Grape ripening

Discussion in 'Outdoor Gardening in the Pacific Northwest' started by Margaret, Sep 10, 2010.

  1. Margaret

    Margaret Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    Sunshine Coast, B C Canada
    Do grapes ripen once picked? I have 4 types of vines, which I don't know the names of, and now have visits from a bear who is picking the unripened fruit. I am loath to pick at this stage as there is A LOT and my usual helpers are, of course, only interested in ripe fruit. The only way I can see to deal with the problem speedily is to cut off whole lenghts of vines.
    Any help will be really appreciated - the faster the better.
    Margaret
     
    Last edited: Sep 10, 2010
  2. Pasquale

    Pasquale Active Member

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    Unlike apples, pears or peaches; grapes will not ripen once picked. I don’t have the technical answer for it; perhaps somebody on this forum can explain why.
     
  3. dragon4747

    dragon4747 Member

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    I don't have the answer, but I would also like to know when to harvest grapes, how do you know when they are ripe. My vines are 6 years old and this is the first year I have fruit and there is a lot.
     
  4. Margaret

    Margaret Active Member 10 Years

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    Thanks for the replies. That is as I feared so I am trying two ways in an attempt to harvest some ripe grapes. I have cut off a long length of vine which has about 8 bunches on it and have brought it indoors to see whether or not they ripen if still on the cut vine and last night I left all of the outside lights on and hung clothing on the drying line which is under the pergola. None of the fruit was touched and there is no scat. Might just be though that he decided after the first visit that the grapes were too sour!

    Dragon4747. I just taste the fruit to see if it is ripe but ofcourse not all of the grapes in a bunch may ripen at the same time so I just use cut those which are mostly ripe. I have friends who make their own wine and they have a little device which they use to check the sugar content but they just taste initially. Good luck with the harvest - picking and munching on a bunch of sun-warmed grapes is one of life's pleasures.

    Margaret
     

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