When and how is sea buckthorn harvested?

Sea buckthorn is a versatile berry, from which you can make delicious jam, preserves, compote, make oil squeeze. In addition to good taste, the product also has a positive effect on the human body. In order to properly pick healthy berries, you need to familiarize yourself with certain features and some recommendations.

The ripening time of berries directly depends on several factors: the variety of the culture grown, the location and season, as well as the climatic characteristics of a particular region. Sea buckthorn is usually harvested from mid-August to early September. Since ripe berries are tightly held on the branches, the harvest time in some cases is delayed until late autumn. The plant is an unpretentious crop, therefore even slight frosts are not able to negatively affect the ripening process.

Basic recommendations for harvesting sea buckthorn, depending on the purpose and month.

1. Jam or compote. Harvesting sea buckthorn from the tree is carried out at any time, however, the berries are most easily removed from the branches at the beginning of ripening - in mid-August or early September. Harvesting in autumn is much more difficult due to the soft texture and thin rind.

2. Juice or oil. In the first months of autumn, sea buckthorn begins to fill with juice, which allows you to collect enough berries from one tree to produce delicious sea buckthorn juice or oil. Experts recommend removing the berries during October.

3. Freezing... In this case, the harvest is carried out in November or December - depending on when the first frosts appear. A similar method of picking berries is also used for industrial purposes and in large enterprises.

The frozen fruit of the tree is commonly used for tea. Their addition to a warming drink allows you to achieve unique aromatic and beneficial properties for the body. A decoction is also prepared from sea buckthorn berries, which will help to quickly and effectively eliminate the symptoms of colds, as well as strengthen the immune system.

The ripening of the fruit is also influenced by the correctly selected variety, depending on a particular region. In the Moscow region, it is recommended to use varietal varieties such as Gift in the Garden, Nivelena or Moskvichka. In the Urals or Siberia, the Altai and Velikanskaya varieties, which are actively used for drying, take root well.

If the plant is planned to grow in Russia in the middle lane, varieties such as Perchik, Golden Cob or Chuiskaya are usually planted. These species ripen and ripen much faster, which allows harvesting on time.

For effective and high-quality berry picking, you need to pay attention to the peculiarities of growing a tree, depending on the varietal variety. In mid-August, the fruits of those types of sea buckthorn are usually harvested, which are distinguished by early ripening.

• Openwork... This variety is characterized by a bright tangerine berry shade, the shape of which resembles a cylinder.In most cases, the fruit is harvested quite easily, without the need for specialized tools. The taste of this variety is characterized by a slight acidity. The variety tolerates frost and dry weather very well, therefore it can be harvested throughout the year.

• Red-fruited... Quite sour fruits, characterized by a rich burgundy hue. The berries are also large and oval in shape. This variety is medium early, it is recommended to harvest it from 15 to 20 August. The variety usually enters the fruiting process 3-4 years after planting. After 8-9 years, it is able to produce about 10 kg of berries on one bush.

• Inya... The yield of the early variety is notable for its small volume. The fruits are very large in size and broadly oval in shape. The pulp of the berries has a sweet-sour aftertaste and pronounced aromatic properties. The fruits usually ripen in early September - from about 1 to 8. The varietal species is characterized by high winter hardiness.

• Golden cascade. Quite a popular variety of sea buckthorn, characterized by a large amount of harvest. The fruits are orange in color and oval in shape. A pulp with pronounced taste characteristics and refreshing aroma properties. Usually collected in mid-August.

In addition to early varieties of wood, you need to know about how mid-season berries are harvested. Their collection usually begins in early autumn. Here are the most popular varieties in this category.

• Botanical... A garden variety of sea buckthorn, the distinctive features of which are fruits with a pronounced pineapple aroma. The variety is considered winter hardy. The color of the oblong berries is orange-red.

• Jam... It is characterized by a rather interesting color of berries, on which small red spots are often visible. Due to its unique taste, this variety is excellent for making preserves or jams.

• Gomel... The fruits are distinguished by a sweet and sour aftertaste and a bright orange hue. The yield of a 10-year-old bush varies from 20 to 25 kg depending on growing conditions and location.

