Do-it-yourself berry harvesters: instructions, drawings, diagrams and reviews

How to choose?

Choose according to the size of your plot or forest in which you will pick berries.
If you plan to collect fruits only for eating or making jam, then you should not spend money and purchase a whole combine or vacuum collector. A simple hand tool will suffice. It can also be customized to the types of berries you want. In fact, even with a manual unit you can pick different types of berries. For example, if you grow cranberries, then it is better to purchase a tool whose partitions are made of solid metal. Because of this feature, there will be no tangling of plants.

A vacuum collector will help you collect berries such as gooseberries, wild raspberries, strawberries, wild strawberries, currants, lingonberries, cranberries, sea buckthorn and many others. You can even collect hazelnuts.

Pay attention to the price too. A vacuum berry picker costs about 29 thousand

rubles and is intended for those who make fruit picking their business. Of course, it’s worth remembering the price of a mechanical harvester, namely 1-9 million rubles. This is a high price for a medium-sized plot of land.

Cranberry harvester

One of the most popular combines for harvesting cranberries is the Toropushka device. The manual device damages the plants, ensuring gentle and quick harvesting. The device is equipped with a capacious storage sleeve into which the picked berries are sent. To pour them into the tank, just one movement of your hand is enough. If you want to make a popular Toropushka cranberry harvester with your own hands, look at the drawings.

Design Features:

• The cranberry harvester has solid metal baffles to prevent bunches of plants from getting tangled. This allows grass and moss to escape without problems, leaving the berries in the container.
• The springiness of the plates does not tear leaves from the branches.
• Thanks to the rounded shape of the device, berries can be removed even from recesses.
• The sleeve is made of fabric, which reduces the time it takes to extract berries - you will need to lower the edge of the sleeve into the container.

Classification of berry harvesters

Based on the level of mechanization, all berry harvesters are usually divided into:

1. Manual without mechanization of processes. The designers were inspired to create them by ancient prototypes that have been used on our lands since time immemorial, their appearance reminiscent of a short-handled rake with a bag or box tied to it. Nowadays these are very ergonomic containers with a handle, equipped with a wire or sheet palisade to grip stems or branches;
2. Manual with mechanization of processes. On the modern market there are products held in the hand that use a motor for frequent translational movements of the removing block to crush the berries from the branch, or vacuum suction; 3. Automatic under operator control. Outwardly they resemble ordinary forage or grain harvesters, with the difference that they do not have mowing blocks or digging elements. And separation processes, taking into account the fragility of the product, have their own characteristics.

Based on available assembly volumes, industrial berry units and devices for home use and small farms are distinguished.

How to make a harvester for collecting lingonberries and other berries with your own hands?

It’s easy to make a manual harvester yourself using the following drawings:

Materials you will need:

• metal wire;
• wooden slats;
• Sheet steel;
• pieces of plywood or plastic;
• fasteners.

The production process itself is as follows:

1. Patterns are made from paper of all parts except wire ones;
2. Using metal scissors, the bottom of the device and its body are cut out of a sheet of steel;
3. On a separate narrow sheet of galvanized steel with a width equal to the size of the berry receptacle, one edge is bent - the future cutter;
4. In the second part of this piece, holes are drilled every 0.4-0.5 cm, the diameter of which is equal to the diameter of the wire;
5. The wire is cut into segments 10 cm long (the size of the wire should not exceed 0.3 cm), and inserted into the prepared holes, after which it is fixed by welding, bending the plate with a hammer, a wooden lath or any other convenient method;
6. The ends of the resulting rake are bent with a side to protect the berries from rolling;
7. The body is assembled using the selected fasteners, and the rake part is screwed to it. You can additionally cover it, for example, with wood or plastic for the safety of hands and plants;
8. The handle can be made by bending a tube or double narrow plate from galvanized steel. You can also use any analogue that is idle on the farm (a door, a construction iron, etc.). It is attached by welding to the metal top of the structure or with bolts, for which holes must first be drilled.

To give the handle anti-slip properties, you can wrap it with electrical tape.

Thus, making a berry harvester yourself is not at all difficult, and cheap and affordable materials, as well as tools, will be used for this.

