Have you ever thought about starting a grape plantation? Learn how this is possible! Do you want to invest in your own agricultural business, but still don’t know which area to follow? Well, in order not to get frustrated and not end up making your dream of undertaking a nightmare, the most recommended is to choose a branch in which you have aptitude, that is, knowledge and skills to work, in addition to being something stable or a trend in the market business.
There are those who think that the best business opportunities are in large urban centers. However, it is not quite there, there are several activities that can be developed in the rural areas and that are as or more profitable than the others.
As an example, we can mention the cultivation of grapes, which is a fruit widely consumed in Nigeria, both fresh and processed and transformed into wine, juices, among other drinks and foods.
Grape cultivation can be a highly profitable business, but it requires a lot of care, since it is a fragile fruit and it does better in regions with milder temperatures.
Do you want to enter this grape business? To help you we have put together a series of tips and information on grape planting that will make you have a better chance of being a successful entrepreneur in the field. Enjoy!
Origin Of Grape
The grape is a fruit from the vine, which can also be known as a vine, which is nothing more than a plant of the vitáceae family, which is characterized by having a twisted trunk, large leaves divided into pointed lobes and presenting a branch flexible.
The grapes grow in clusters that can contain between 15 and 30 fruits, with a purple, green, yellow, red, black or dark blue color.
This fruit started to be cultivated more than 8 thousand years ago in the Middle East, where its peel was used to produce wine. Botanically, grapes are known to be a berry. The oldest grapevine in America is a 400 year old Muscadine vine located in North Carolina. The grape industry contributes about $125 billion annually to the U.S. economy.
However, in Brazil, the grape plantations only expanded in the late 19th century during the immigration of Italians to the state of São Paulo and in the southern region.
Paraná is currently the largest national grape producer between July and November, followed by Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. While in the northeast, Bahia leads production between August and December.
The grapes are divided into five categories, Vitis Vinífera is ideal for wine production, Vitis Labrusca is suitable for consumption and juice production, Vitis Riparia is recommended for making wine, Vitis Rotundifolia is indicated for sweets and Vitis Aestivalis that is used for making juices and wines.
Realize that there is a very extensive variety of grapes, which can directly influence your billing and even necessary investment, so analyze exactly what segment you want to focus on, even before you start planting grapes .
Why Invest In Grape Plantation?
Definitely, investing in the grape plantation is a good deal and there are several points that prove this fact.
We can start with the fact that the grape is a fruit consumed throughout the year in Brazil, which makes this market more stable, avoiding financial losses due to seasonality in demand.
The grapes have varieties of category, being possible to choose the one that best suits your region.
In addition, this fruit also has a variety of trade, since it can be consumed fresh, used in the production of juices, jellies, juices, wines, among other possibilities.
How to Start Grape Plantation
Are you determined to invest in growing grapes? Well, to enter this area it is necessary to plan and know everything about the fruits, from planting, harvesting to marketing. So follow the tips on How to Plant Grape Seedling below!
1. Choose The Grape Variety
As has already been said, grapes are divided into varieties and each is best for a particular purpose.
Taking this into account, your first mission when deciding to enter the grape plantation branch is to choose the type to be planted, which must be done based on the destination that the grape will have after harvesting.
In order to choose the best variety to grow, it is also necessary to consider the climatic conditions of your region, since some species, such as Vitis Vinífera, which is used in wine production, adapt more easily to the places that have mild temperatures, while others develop better in warm places.
It is possible to create artificial conditions for growing the fruit, but this makes the process much more expensive.
2. Select The Seeds For Grape Plantation
Ok, did you choose the type of grape you are going to plant? Now is the time to go after the seeds.
In this case, for professional cultivation it is not recommended to plant from seeds taken from clusters, but from nurseries, which are better prepared and capable of offering better quality fruit.
In addition, there is a “stronger” seed, less likely to be attacked by insects or, at least, a greater resistance capacity.
To choose seeds, a good tip is to buy from plantations that are already successful. Before planting the seeds it is recommended to stratify them, that is, to prepare them for the next phase.
Therefore, deposit them in small damp pots, cover them with substrate, leave them in a place with humid and cold conditions, this helps in the germination process.
This process is very important, be sure to do it, otherwise you will have significant losses, since a certain portion of the seeds will be “compromised” and, consequently, you will not be able to use them.
3. Build A Support In Grape Plantation For Vines
The vines, which are the plants responsible for originating the grapes, are characterized by growing in the shape of a vine, therefore, they need supports to curl up as they grow, in addition, it will ensure that the fruits are ripe at the right time, preventing them from becoming bitter or rotting in advance.
The supports for the vines are usually built in wooden fillets, which must have a square shape, with vertical and horizontal fillets, presenting, on average, 1.50 meters wide and 2 or 3 meters high.
These measures allow the branches to spread and not be on top of each other, which can hinder growth.
4. Planting Grape Seeds
After building the supports for the vines it is time to plant the grape seeds, this step must be done carefully, as any mistake can result in losses in the entire production.
Therefore, the first thing to observe is the distance between the sowing of the seeds, which must be at least 5 centimeters.
After sowing it is necessary to cover the seeds with two layers of soil, this helps to isolate it from the external heat. In addition, the seeds need to be conditioned at a daytime temperature below 20ºC and at night up to 15ºC.
In order to maintain the appropriate temperature, artificial environments can be used, created in a favorable way to maintain the mentioned temperature.
Keep the soil moist, but don’t soak it. The seeds begin to sprout 8 weeks after sowing.
5. Prune The Grape Plantation Vines
Vines do not always produce fruit in the first year of life, quite the contrary, some species can take up to four years for the first grapes to appear.
However, this process can be accelerated through pruning, which helps the plant to develop healthier, since its “impurities” are removed.
First, it is recommended to select the 3 strongest shoots on the vine and let them grow, while the rest can be pruned. It is also recommended to remove the flower buds and fertilize the soil to renew its nutrients.
6. Harvesting The Grape Plantation
The grapes can be ready for harvest between 30 and 70 days after the appearance of the buds, however, the ripening time depends on each grape variety, as well as on the care, as is the case of the temperature that the fruits were exposed to.
The fruit is considered ripe when its leaves soften and the color becomes more intense. Harvesting should be done by cutting the bunches using pliers suitable for this activity. Did you learn how to grow grapes?
