GROW YOUR OWN GRAPES

Grapes require a full sun and soil that is free-draining but retains moisture, preferably a loam or even a gravelly soil. If possible, choose a site with a slight slope – a north-facing slope in areas with frost, as the leaves are frost-tender when they first emerge. The vine will need some form of support. This could be a pergola, a trellis against a sunny fence or wall, or a free-standing support of strained wires between posts, as in vineyards. Vines have an exceptionally long life, from 50 to 100 years or more, so it is crucial that the support is solidly built. Water should be readily available at the site because grapes need regular watering during their initial growth stage. Drip irrigation is ideal for vines.

^{Growing Tips}

It is important to prepare the ground well before planting a grapevine.
Make sure the ground is free of perennial weeds. Work a small barrow load of well-rotted compost or manure into the soil and add a pelleted slow-release organic fertilizer
Grapes are planted between late autumn and early spring. If for any reason you have to delay planting bare-rooted vines, prevent the roots from drying out by covering them with damp sacking or a temporary cover of moist earth.
If lifting plants from a nursery bed, lift them gently, keeping as much soil around the roots as possible, to avoid any setback or root damage.
Any broken roots should be trimmed back before planting. European varieties derived from Vitis vinifera, the common grape, can be planted about 2.5 m apart.
The stronger growing American varieties, such as Concord and its hybrid, Isabella, can be spaced 2.5–3 m apart. The less vigorous varieties, such as Cornichon, can be planted as close as 1.8 m.
After planting, firm the soil down well around each plant and water in deeply to remove any air pockets. Keep the ground weed-free, particularly in the early years, as young vines compete poorly with heavy weed infestation. Once established, grapes do not need a lot of fertilizing
An annual application of well-rotted compost or manure, ideally mixed with seaweed meal, should be adequate.

Harvesting and Storage

Grapes are ready when the birds start to eat them. Protect your fruit with netting if birds are a problem.
Cut of the grape bunches at the stem with sharp secateurs.If grapes aren’t ripening, pinch back some of the foliage to let in more sunlight.
Grapes will not continue ripening once picked from the vine. Test a few to see if they are too your liking before harvesting, usually in late summer-early fall.
Grapes can be stored for up to six weeks in the cellar, but grapes can absorb the odors of other fruits and vegetables, so keep them separate.
Use cardboard boxes or crates lined with clean, dry straw. Separate bunches with straw or sawdust. Check often for spoilage.

^{Uses Of Grapes}

Grapes are the fruit of a vine (Vitis vinifera). The whole fruit, skin, leaves and seed of the grape plant are used as medicine. Grape seeds are by-products of the manufacturing of wine. Be careful not to confuse grape with grapefruit, and other similar sounding medicines.
Some people also use grape as a mild laxative for constipation. You have probably heard of grape “fasts” as part of “detoxification.”
Grape seed is used for diabetes complications such as nerve and eye problems, improving wound healing, preventing tooth decay, preventing cancer, an eye disease called age-related mascular degeneration (AMD), poor night vision, liver disorders, and hay fever.
Dried grapes, raisins, or sultanas (white raisins) are used for cough.
Grape leaf is used for attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), diarrhea, heavy menstrual bleeding, uterine bleeding, and canker sores.
Grape leaf is used as a food, particularly in Greek cooking.
Grapes are used in making of Wines and various other products like jams,jellies,juices etc.

^{Grape Juice Recipe}

Homemade juices are more pure and fresh in flavor than their store-bought counterparts. Concord, emperor and cardinal red-purple grapes yield outstanding juice. Even if you do not have a juicer, it is relatively easy to pass the fruit through the fine disk of a food mill or simply puree it and press it through a fine sieve. Both methods produce a juice puree that takes well to the addition of sparkling water. Preparation time (after assembling ingredients): 20 minutes.

^Ingredients

Orange zest - ½ * 3-inch (1.5 * 7.5 cm) piece
Cardamom seeds - ¼ teaspoon (1 ml)
Whole cloves - 4
Grape juice - 6 cups (1.5 liters)
Honey or maple syrup (optional) -¼ cup (60 ml)
Cinnamon stick - 3-inch (7.5 cm) piece
Sparkling water – 2 cups (480 ml)

^Preparation

Tie the zest, cardamom seeds and cloves in a small piece of cheesecloth.
Place the juice and optional honey or maple syrup in a large enamel or stainless steel pan and bring to near the boiling point over moderate heat.
Remove the pan from the heat, add the spice bag and cinnamon stick, cover, and set aside until the juice has cooled to tepid. Remove the spice bag and cinnamon stick and chill.
Add the sparkling water before serving.

^{Few Health Facts Of Grapes}

Grape juice improves memory & decrease nervous exhaustion.
Helps in healthy cardiovascular function.
Increases the anti-oxidant level and helps developing immunity.
It serves as a great metabolism booster.
Helps to treat constipation, indigestion, fatigue & kidney disorder.

^{Using Grapes For Skin Care}

Grapes are a very healthy fruit for the skin. These delicious fruits are rich in antioxidants and nutrients like Vitamin A, B6, vitamin C, folate, iron and selenium. All these are very important for the good health of the skin.
The antioxidants present in grapes are helpful to prevent the harmful effects of free radicals and thus called as anti aging food. Free radicals are the main cause of early they can give rise to the wrinkles and age spots. Grapes can also tone up the skin.
Grapes are also rich in vitamin C which is required for the good health of the skin. Vitamin C is required for the collagen formation which makes upto 70% of dry weight of human skin. Collagen is a protein which is required for the growth of the cells and blood vessels and provides strength and firmness to the skin. Vitamin C also helps in the formation of scar tissues and ligaments. It also helps to repair skin.
B complex vitamins present in the grapes are also good for the skin. In addition to it grapes are also high in selenium which is again a very important nutrient for the skin. Selenium sulfide is used as a topical solution to treat some skin conditions like redness of the skin and irritation.
Presence of organic acids in the grapes stimulates the rejuvenation of the skin cells. Grapes also remove the toxins from the body and help to make skin free from the diseases.

Grapes In Wine Making

Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented grapes or other fruits.
The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, water, or other nutrients.
Yeast consumes the sugars in the grapes and converts them into alcohol. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts produce different types of wine.
The well-known variations result from the very complex interactions between the biochemical development of the fruit, reactions involved in fermentation, and human intervention in the overall process.
The final product may contain tens of thousands of chemical compounds in amounts varying from a few percent to a few parts per billion.

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