The only note: the dimensions of the container depend on the planned collection volumes, but here it is important to look for a proper balance between them and the convenience of holding the entire structure by hand, as well as the characteristics of crop growth

Drawings and dimensions

For blueberries, gooseberries, cranberries and lingonberries, the simplest ladle with a recess is suitable. A comb with teeth 10–15 mm long, which are spaced 4–5 mm apart from each other, is attached to the front. The back of the bucket is equipped with a handle for more convenient operation. The berries are easily picked from the bush and rolled into a container, and then they can be poured into a bucket or other container.

The parameters of such a berry picker will be as follows:

• base in the form of a rectangle with sides 72 and 114 cm;
• sidewalls that bend U-shaped according to the drawing below;
• comb teeth 2 mm thick and 10 mm long;
• the distance between the teeth is 5 mm.

Figure 1. Drawing of a metal berry picker

This is due to the fact that their leaves are too large and do not fit well between the comb teeth. It is recommended to collect strawberries on a large scale using commercial berry pickers-vacuum cleaners, which cause minimal damage to the delicate trunks and tendrils of the plant.

Device for picking strawberries: truth or myth

Today, forest and garden strawberries have to be picked manually. The wide, three-lobed leaves do not fit between the teeth of the combine and are often torn off. Using the previously described scoop to collect strawberries, there is a high probability of damaging the tendrils with young bushes extending to the sides, and the berry itself is soft and easily damaged.

Harvesting strawberries and wild strawberries is only possible by hand

When growing strawberries on an industrial scale, producers use modern high-tech machines. A strawberry harvester is an expensive and fairly large piece of equipment. To use it, you must respect the shape and height of the ridges. The use of such equipment in a small private household does not pay off.

Industrial harvester for collecting strawberries video

A device for picking strawberries is the dream of many gardeners and foresters. Therefore, to increase sales and for advertising purposes, the blueberry and lingonberry harvester is credited with the ability to harvest strawberries. The problem is that many people believe this, and in the process spoil the berries and harm the plant.

How and when to pick blueberries without damaging the berry plant: personal observations

I live in the middle climate zone, and I judge the beginning of blueberry ripening by observing the black currant fruits in the country. As soon as they begin to turn from brown to black, you can immediately head to the forest.

This usually happens at the end of the first week of July. At this time, the blueberry is not yet fully ripe; there are many small and green berries. It is not worth collecting them with mechanized devices: there is a lot of waste.

The leaves (like the fruits) stick very firmly to the bush and, when they get between the teeth, they crush and deform the berries, and when they come off the branches, they make picking very difficult. The garbage becomes saturated with juice and is difficult to separate.

During this period of time, I recommend abandoning any mechanisms and picking berries only with your hands. My speed is low: on average, I get a little more than 1 liter per hour, but it’s quite enough for home preparation and consumption, and I’m not involved in sales.

At this time, the collection is accelerated:

1. a container for berries, made on the principle of a sippy inkwell, the ribbon of which I hang around my neck;

cups on the fingers of each hand, saving the movement of the berry picker’s hands towards the container.

I consider the optimal time for harvesting with mechanized devices to be the end of July and August: blueberries are gaining strength, and the fruits, reaching their maximum size and the greatest amount of vitamins, have a pleasant taste.

It is during this period that I make my mechanized devices. Nowadays it’s not a problem to buy a factory-made blueberry harvester. But it is prestigious for a home craftsman to do it with his own hands, taking into account his individual abilities.

In this case, it is necessary to take into account a number of technical features that take into account the physical properties of the ripe berry. I include:

1. fruit size;
2. separation force from the stalk;
3. the state of the juice and the crushing strength of the shell;
4. presence of garbage.

How does fruit size affect puller design?

A ripe blueberry usually exceeds 6 mm in diameter.

I take this indicator into account by the gap between the teeth of the combine, choosing it to be at least 5 mm. It allows:

• cut off some of the underdeveloped fruits, leaves, needles, and other debris;
• collect only ripe varietal berries;
• do not damage the bush.

Which tooth shape is safer to tear blueberries from the stem?

Among industrially produced combines, designs with teeth made of round wire predominate.

It is more convenient to make them this way, but this does not have a very good effect when the berry is torn from the stalk. I showed this process in the figure. I share my observations.

At the round tooth, the fruit is pulled into the recess shown by the dotted lines and is slightly crushed. A flat surface immediately tears the berry away from the stalk, deforming it less.

