Sea buckthorn is a shrub with bright orange fruits that grows up to 4 meters in length.
All branches are strewn with thorns. The berries have their own unsurpassed taste, and some people compare the aroma of sea buckthorn to pineapple.
The tree grows calmly both in central Russia and in Siberia. This is a unique berry that contains many useful components, especially vitamin C. Jams are prepared from ripe berries, juice is squeezed out and jams are made.
Many summer residents are concerned about how to quickly collect sea buckthorn from a tree, since they know that this process is quite labor-intensive and very difficult.
Sea buckthorn harvest time
When to collect sea buckthorn in the Moscow region, Siberia and other regions of Russia?
In the middle zone, the fruits ripen at the end of the last summer month. However, there are early varieties that ripen in the first ten days of August.
But late varieties of shrubs are harvested in the second half of September. Of course, all these dates are approximate, since everything depends on weather conditions.
Experts recommend that you first decide for what purpose the sea buckthorn berries will be used.
If the housewife decides to freeze the berries or make compote from them, then it is best to start picking at the end of August. At this time, the fruits are filled with a large amount of ascorbic acid and have a dense peel, bright orange.
But if the housewife wants to squeeze out oil, make jam, jam or marmalade, then the collection should begin in the second ten days of September. The berries become soft and easy to puree. The only thing is that over time the concentration of vitamins in them decreases.
In the Urals and Siberia, the harvest of sea buckthorn fruits begins in the second half of August and the first half of September.
Gardeners note that it is best to pick berries after the first frost. Since at this time the fruits are already ripe and are easily torn off.
When does sea buckthorn begin to ripen?
Plant variety, growing region, climatic conditions - all this affects the timing of fruit harvest. These factors require special attention.
Variety
Correctly determining the fruit harvest period is important to facilitate work and preserve important nutrients in sea buckthorn. To understand when to start collecting, it is important to determine the nuances of the development and growth of various varieties:
- Early. Harvested in early August. The exception is the “Chuyskaya” variety; its berries are picked after August 25th.
- Late. After September 15th they are ready for collection.
Read the article about the best varieties of sea buckthorn.
Weather
Sea buckthorn fruits are cut on sunny days. The fruits hang on the branches for a long period of time, so do everything carefully and without haste. Some summer residents deliberately do not pick berries until the first frost, then the fruits become juicier, tastier, and most importantly, it is much easier to remove them from the branches.
During this period, you can use pruning shears - they carefully cut off the branches (pruning should be done in the fall), and the fruits can be safely picked at home. At the onset of severe cold, the crop is shaken off onto the placed material and collected, in this case the branches remain intact.
Region of growth
Due to the fact that the tree ripens at different times, there are no specific requirements for the region. It all depends more on the climate and variety. But if we are based on regions, the approximate timing looks like this:
- Middle zone (Moscow region) - the last days of August - the first days of September.
- Ural and Siberia – last week of September.
- South of Russia - after July 25th. Fruits in the area are cut as they ripen (some varieties bear berries already in early July).
Collection dates in the Moscow region
The period of readiness of the berries of the bush depends not only on the climate, but also on the variety of sea buckthorn. Also, harvesting is carried out at a time determined by the purpose of the fruit.
In practice, sea buckthorn harvesting continues throughout the fall. They begin to collect it at the end of summer and continue throughout September. Although some varieties ripen a little earlier or a little later.
Early varieties begin to be collected from the first ten days of the last summer month, although a variety such as Chuyskaya begins to show its best taste and vitamin qualities only at the end of summer.
Late varieties cannot be harvested earlier than the second half of the first autumn month. But the exact dates are changing, since weather conditions in the Moscow region are not stable.
The harvest should be harvested after the berries acquire the most intense color, which is characteristic of a particular variety. Fully ripened fruits are easy to tear off, they are still tight.
It is at this time that they contain the maximum concentration of vitamin C. Visual landmarks are more accurate than any general recommendations for harvest time.
If it is desirable to consume fresh berries (use them for compote or jam), it is necessary to pick sea buckthorn after its botanical ripening (late summer - early autumn).
It is then saturated with ascorbic acid, solid, and there is still no juice. But when you plan to make marmalade, jam or butter, wait a couple of weeks so that the fruits are filled with sea buckthorn juice.
How to pick berries correctly?
When working with sea buckthorn, do not forget to use gloves and clothing that you do not mind getting dirty. No one knows how the human dermis will behave when in contact with the juice; you may develop an allergy or irritation. It's not worth the risk. As for clothes, it will no longer be possible to wash them - stains will remain on them, even when washed with chemical stain removers.
Manual harvesting of sea buckthorn
Want to pick the perfect berries? Then manual picking is what you need. It is better to pick the fruits yourself at the ripe stage; they are already ripe, but still dense, so that you do not suppress the harvest.
Methods to speed up manual collection:
- Removing ripe cobs. They are branches with berries at the age of 1 year with dried shoots. Next year the cobs will not grow and will not bear any harvest. Cut them, freeze and pick them.
- Target for the first frost. Place an oilcloth under the plant and shake the bush. Almost the entire harvest will fall. All you have to do is pick and wash the berries.
