called the vine. So is grape a fruit or berries? The answer to this question is unequivocal. By all its morphological characteristics, the
fruits of this plant belong to berries. Its small flowers are collected in small inflorescences (a complex brush or panicle). Grapes are wind-pollinated, although insects can also pollinate it. There are several types of flowers: bisexual, masculine, functionally masculine, true feminine, functionally feminine. It all depends on the degree of development of the male and female parts in it. Grapes quite quickly enter the fruiting phase. It is undemanding to soils, so it grows well even on rocky soils. The grape has good adaptability and is quite drought tolerant.
Origin of grape
There are several opinions about the place of origin of the grapes. According to one version, Western Asia is considered to be the birthplace of this wonderful plant . On the other - Transcaucasia and the Mediterranean coast. At the same time, wild forms of grapes were spread all over the world long before the appearance of its cultural forms. Seeds discovered by archaeologists indicate that grapes grew on Earth 60 million years ago. Of the 250 species of this plant that are common in the subtropical and tropical zones of both hemispheres, more than 70 are known to grow in temperate and warm climates of the Northern Hemisphere.
Variety of species
Grapes, a photo of which indicate a huge number of its species and varieties, have been selected for thousands of years. At the same time, the man sought to maximize the nutritional properties of the berries of this plant. At the moment, about 3 thousand different varieties are bred. Characteristics of grapes depend on many parameters. Today, several of its groups are distinguished. Depending on the properties and purpose, grapes are divided into technical, table, universal and seedless varieties. They are also distinguished by maturity. There are late and early varieties.
Characteristics of grape berries
The berries of this plant also vary greatly in size. So, the smallest of them have a diameter of less than 10 mm. They are followed by small, medium, large berries. The diameter of the largest often exceeds 25 mm. The variety of colors of grapes is also diverse.
Specialists distinguish light green, pink, red, amber yellow, blue, purple, black varieties. The skin of the berries is covered with a waxy coating called a spring. It can be thin and tender or thick and durable. From its structure depends on the ability of the grapes to be stored, resistance to decay and its taste. Different varieties differ not only in the color of the berries, but also in their shape. They can be oval, round, ovoid, flattened or oblong. The berries of various grapes are distinguished by their flesh. It can be dense, tender, crispy. It is noteworthy that not only white grapes can be raw materials for the production of light
grades of wine and juices. They are also produced from berries that have colored skin. Most grape varieties have almost colorless juice, but there are also dark berries in which it has an intense wine-red color.
Taste qualities of berries
We already know that grapes are a fruit or berries, now you should pay attention to the quality of its fruits. Despite the variety of varieties, experts distinguish only a few large groups that unite similar tastes, including:
• ordinary (neutral), combining acid and sweetness, but not having any distinctive features;
• nightshade, tasting like the fruits of herbaceous plants;
• nutmeg - with a strong characteristic flavor;
• isabile, characterized by the aroma of strawberries, black currants and pineapple, as well as having mucous flesh.
Grape growing
Almost everyone knows that homemade grapes are mainly used for making juices, compotes and wine. Moreover, he most often performs a decorative role as a climbing plant for landscaping altanok, arbors and pergolas. In home gardens, winter-hardy varieties are most prevalent, the vine of which reaches several meters in length. Unfortunately, most table varieties are not suitable for cultivation in this way. In our climatic conditions, the success of the cultivation of grapes depends on the geographical location of the settlement and material costs. In the southern regions, this plant is grown in open ground on trellises. In more northern latitudes, the best table varieties are often grown in special greenhouses heated in late spring and early autumn. The minimum dimensions of such a structure: length - 2.5 m; height - 2.1 m. Some winegrowers grow heat-loving varieties in the open ground. In this case, you have to constantly prune the vine, stopping its growth, because for the winter you need to protect it from frost, removing it from trellises and laying it on the ground. Many dig small holes where they carefully place the plant, insulate it with improvised materials (cardboard, wood shavings, dry grass) and cover it with earth. Such shelter allows you to keep the vine intact even in significant frosts. Another unfavorable factor preventing the ripening of heat-loving grape varieties is the lack of natural light. So, under adverse weather conditions, berries can remain green until September-October. Laying a vineyard has certain principles. It is necessary to avoid planting of vigorous and weak-growing varieties together; separate and non-covering and covering species, which are easily affected by diseases and resistant to them, should be placed separately, late and early. This plant must be pruned (in spring and autumn). At the same time, all shoots and
vines of grapes with a weak, unripened annual growth are removed. An excellent harvest is given only by strong shoots. Also during the summer, it is necessary to remove the growing shoots above the largest bunch on last year’s stem, since such a young growth “pulls the juices” of the plant onto itself, preventing the ripening of the berries.
Berry use
Table grape varieties are distinguished by excellent taste, so they are intended for fresh consumption. Some varieties go to drying for the production of raisins and raisins. Most of the cultivated grapes are sent for processing for the production of juices and wine materials. Since the berries of this plant are champions in sugar content (25-30%) and quality composition, any products from them are very useful for humans. In grapes there are mineral, organic substances (glucose, salts, potassium) and vitamins (A, B1, B2, B6, C, PP), so it is often used for preventive and therapeutic purposes. The use of grape berries helps normalize pressure, cleanse the airways of mucus, and improves skin condition. Table varieties, characterized by large, beautiful clusters of berries with fleshy pulp, have a harmonious taste. This is due to the ideal content of easily digestible sugars and acids. Most table varieties are well transported and stored for a long time under favorable conditions. Despite the usefulness of grapes, it is contraindicated for people suffering from diabetes mellitus, acute intestinal disorders, obesity and diseases of the duodenum.
Propagation of grapes
This plant propagates vegetatively (layering, cuttings). In some cases, breeders also use seeds to produce young plants, but in this case the grapes will not bear fruit for a very long time. Most often, seedlings are designed to produce new varieties. Grapes are planted in the sunniest place of the site (south, southeast, southwest). The more heat the plant receives, the better the quality of the berries and the higher the yield. The soil can be anything except salt marshes. It also should not be waterlogged and waterlogged. Most often, rooted cuttings are planted in open ground in spring, although if planting material is very well developed, autumn planting is also allowed. Since the bulk of the roots of the grapes is located 20-40 cm from the surface of the earth, the plants are planted to a depth of 0.4 m. The distance between them is 1.5-2 m. If the grapes are planted in several rows, their width should be at least 2 m
Grape Pests
Unfortunately, this plant is highly susceptible to diseases and pests. The most dangerous of them are: mildew, gray rot, oidium, viruses, bacterial cancer, worm, phylloxera, cluster leaf. Such susceptibility of grapes to diseases leads to the need for mandatory processing with special chemicals for the prevention and treatment of plants.