In this case, it is important to avoid sharp edges at the ends, which can push through the thin shell. I do this by forming a very small chamfer on the ribs.

The width of the tooth also affects the operation of the device. A narrow profile fits better between twigs and leaves and creates less clustering. This reduces the formation of debris in the gaps and does not injure the ripened fruits and the blueberry itself.

How to pick blueberries

Picking small berries is a boring, long, exhausting task. Blueberry lovers are trying to speed up the process using different methods and devices. However, regardless of the chosen method, it is advisable to adhere to the basic rules of harvesting:

1. Blueberries begin to ripen around July. It’s worth getting your bearings at this time and preparing containers and equipment for picking berries in advance.
2. Blueberry bushes can grow for more than 20 years. The berries are collected from young plants no older than 15 years. These blueberries contain more vitamins. Attention! The approximate age of the bush is determined by its branches. The more lateral shoots, the older the plant.
3. Only ripe berries can be harvested. They can be identified by their blue with a black tint. Unripe blueberries will not ripen, and overripe berries will quickly disappear.
4. According to popular belief, blueberries are harvested before the full moon for quick consumption. These berries taste better. For long-term storage of the crop, it is better to harvest it yourself after the full moon.
5. It is optimal to start harvesting early in the morning or in the evening. Dry, cool weather is optimal.
6. It is better to put blueberries in wicker baskets, where the berries are better ventilated through the cells. In extreme cases, a plastic container will do.

Avid forest lovers do not recommend using combines, scrapers, rakes and other devices for collecting blueberries. The mechanisms injure the fruit branches. Next year, the yield of damaged bushes will decrease.

Advantages and disadvantages

The big advantage is that it simplifies collection and increases the speed of work. Even homemade units will allow you to work several times faster, and in 7-8 hours a novice assembler will be able to collect 12-15 kg. Very impressive numbers when compared with the bare-handed collection method.

Another plus is the low price. On average, berry pickers cost about 900 rubles. You can recoup this price on the first day or after several hours of work. You can make such a unit yourself, but for this you need to try.

The disadvantage of using a combine is the damage to berries and bushes. The thing is that when you pick leaves and young branches along with the berries, you make the bush less fertile. Such a sharp method of plucking has a bad effect on what the harvest will be like next year. In addition, you litter with leaves and debris that falls to the ground from branches.

How to pick blueberries with a combine harvester

Any scraper for picking blueberries consists of a comb, a berry picker and a handle. There are a variety of shapes: oval, elongated, rectangular, round. Berry pickers can be hard or soft in the form of bags. The principle of using any combine is the same. The bucket is held by hand by the handle. With the other hand, they direct the twigs with berries onto the comb. As the combine moves forward, fruiting shoots slip between the teeth. Blueberries with a diameter larger than the gap will get stuck between the pins. The berry comes off the stalk and rolls into the berry collector.

Important! An amateur harvests up to 15 kg of crop in 8 hours. In industry, the daily collection rate can reach 70 kg.

Picking berries by hand

Unfortunately, the remoteness of the berry patches significantly complicates their collection. Swampy terrain, forest wilds, mosquitoes and midges also do not add pleasure to this process. But the main difficulty lies in the size of these berries; it rarely reaches 10 mm, and in the northern regions it is even less. Historically, picking wild berries was done by hand, so the fruits are less damaged and fewer leaves and twigs end up in the baskets. However, this method has very low efficiency; even an experienced berry grower in a good year may need more than one hour to fill the coveted bucket. A less agile picker would hardly fill a bucket in a day.

How to use a harvester to pick berries?

The rules for using fruit pickers vary depending on the type of their design:

1. The mechanical berry harvester
   is controlled using a special remote control. The user sets the desired height and turns on the device. The device independently harvests the crop, and some models also sort out any debris.
2. Manual devices
   are no less easy to use. It is important to place the device comfortably in your hands and move it from bottom to top along the bush. This way you can minimize the loss of leaves and small branches. It is important to empty the filled fruit compartment in a timely manner by pouring the harvest into an empty container.
3. the vacuum unit
   and bring the tube to the berries. Empty the filled compartment with the harvest into an empty container, as in the previous version.