- Collecting juice. If for some reason you did not have time to harvest before October 15th, then you can safely receive the juice. Rinse the fruit directly on the plant. Strain the juice and boil.
Manual picking is a difficult and tedious process, but it will bring you a lot of high-quality and whole fruits.
Is it possible to cut sea buckthorn branches?
Of course, you can harvest by trimming the tree, but it should be minimal. Some gardeners remove branches that they cannot reach.
Several seasons in a row of such manipulation and the plant becomes like a torn tree that has no shape. The plant feels disgusting; as a result, it will stop producing crops and dry out completely.
The source of this action by the gardener is the adequate advice of summer residents - you can cut short branches without growth. They still don’t play a special role in the life of the tree; they die over time, and the places where they are cut are invisible.
Destroying entire branches greatly affects the health of the tree. Lost branches will not grow again, wounds take a long time to heal. After such a procedure, the plant may not recover at all.
Care after pruning
Sea buckthorn is not a very demanding plant to care for. If the pruning is carried out according to the rules and the cuts are processed, it is enough to discolor the trunk with lime and add fertilizer - 35 g of superphosphate and potassium sulfate per 12 liters of water. In spring, sea buckthorn is fertilized with organic fertilizer: 0.5 buckets of scattered manure per 1 m².
Devices for collecting sea buckthorn
Sea buckthorn juice ruins clothes, so it is better to wear a raincoat. Collection begins from the top of the head and reaches the lower branches. In order for the procedures to be carried out quickly and efficiently, various tools should be used.
Forceps
You can make them yourself. The tongs are ordinary thick wire. The rod is bent in the center into a ring, constructing a spring. You can fold the wire into a triangle shape and bend the edges. The tongs are passed along the branches, the harvest falls onto the woven material.
"Cobra"
This device is famous among summer residents as the best invention for harvesting. To create it you need to take a small branch of wood, a handle will be formed from it.
You also need steel wire. A loop is made from it, similar to a candle wick. A spike connects the handle and the loop. From the outside, the instrument resembles a cobra. They can harvest crops by grabbing the stalks. The tool will help you reach the most difficult to reach areas.
This “Cobra” tool can be made with your own hands and the following video is about it:
Slingshot
The slingshot can be made from wood or plastic. You can buy a ready-made one or borrow it from your child. A strong fishing line is pulled onto it. That's all - the slingshot is ready. It is passed along the branch and all the fruits fall onto the material. The fishing line breaks quickly, so you should always have a new one on hand. Purchase fishing line at any sewing supply store.
Scraper for collecting sea buckthorn
To create this tool, you need to take a steel wire about 0.5 m long. Make a curl in the center in the shape of a spring. You can wrap it around the bottle once. The tips of the tool are aligned and bent at an angle. Using this method, the branch is pressed and the fruit is cleaned by moving the scraper downwards.
The video below shows the collection of sea buckthorn using a scraper and peeling the berries from the leaves:
Knapsack or harvester for harvesting sea buckthorn
The tool is sold at a gardening store. Made from any material. There are many options for the tool, but the principle of operation is the same. A knapsack is a special device for your hand with an area for picking berries. The crop is cut with a working surface.
Other tools for quickly collecting sea buckthorn
The summer resident can boast of his own method and tool for cutting sea buckthorn. A small amount of fruit can be removed using nail scissors; it takes a lot of time, but the result will be excellent.
There are several other devices that help you collect fruits. For example, they buy special gloves. They can be used as a scraper. The meaning of the device lies in special caps. They will cut the harvest.
How to make a device for collecting sea buckthorn yourself?
All the tools that were described earlier can be made independently. To do this, you need to find a wire and figure out how to twist it correctly. A quick option for creating a device with your own hands is a slingshot. Everyone has a fishing line at home, and a slingshot can be made from simple branches.
Collecting sea buckthorn using branch cuts
Work on large plantations is carried out quickly and efficiently. There is no time for careful collection, since the fruits may become overripe and crush when removed from the bush. Harvesting using cuts is painless and harmless to the bush if you do everything carefully and according to the rules.
Rules for cutting twigs with sea buckthorn berries
To prevent the plant from being injured, the branches are cut with sharpened pruning shears. The choice is left only to thin shoots that need to be pruned in the fall. Young, healthy, fat people - don’t touch them. They cannot be broken; the cut is made in such a way that a stump of about 50 mm in size is preserved at the base. In the spring it will send out new shoots.
Watch the following video about collecting sea buckthorn by pruning branches:
The branches are sent for processing. There is no need to wash them, otherwise the fruits will crack. This event is carried out before the branches are cut - the plant is doused with water, and then the harvest is harvested.
How to process cut branches
When the branches are brought home, you need to quickly remove all the berries from them. Sitting in one place, you can carefully tear them off with your hands or use nail scissors. The option of a scraper with fishing line is also allowed. The harvest is also stored on the branches; you just need a refrigerator or a room with a temperature of about 0 degrees Celsius.
Types of pruning
There are several types of pruning - let's look at each of them in more detail.
Formative
To give sea buckthorn the shape of a tree or shrub, it is subjected to formative pruning from the first year of life, which is carried out annually throughout the life of the plant.
