GOOD GRIEF, GOOD GRAPES! by Barbara Arciero

Wine Grapes are grown differently
than Table Grapes.

Question: California farmers provide what portion of the nation’s commercially grown table grapes?

Answer:  99 Percent, and with more than 70 varieties – green , red, red-purple, black.

California farmers will be the first to say that really good table grapes are difficult to grow. Grown primarily in Coachella and San Joaquin valleys, various grape varietals are grown almost year-round in sunny California.

Measuring "Grape Maturity" is important to the crop.

Question: Grapes continue to ripen after they are picked—true or false?

Answer: False! If measured properly, grapes are harvested fully ripe.  They do not become sweeter after they are picked, so timing of the harvest is everything.  A small gadget called a “Refractometer” is used to measure the sugar content (or maturity) of grapes to determine when to pick them for market. They do this by squeezing grapes into a meter to measure its juice.

Organic grapes taste best!

Factoids: About 500 California farmers grow table grapes with more than 90,000 acres planted and nearly 100 million boxes shipped each year from California exporting globally.  In fact 60+ countries import California table grapes.

If you want to try and grow your own favorite table grape, the time to plant is now. Be sure to prepare the soil, put lattice work behind your young plant so it can climb. Green lush grapevines are a terrific backdrop for garden weddings  or Patio Party ambiance.

Source:  California Bountiful Magazine, Pgs 16-19 www.californiabountiful.org

Table Grapes come in various varieties, including seedless.