Finnish manual harvester for picking blueberries and other berries

A very convenient hand-held device was invented in Finland, the design of which is certified in many European countries as environmentally friendly. It represents:

• a plastic container (similar to a closed, very large scoop);
• rubberized comfortable handle;
• metal berry cutter;
• protected spokes.

The latter can be bent with a pin, or have plastic limiter balls at the ends. In practice, these knitting needles pry up a branch with berries until they meet the cutter, then they are torn off the base and shaken into a container.

This design does not damage the bushes of berry plants, and the debris accompanying the collection is easily removed by sifting through the sized cells of a special sieve.

Is it possible to harvest blueberries with a combine?

In the countries of the post-Soviet space, the taboo on tools for picking blueberries still remains. There is no strict control, it’s just that no one has repealed the law yet. At that time, primitive harvesters were being explored. After their use, blueberry productivity decreased and the plant required a long recovery period.

New and improved harvesters cause minimal damage to the branches. The mechanisms are officially approved in Sweden and Finland. Norwegians use combine harvesters in large numbers.

The minimal damage from a modern combine can be judged from the video:

What is such a combine?

Structurally, a lingonberry harvester is a deep bucket, to which a special comb with long teeth is attached in the front part from the bottom, and a handle for holding the entire device is located on top.

The disadvantage of this model is the thin metal handle, which is uncomfortable to hold and quickly rubs calluses.

The main working body of such a device is the comb. The length of its teeth is 10-20 cm, so that in one movement you can grab and “comb” an entire lingonberry bush. The distance between the teeth is approximately 4-5 mm. It is into such gaps that the leaves and stems of the bush easily fit, but the berries no longer fit.

Practice shows that a lingonberry harvester is also suitable for harvesting cranberries, bearberries, as well as large blueberries and blueberries. Small blueberries fit between the teeth and are easily crushed. Other berries - strawberries, cloudberries, currants - cannot be harvested with such combs, since the leaves of their bushes are very large and do not fit between the teeth.

The receiving compartment of the device is blind; berries picked with a comb accumulate in it.

When working, the picker holds the scoop in his hand, brings the comb to the base of the bush and simply lifts it up. Stems, branches and leaves pass between the teeth, and the berries are torn off and rolled into the depths of the receiving chamber. At one time or another, the picker pours the berries from the harvester into a bucket or basket.

This way you can pick berries from one bush in a few seconds. When collecting manually, the same operation takes at least a minute.

In well-designed harvesters, the comb does not have sharp cutting edges and therefore does not scratch the plant stems or tear off leaves. Even the edges of the teeth are rounded and do not scratch the stems. That is, in a good case, the tool is harmless to lingonberry bushes. In many cases, when such devices are made by hand, they contain areas that are dangerous for plants, which cause damage to the bushes.

Such devices are manufactured by many manufacturers and, therefore, have different appearance and design features.

For example, Finnish MARJUKKA combines are very famous in Karelia and the Leningrad region. They are made of durable plastic and therefore are quite lightweight, but at the same time durable. The photo shows a classic version of such a device:

And here is a model for children in the form of a fox:

Its price is the same - 750 rubles.

Simpler devices can be made of steel:

and sometimes they don’t even have teeth, but simply a rounded lattice in the front part:

These are the models that are considered the safest. Already these options:

...they pick off a large number of leaves that do not fit between the teeth. It is these harvesters and their analogues that are considered poachers and it is with them that the Ministry of Natural Resources is fighting. And they are the ones that cost less (in the range of 300-400 rubles), which is why they are most popular among the population.

And on cranberry or blueberry plantations, real mobile harvesters are used:

Actually, these manual deep buckets with handles are also called manual harvesters. However, other devices for picking berries, often not at all similar to buckets, work on a similar principle.

Manual Views

They are also called a grabber, a scoop, a manual harvester or a fruit picker.
Most often used for collecting wild berries: blueberries, lingonberries, cranberries. In the garden they collect black, red and white currants and gooseberries.

Working with manual fruit pickers requires skill. Not every berry grower can immediately pick up berries without damaging the branches and stem.

A small number of leaves end up inside the bucket anyway. The stems and the bush itself remain in place without damage. The skill of carefully picking berries is developed gradually.

