When do Guankou grapes generally ripen?

Guankou grapes have large clusters, large berries, soft texture, thin skin, abundant juice, high sugar content, and a translucent color; the clusters are cone-shaped and the berries are tightly packed. The average cluster weight is 300—400 grams, and the average berry weight is about 8 grams. So, when do the high-quality Guankou grapes ripen?

1. When do Guankou grapes ripen?

Guankou grapes generally ripen from the end of August to the beginning of October each year, with a ripening period of nearly 40 days, and belong to the mid-to-late ripening varieties.

2. The production environment of Guankou grapes

1. Soil and landforms

The Guankou grape growing area has karst landform characteristics. The soil is mainly sandy loam and yellow clay loam, with a pH value of 7—7.5, rich in various trace elements such as calcium, magnesium, iron, selenium, manganese, zinc, and boron. The soil is loose, rich in organic matter, and has good air permeability.

2. Water quality environment

Guankou grapes are extremely drought-tolerant. When establishing an orchard, a gentle slope area with convenient drainage and a slope of no more than 15° should be selected. However, a certain amount of water is needed during the budding and berry stages. If there is drought during budding, some buds wilt and die, the new shoots that sprout are thin and weak, flower bud differentiation is incomplete, there are many tendrils, and the clusters are short; if there is drought during the berry stage, the berries are small, the leaves are small, the branches are thin and weak, and in severe cases the tree may die. During these two periods, if there is drought, the orchard should be artificially covered with grass or film, and water should be replenished in time.[1]

3. Climate characteristics

The annual average temperature is 14.2—15.5℃, the average day-night temperature difference in July—August is 8—10℃, the effective accumulated temperature is above 3700℃, the sunshine hours are more than 1300 hours, the annual sunshine is about 30%, the frost-free period is more than 200 days, and the annual average precipitation is 1400 millimeters. The superior geographical and climatic conditions and suitable soil and water quality provide an ideal natural foundation for the development of the Guankou grape industry.

Guankou grapes taste sweet. Local friends can go in person to orchards that allow picking and taste them; friends from other places can buy them in supermarkets during the market season.