Such varietal types of sea buckthorn as Chuiskaya, Panteleevskaya and Giant. Most of these varieties are harvested in early autumn.

Despite the fact that there are no strict requirements for harvesting depending on the region, experts still recommend adhering to some recommendations that will help facilitate harvesting.

For the Moscow region and the middle zone, it is better to pick berries in late August or early September. In Siberia and the Urals - in early October, and in the south of the country - from 25 to 28 July, depending on weather conditions and variety.

Harvesting sea buckthorn is recommended in dry weather.... Otherwise, you can damage the berries, which will lead to a deterioration in the taste and aroma characteristics.

Since the fruits of the tree are quite firmly adhered to the branches, experts advise not to rush to collect. Some gardeners specifically wait for the onset of frost, which greatly simplifies the process of picking and improves taste.

To pick sea buckthorn berries quickly and easily, it is enough to adhere to certain recommendations. Fruit harvesting is usually done by hand, with tools purchased or made at home, and by cutting branches.

To reduce the likelihood of developing an allergic reaction from the sap of the plant, it is recommended to use old clothing, an apron, and gloves. Harvesting sea buckthorn berries is much easier, starting from the crown, ending with the lower branches.This recommendation should be followed regardless of the collection method chosen.

The main advantage of manual picking is the maximum preservation of the visual characteristics of the berries. This method is usually used when the fruits are already ripe, while the berries are dense enough not to squeeze them.

The most effective varieties of the manual method.

1. Removing overripe ears... Eliminate small branches up to 1 year old with dry shoots. This method allows you to get rid of unnecessary branches that are characterized by the lack of fruiting.

2. Determination of the first frost. Spread a plastic sheet evenly under the tree, then gently shake the plant. Most of the harvest will fall on the oilcloth.

3. Juice collection. If the crop has not been harvested before mid-October, you can get a squeeze from the fruit. To do this, you should rinse the berries on the tree itself, without removing them. The resulting liquid is filtered and boiled.

Among other methods of harvesting sea buckthorn, the manual technique is considered the most difficult and energy-intensive. Usually, novice gardeners or those who want to get berries of an ideal shape resort to this method.

The most popular berry picker is a homemade tool. To make it, you need to take an ordinary plastic bottle and cut the bottom in it.

Next, you should cut off 4 petals from the outside, and then put the neck of the bottle on a long stick. For better fixation of the homemade device, you can nail the neck to the stick using a regular nail.

The so-called "cobra"... To create this tool, you need to prepare a steel wire and a small wooden block that will be used as a handle.

As for professional tools, usually used specialized scissors, allowing you to quickly and efficiently pick the berries of the tree, without violating their integrity. In addition to this device, gardeners often resort to the use of a profile fruit picker, at the end of which there are pointed elements.

To speed up the manual assembly process, many experts recommend pruning the branches with the berries and then separating them elsewhere. Despite the fact that this technology is simple to perform, if the branches are incorrectly pruned, the tree can be severely damaged, which will negatively affect further yield.

In the process of subsequent sorting, it is not at all necessary to pick all the berries - it is enough to place them in the freezer and take them out if necessary.

In addition to cutting off branches, many gardeners often use a different method, when the berries are knocked off the tree with the help of thick sticks, on which a thick cloth is additionally wound. This technology is used exclusively in winter, when the fruits become hard.

In addition to basic guidelines for collecting and understanding which tools are best to use, the gardener needs to know about additional tips, following which greatly simplifies the collecting process.

• It is much more convenient to pick slightly frozen berries than fresh ones. In order to prevent fruit falling and damage during harvesting, it is recommended to use a special apron with an external pocket.
• For efficient storage of the harvested berries, experts advise using a small glass container with a sealed lid.... It is recommended to store such vessels in a dry place, free from drafts and direct sunlight.
• Before freezing the sea buckthorn fruits, it is better to first wash and dry them thoroughly. Next, the berries are laid out in an even layer in the freezer for several hours. The next step is packing the frozen sea buckthorn into vacuum bags and further storage in the freezer.
• To dry the berries, it is enough to use a household oven, which is preheated to a temperature of around 60 ° C... Next, the berries should be spread out in an even layer on a baking sheet and put in the oven.