Design

The appearance of hand harvesters depends on the type of fruit they are intended for harvesting. There are dozens of models of berry pickers in online stores and supermarkets selling garden tools. All of them are a simple device consisting of 3 main parts:

• ladle (or scoop);

• comb-like teeth;

• handle (holder).

Sometimes a damper is added, which, when lowered, prevents the berries from rolling back out of the ladle. Some models add a thick pouch that is attached to the back wall of the ladle. Berries that fall into the bag do not spill back out. The comb is attached to the bottom edge of the bucket.

The handle is located on the opposite wall. The size of the teeth and the distance between them depends on the type of berries the device is designed to collect. The teeth have different shapes: flat, round, curved or straight, slightly pointed at the end or blunt. The gaps between them can be 3mm or more.

What materials are they made from?

According to the materials used, all manual harvesters are divided into:

• plastic;
• metal;

• combined (plastic body with metal comb);

• homemade, often metal and wooden.

Plastic harvesters are lightweight, weighing from 100 to 300 g. The handle does not put pressure on the palm and does not rub calluses. Great for kids. They enjoy the opportunity to quickly and effortlessly pick their favorite berries. The fragility of the material raises doubts: the comb will break if you accidentally apply extra force.

The metal fruit collector is reliable, the comb teeth will not break from the slightest overload. The weight of about 600g will cause some inconvenience during a long harvest.

You should pay attention to improving the handle: to make it more convenient to hold the bucket, wrap fabric or electrical tape around it. Then even long-term use will not damage your palm.

Hand harvester models

Manual berry pickers designed for collecting blueberries, lingonberries, cranberries, currants, and gooseberries are available in various models.

• Domestic "Beetle" and "Gardenia", the most popular types of manual plastic harvester. The advantages include the presence of a damper, a shaped handle, and small holes in the bottom of the bucket through which small branches and leaves fall out. Average price 300 rub.

• Option "Bug Pro". The wide inlet opening is almost doubled. The number of berries collected will increase, and the time spent on this work will decrease.

• "Marjukka" and "Kaisa" from Finland. The device is made of plastic and is more expensive than its Russian counterpart. There are holes in the bottom of the container that allow debris that gets inside along with the berries to spill out of the ladle. The rubberized handle does not slip and fits tightly to the hand. Manufacturers also offer children's options in the form of a toy hippopotamus opening its mouth. There are modifications with a pouch. Price from 600 to 1200 rubles.

• Harvesters “Blueberry” and “Cranberry” are designed taking into account the size, grouping of bushes and other characteristics of the berries intended for harvesting. The stainless steel body and teeth are durable and can withstand heavy loads. On sale you can find various modifications of these models with or without a damper. There are models with a container-bag. Cost from 600 to 1800 rubles.

• “Toropushka” is distinguished by a long sleeve for storing berries and the absence of separately protruding teeth. The metal structure of the bucket is shortened, thereby making the weight lighter. The teeth are covered with vertical partitions. Gently prying the berries, with a deft movement the nozzle rises up, and the collected fruits fall into a long bag. As the berries are filled, pour them into a bucket or other container. Price range 1200-2600 rub.

How to make it yourself

Craftsmen can easily make berry pickers with their own hands, using available materials. A metal sheet is taken, bent in the shape of the letter “P” and attached to the bottom. Holes are punched in the bottom through which small debris will fall out.

If desired, a canvas bag is tied to the back wall. A comb is attached to the bottom of the hole opposite. The teeth of the comb can be made from thick, rigid wire. The distance between the teeth depends on the size of the berries. The body can even be cut out of wood, but keep in mind that the structure will be heavy.

Some inventive craftsmen even adapt plastic bottles for picking berries, modifying the designs to suit their needs.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of manual berry pickers:

• economical cost;
• light weight;
• compactness;
• suitable for children.

Minuses:

• constant bending towards each bush, physical activity;
• a certain skill is required, which is not developed immediately.

Device for picking cranberries while standing

Such a device can be made by a master who is fluent in tools. It is quite complicated, but you can use it to pick cranberries without bending over. All the parts of the box are cut out from a piece of thick plywood, as well as the comb strip.

The comb is easy to make:

• a number of holes are drilled in the plank;
• cut the wire into pieces of the required length;
• the teeth are fixed in the holes with glue.

Note! To prevent the cranberries from spilling out during harvesting, install a movable plate.