Regulatory pruning of sea buckthorn
Performed annually, tidying up the crown, including thinning and lightening.
Rejuvenating
Rejuvenating pruning to restore fruiting of aging shrubs. Stimulates the growth of healthy young shoots.
Old, non-fruiting branches are replaced by side shoots. Select the strongest branches growing outside the bush and replace up to three old branches.
How to remove leaves from harvested berries?
If special devices were used during berry picking, the question will soon arise about the method for cleaning leaves that have fallen into containers. You can do everything yourself, it takes a very long time, but the result is of high quality. If you don’t have time for this, then you should turn to simpler options.
The most popular way to remove leaves from crops is to use an oblong vegetable board or other similar device. It is placed at an angle, the harvested crop is poured on top in small portions, as a result the fruits roll off and the garbage remains on the board.
Another option is a cabbage shredder. It is placed at an angle, the blades pointing upward. A container or box is placed under the base of the device. The fruits are carefully poured onto the upper edge, they are rolled down, the branches are held back by the shredder blade.
If you have already frozen the berries and leaves together, then it is better to sort the crop at a cold temperature. In the heat, the fruits quickly wrinkle.
How to preserve sea buckthorn for the winter?
Sea buckthorn fruits are nutritious and help the body fight viruses and illnesses. Every gardener wants to preserve berries for the winter.
Let's consider the main methods of storing berries:
- Placement of cut branches. They can be saved until March arrives. To do this, place the branches in a cool place where the temperature does not rise above 0 degrees Celsius. Control the dryness in the room; in a humid environment, the crop begins to rot.
- Freezing. Place the washed and dried berries in bags or containers and put them in the freezer. This freezing will help preserve a large amount of nutrients.
- Fruits covered with sugar. Until the beginning of March you can enjoy fresh sea buckthorn fruits. Grind them and spread them on a woven material, after a while mix the harvest with sugar and put them in sterilized jars. Sugar and berries are taken in equal quantities. The mixture can only be stored in the refrigerator; the basement and cellar are not suitable for this purpose. This sweet preparation can be used to prepare compotes and fruit drinks.
- Pureed harvest. Perfectly ripe berries are suitable. Sort through the harvest and set aside the required number of berries, wash them and allow time to dry. Mix with granulated sugar and pound with a wooden mortar. You can use a food processor. Place the mixture in sterilized glass jars and place in the refrigerator. This mixture can be placed in a cellar or basement.
- Berries in water. The method has only recently appeared, so it is not very popular, however, in this form, sea buckthorn is stored for a long time and does not change its taste properties. Pour boiled water at room temperature over fresh fruits and place in the refrigerator, but not in the freezer.
- Sea buckthorn juice. It is not just a source of vitamins, but also a low-calorie product. Per 100 g only 53 kcal. It’s very easy to prepare—pass the fruits through a juicer and pour into pre-prepared jars. Place the juice on shelves in the basement; you can add sugar or honey to it.
- Conservation. Heat treatment is also a good option for preserving fruits for the winter. Compotes, jams, preserves, marmalade and butter are prepared from them. High temperatures are merciless, so they will destroy some of the beneficial elements, but natural sweets will always come in handy. And they are much better than store-bought candies or cookies.
Sea buckthorn oil is another useful product, but it is used in cosmetology. Helps hair and eyelashes grow faster and become stronger.
Helpful tips for collecting and recycling
Collecting, processing and storing berries is much easier and more efficient if you follow certain rules:
- Start collecting from the top and end with the lower branches, but not vice versa. As for the branch, start at the base and end at the tip.
- Work with wood wearing thick gloves and special clothing. Sea buckthorn juice stains cannot be removed, and the branches can injure you.
- As a material for collecting fruits, you can use film or an ordinary umbrella.
- Do not cut young and strong branches for harvesting, otherwise the plant will die.
- Make convenient devices and you won’t have to suffer and pick berries by hand. Do not throw away the leaves of the plant, they will also be useful to you. Use part of the harvest for canning; the berries make excellent nutritious compotes and jams.
Harvesting sea buckthorn is a tedious and lengthy process. But the fruits are healthy and nutritious; in winter they will help cure the flu and get rid of vitamin deficiency in the body. Try to find effective harvesting techniques without spending a lot of time on it.
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Tin pipe and other devices
To make the tool, you will need a sheet of tin about 10 cm long. The diameter of the product should be thicker than the size of the berries. A bag or pouch for harvesting is attached to one end of the pipe. The other end is pressed against the stalk, the berry comes off and falls into the bag.
You can also use other devices to collect sea buckthorn - special scissors, a blade, tongs or a glove. There are special gloves on sale, the fingers of which are protected by plastic or iron tips connected by cutting wire. By running your gloved hand along the branch, you will gradually cut off the berries.
In some cases, sea buckthorn berries are cut directly from the shoots using pruning shears. This eliminates the risk of crushing the berries during the picking process, but damages the bush itself.
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Next, at home, the berries are carefully collected from the cut branches. This method should be used if the sea buckthorn bushes are located far from the dacha or house.
