How are Grapes Grown
Grapes are a small edible fruit commonly used for creating wine, juice, jelly and dried fruit (raisins). There are hundreds of different varieties of grapes and although many of these are used for wine, there are also popular eating grape varieties and these grapes are sold fresh in grocery stores year round. Grapes have been cultivated since recorded history and today there are many different varieties of grapes. The grape was originally domesticated in the Middle East where they spread to Europe, North Africa and eventually to most of the world. Let’s take a closer look at how grapes are grown today.
How are grapes grown?
Grapes grow on vines, known as grapevines. Each variety of grapevine has a slightly different characteristics, but in most situations the vines are kept under 3m (10ft). The vines are planted in long rows and a trellis system is used to allow the grapevines to grow. The shoots are tied to the trellis wire so that they are not affected by the wind. A strong post is usually used to support the weight of each vine. The fruit from the vines is usually picked by hand and the vines are pruned to encourage further production the next season
The following video shows grapes being gown in a large vineyard, how to care for the grapevines and how to grow them at home.
Did you know?
Approximately 71% of grape production in the world is used to produce wine. 27% is used for fresh fruit and 2% is used for dried fruit.
The largest producer of grapes is Italy with approximately 8.5 million tonnes produced each year. Italy is followed by China, the United States, France and Spain.
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