The back wall of the bucket is made composite, the lower part is movable. It is attached to the top part on furniture hinges, and fixed to the side walls with pieces of rubber. This design allows you to stand and pour cranberries into a bucket.

To do this, one end of the rope is attached to the lid, the other is tied to a movable handle, which is bolted to a high handle made of 2 plastic tubes. Their length is determined empirically to make it convenient for the assembler.

Wooden choppers are hammered into the holes of the tubes, and plywood plates are screwed onto screws on the outside. The tubes are attached to the box using furniture corners and bolts. The connection turns out to be movable, which is very convenient when picking blueberries while standing. A narrow strip of plywood - a handle - is screwed to the top of the tubes. It is wrapped with soft cloth and electrical tape.

What is a blueberry harvester?

Before you make a device for harvesting blueberries, you need to understand what it is. A berry picker is a device that makes harvesting ripe berries much easier. With the help of such a combine, the harvesting procedure does not last several hours, but a matter of minutes.

The main element of this tool is the elongated teeth, which are shaped like ridges. The distance between the cloves is 5-8 millimeters, and the length of each of them reaches 25 centimeters. These sizes allow the comb to safely pass by the leaves and stems of blueberry bushes.

The next important detail of the product is a ladle equipped with a small handle. When harvesting ripe berries, the comb is positioned so that the teeth point upward. Then the structure is carefully pulled along each row. All berries will be automatically picked by the tines and placed in the bucket.

Details

The combine will consist of two side parts, a bottom with teeth, a back part and a top. It is also worth installing a partition that will prevent the berries from falling out.

The lower part will be rectangular. Cuts are made on one edge with a circular saw. Their length should be about six centimeters, with a gap of five millimeters between the teeth. If you have a grinding machine, you can make an improvised bend of the teeth.

The sidewalls must have one oblique cut. The bottom part will be longer than the top. Next, the lid and rear wall are made according to the dimensions of the combine.

In order for the collected berries to remain inside the device, it is necessary to install a latch on the front wall. It can be made from soft iron, plastic or rubber. This part is mounted on bolts in such a way as to be able to open. The back should also open so that the berries can be unloaded into the container.

Similar designs: rakes, scoops, shovels, combs and others

The principle of “picking” berries from herbaceous bushes is implemented in some devices, either simpler in design, or designed to further simplify the work of the picker.

For example, the simplest options are ordinary wooden scoops with long teeth on the leading edge:

Some of their options are simplified as much as possible:

And some homemade models strike an excellent balance between simplicity, cheapness and functionality. For example, here's a combine:

It is made of wire, thread and a bag, but is very compact and is not inferior in ease of use to industrial options.

In these cases, the typical combine design is simplified for the fastest possible production. However, these options have their drawbacks. For example, the scoop has low sides and if accidentally tilted, the berries easily spill out of it. And wooden ladles get dirty quickly.

In other cases, inventors are working to make it possible to use a harvester to pick berries without bending over or crawling through the forest on your knees. The simplest option in this case is a special rake:

They can be used to comb the bushes without bending over, from time to time pouring the collected berries into a bucket.

A more complex option is to combine a rake and a combine. Simply put, the combine has a long handle that allows you to change the angle of the bucket itself. The video shows an example of such a device:

And, by the way, please note: even such complex designs can be made with your own hands. And if manufactured correctly, the resulting combine will be no worse than an industrial one

Therefore, it is worth saying a few words about how to correctly implement the basic principle in such a product.

How to make a blueberry harvester

The device is assembled from plastic, wood, and metal. The berry collector is a box-shaped scoop or a cloth bag. The main working mechanism of the combine is the comb. The optimal length of the teeth is 6 cm. The width of the gaps is 5 mm. The comb can be adapted from a store-bought comb or made independently. Typically, the material for the teeth is steel wire or wooden kebab skewers.

Watch the video for more details about the homemade harvester:

Grabber for picking blueberries from a metal sheet

A durable combine is made from thin stainless steel sheets. In extreme cases, galvanizing is suitable. Consists of a scoop for collecting blueberries from a ladle and a handle. To manufacture the first element, perform the following steps:

1. A rectangular blank is cut from sheet steel. According to the drawing, the stiffener is bent. On long curved shelves, holes are drilled in increments of 5 mm, into which wire teeth will be inserted.
2. Following the drawing, a housing element is cut out of metal. The side shelves are bent, forming a U-shaped blank.
3. The teeth of the combine comb are made of stainless, bend-resistant wire 2 mm thick. The elements must have the same bend. It is more convenient to bend the teeth on a wooden template.
4. The last element of the combine bucket is the mounting block. A wooden strip 10 mm thick is drilled every 5 mm. The fastening bar will have teeth inserted into it.

When assembled, you should get a bucket, but for now without a handle.

For the handle of the combine you will need a piece of aluminum or metal-plastic pipe. The workpiece is bent in the shape of a “U”. A wooden round handle is put on one end. The second end of the pipe is inserted into a hole drilled in the center of the block. Its size is equal to the parameters of the fastening bar for the teeth.

When all the components of the combine are prepared, assembly begins. First, the bucket is assembled. The body is connected to a stiffener and a fastening bar. Self-tapping screws and rivets are used for fixation. Wire teeth are placed in the holes with glue so that they do not fall out. The handle is attached with a block to a fastening block fixed on the bucket. Two wooden elements are tightened with self-tapping screws.

A ready-made scoop for picking blueberries is tested in action. If the teeth seriously injure the blueberry branches, check the gaps. Perhaps some elements are bent and tightly pinching the shoots.

Wooden blueberry picker

A simple DIY blueberry harvester is made from plywood. Essentially, the device resembles an excavator bucket. 5 blanks are cut out of plywood: side elements of the same shape and size, top cover, back plug and bottom comb. Four fragments can be easily cut out with a jigsaw. The difficulty lies in making the fifth part - the comb. On a rectangular piece of plywood, teeth are precisely marked with the same gap. Each cut is made carefully so as not to break the comb element.

The blanks are connected to each other with self-tapping screws. A U-shaped handle is attached to the top cover of the combine bucket. It is made from a thin tube or steel plate.

Blueberry harvester from a plastic bottle

A primitive harvester can quickly be built from PET containers. The bottle will act as a fruit collector for blueberries and a comb. If you come across a fruitful bush while walking in the forest, but don’t have a combine harvester with you, you should look in your backpack. Ketchup, kefir or other bottled product taken on a picnic will have to be used quickly. If you have a choice, it is advisable to take a rigid container with a wide neck of small volume. Additionally, you will need a stick, which is not in short supply in the forest, a piece of rope or tape. Tools you need are a knife or scissors and a marker.

Having laid the bottle on its side, use a marker to draw a window in the form of a flag on the side wall. The working side, with its teeth directed towards the bottom of the container, is shaped like the English letter “W”. According to the marking, a fragment is cut out with a knife or scissors. The edges of the comb are sharp enough to cut blueberries. The stiffer the wall of the bottle, the stronger the comb will be.

The cut out fragment is thrown away. It is not needed for the combine. The bottle is tightly tied to the stick with the bottom up. It is advisable to use tape. The bottle will slide off the rope. Harvesting is carried out by pulling the device along the branches. A sharp blueberry comb cuts the berries with three teeth, and they roll into the neck of the bottle. When the fruit collector is full, unscrew the plug. The berries are poured into the bag through the wide neck.

What devices are there for picking blueberries?

A berry picker is a device that allows you to harvest large volumes of crops in a short time. The device has different operating techniques, differs in structure and level of mechanization. Here, the main thing is that the blueberry picking machine works efficiently and causes as little damage to the bushes as possible.

Among the variety of fruit pickers available on the market, we can separately highlight a list of models that are distinguished by their long service life, ease of use and additional capabilities.

Harvester K-1

This metal device from a domestic manufacturer has proven itself exclusively on the positive side. The device is chosen for its increased level of reliability and durability. It can be used for both blueberries and cranberries. During harvesting, the crop enters the container without any damage, intact and safe.

Harvesting berries is quick and easy

Bug

This blueberry picking machine is made of plastic. It is recommended to use it carefully, otherwise it may be damaged. This device is suitable not only for blueberries, but also lingonberries and cranberries. The dimensions of the device together with the comb are 13x23x15 cm.

The universal fruit picker harvests the crop quickly and efficiently

Pigasov combine

This design for harvesting blueberries is very popular among pickers. It is valued for its relatively inexpensive cost, versatility of use (currant, rosehip) and ease of use. The device is made of metal and galvanized wire, which acts as a comb. This scoop for picking blueberries is covered with a completely glossy paint, its weight is only 400 g, and its dimensions are 12x24.5x8 cm. The distance between the rods in the comb is 5 mm.

Budget berry picker with high productivity

Plastex

The device does not cause any difficulties during operation. It can be used together with a telescopic handle, which greatly simplifies the work of harvesting ripe berries.

Harvesting is easy and relaxed

Alko

The device is equipped with a removable handle and a bag for collecting small berries (cranberries, blueberries, lingonberries, sea buckthorn, currants, gooseberries). The device is made of high-quality materials, which explains its long service life. The blueberry picking machine consists of a handle-holder, a bag and a comb; they are made of plastic and textile.

The device easily attaches to a belt or backpack and has a comfortable handle.

Peculiarities of picking blueberries and strawberries

Picking blueberries and wild strawberries is a labor-intensive and painstaking process. The berries are small, the bushes are low and grow densely. Harvesting by hand is incredibly difficult - you literally have to pick out one berry from the entire greenery. In this case, you need to stand bending towards the ground.

Blueberry picking

Most often, blueberries are found in pine and small-leaved forests. Finding a berry bush is quite simple: a clear sign of the presence of shrubs is a wild plant - wild rosemary. It has a distinct smell, which will become your guide.

There are also cultivated varieties of blueberries that gardeners grow in their summer cottages. The bushes of such plants are taller, but less common, and the berries are larger, and therefore it is much more convenient to collect them than forest ones.

Hand picking blueberries in the forest

Bushes can reach an age of 40 years. The oldest ones occupy a large area and have a spreading shape. They bear a lot of berries, but they are smaller than those on young plants.

The most delicious and healthy fruits grow on young animals, whose age does not exceed 10 years. They have thin green twigs, and thick side branches are practically absent.

It is recommended to collect blueberries in small plastic buckets or baskets. It is not worth pouring the harvested crop from one container to another, since the berries, although strong, are easily damaged. You should not pick blueberries after rain; it is better to choose dry morning weather.

Collection of forest and garden strawberries

Picking strawberries also has its own characteristics. Both a wild forest and a garden berry, it loves well-lit, open areas. Ripe and ready-to-eat fruits have a bright red color and are easily separated from the stalk.

Hand harvesting strawberries

The fruit cups can be removed immediately, or the berries can be sorted later. The best time to pick strawberries is in the morning, when the dew has dried. The fruits must be collected in small containers of 2-3 kg. It is not recommended to overspray; the berries are soft and easily damaged.

Vacuum apparatus

The device is suitable for collecting garden, wild berries and even nuts. The operating principle of a vacuum unit is similar to that of a conventional vacuum cleaner.

Design

The device consists of a plastic body to which is attached a nozzle in the form of a long tube ending in a comb. When the end of the pipe is brought to the berry bush, the fruits are picked up with a comb.

Then, using a gasoline engine, the nozzles are driven inside and into a bunker designed for collecting berries. And leaves and branches that accidentally get inside are blown back out. The device is attached to the berry picker's back using straps and resembles a backpack.

The operating principle of the vacuum collector is simple, does not require special skills and is suitable for berries of almost any size.

Models

• The AP BMP combine harvester in Vologda is the most popular vacuum berry picker on the domestic market. The kit includes additional attachments: for lingonberries, blueberries and for cranberries and garden berries. It is also used for collecting currants and gooseberries. It also works with hazelnuts. The length of the air duct hose is 1.2 meters. Unit weight 10 kg. This combine has no competitors on the Russian market.
• Italian mechanisms of the Cifarelli brand can be used to collect berries and nuts. The kit does not include attachments. The engine runs on gasoline. Weight is about 13 kg.

Foreign analogues are focused more on harvesting olives and grapes.

Other models of vacuum harvesters are assembled in a handicraft manner based on a single patent. The basis is a conventional vacuum cleaner with a tube, an air duct and a spacious compartment for collecting debris.

Advantages and disadvantages

Pros:

• does not interfere with movement;
• hands remain free;
• no need to bend over to every bush;
• The speed of picking berries increases and less effort is spent.

Minuses:

• the cost is about 30-37 thousand rubles.