How to pick sea buckthorn quickly, equipment for picking berries, video

Not knowing how to quickly and easily pick sea buckthorn berries from the branches, many gardeners refuse to grow sea buckthorn trees on their plots. It’s just difficult to pick small berries from thorny branches with your hands. Ripe fruits burst in your hands, and the needles scratch your fingers. To overcome such difficulties, special devices were invented for collecting sea buckthorn, which you can make with your own hands or buy in a store. Detailed instructions and video clips in the article will help you choose a method, a suitable device and determine the timing of harvesting healthy berries in your region.

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).

Harvest dates

When to harvest sea buckthorn depends on several factors: the climate of the area and the conditions created by it, the timing of the ripening of the variety, and how you plan to use the collected berries.

Depending on the variety

The berries will ripen no earlier than they should according to the characteristics of the variety. But in any case, they are collected only when ripe or overripe. Ripe ones are eaten fresh or used to make compotes, jams, or make preparations. They are bright yellow, with a dense skin, quite hard, and contain relatively little juice. When removed, they are almost not damaged.

To obtain juice or oil, you will need overripe berries, so they are left on the tree for another 2 weeks. By the time they are harvested, they turn a bright orange color, become soft and easy to crush. You can leave the berries hanging on the branches until frost; when frozen, they become sweeter.

Depending on the region of growth

The further south the region in which the tree grows is located, the earlier the berries will begin to ripen. There are no exact dates for harvesting sea buckthorn, but it roughly looks like this: in the Moscow region and central Russia - in the 2nd half or late August-early September, in the Urals and Altai - in mid-September, in Siberia - at the end of September. In the southern regions and the Caucasus it can be collected starting from the end of July.

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.

When does sea buckthorn ripen?

The harvest and ripening time of sea buckthorn fruits depend on many factors. On average, there are two periods in one year of sea buckthorn ripening when you need to start picking berries:

the last ten days of August, at this moment the fruits are at the initial stage of ripeness;
end of September, at this stage the late ripening harvest can be harvested.

These designations are rather conditional due to the influence of natural and climatic factors.

Variety

The ripening time varies for each variety. They are mainly divided into three groups:

Early ripening. The fruits ripen in the last week of August.
Mid-season. Terms of berry formation: third ten days of August - second week of September.
Late ripening. The plant begins to bear fruit in the second decade of September.

Pollination is also of great importance, so male and female specimens should grow in close proximity.

Region of growth

It is important to take into account the varietal characteristics of the crop and choose the right species adapted for growing in a given region. Flowering in the northern regions begins later, in contrast to areas with a warm climate, where early varieties of sea buckthorn predominate.

In central Russia, sea buckthorn varieties of European selection have proven well, as they are able to withstand sudden climate changes. These include the following types:

Nivelena;
Augustine;
Botanical amateur;
Giant.

Varieties for growing in the Moscow region should have similar characteristics, since the climate is characterized by a sharp alternation of frosts with long thaws in winter. Such crops include:

Botanical aromatic;
Rowan;
Pepper;
Muscovite;
Moscow beauty;
Gift to the garden;
Excellent.

In Siberia and the Urals you can find free-growing wild sea buckthorn, which means that the climate of these areas is perfect for varieties that can withstand extreme cold and lack of moisture. In the Urals, species that are distinguished by their resistance to low temperatures and productivity have proven themselves well:

Giant;
Otradnaya;
Elizabeth;
Chanterelle.

In Siberia, the main criterion that is taken into account when selecting varieties is high frost resistance. Suitable for cultivation in the northern regions:

Altai News;
Siberian blush;
Chuyskaya;
Orange;
Pepper, a variety of Leningrad selection.

In the village of Shulginka, Altai Territory, there is a company processing and growing sea buckthorn. There they produce oils, extracts and other biological preparations from the fruits and leaves of medicinal plants.

Weather

Ripening time directly depends on weather conditions. If the summer is hot and without rain, then the harvest can be harvested much earlier. In wet weather, fruit ripeness will occur later.

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.

How to collect sea buckthorn?

In order not to spend a lot of time collecting, modern gardeners have found many devices that make the process easier. When figuring out how to properly collect sea buckthorn from branches, you need to understand what can come to the rescue during this work. Savvy gardeners use:

forceps;
cobra;
slingshot;
scraper;
gloves.

Sea buckthorn tongs

The device resembles a scraper, but with straight jaws. To solve the question of how to quickly collect sea buckthorn from a tree, this option is not suitable. Using tongs, remove each berry separately, which takes time. This harvesting method is for patient people who want an undamaged and completely clean harvest. You can make tongs yourself from thick wire. It is bent in half into a ring, forming a spring. You can fold it into a triangle shape and bend the edges. A similar device is used to collect berries for sale.

Cobra for collecting sea buckthorn

One of the popular devices, which got its name due to its resemblance to a snake. In order to understand how to collect sea buckthorn quickly, you can make a similar device. To make it yourself, take a branch about 15 cm long, thin steel wire, a small nail and electrical tape. A nail is driven into the upper part of the branch, to which a loop is attached, resembling a candle and wrapped with electrical tape at the bottom. Thanks to the long handle, this device can be used to harvest crops in the most difficult to reach places.

Slingshot for collecting sea buckthorn

This device is similar to a fork, but has some differences. To understand how to quickly collect sea buckthorn from branches with its help, you need to know how to make and use it. The device is similar to the previous one; a string of fishing line is stretched between two bases. If you have a vegetable peeler, you can use it by simply removing the knife and pulling on the string. You need to work carefully so as not to damage all future fruit buds. Harvesting is very simple: hold a branch with one hand, and place a tool in the other, which is used to cut the fruits into a pre-prepared container.

Scraper for collecting sea buckthorn

The device is a thick wire, the middle of which is twisted into a spring consisting of two or three turns, the ends should be bent like a poker. For manufacturing, it is better to use steel wire with aluminum braid; it should be elastic, but not thin. The result is something between tongs and hooks. Having made such a device, the question of how to quickly collect sea buckthorn from the branches will no longer arise. It’s easy to use: while the device moves along the branch, it is compressed between the jaws. The berries fall into the prepared container.

Glove for collecting sea buckthorn

There is an almost professional tool for picking small berries. Seeing these gloves, it’s easy to understand how you can quickly collect sea buckthorn. Each finger ends with a metal cap, and a thin wire is stretched between them. This device can easily cut off the entire crop, and you can make it yourself. They take mechanic gloves, dip their fingers in molten wax, cover them with bronze and solder the bolts for the fishing line. Such a product will be cheaper and can be improved to solve the problem of how to collect sea buckthorn quickly and easily.

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.

How to Determine When You Can Harvest

It is recommended to begin harvesting fruits as soon as the first frosts end. The round shape, bright color and tight fit to each other are a clear sign of ripeness of the berries. If you wait to collect, the sea buckthorn will become soft and, when picked, will immediately be crushed in your hands.

Before harvesting, it is worth deciding on their further use. If the purpose of collecting is to make compote, jam, or use immediately, then you should start in the first days of ripening, when the berries are not yet so soft.

When you need to make marmalade or butter, it is recommended to wait until the berries are saturated with moisture and become juicy.

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.

Dried storage

If there is no possibility of storing it fresh or canned, then it is allowed to dry sea buckthorn. This way the crop will also not lose its taste characteristics. It is recommended to dry not only fruits, but also foliage with particles of tree bark. To store it in a dried state, it is necessary to spread the leaves and bark on a smooth surface and leave it in a thoroughly ventilated, dark place with low humidity.

After waiting a few days, the raw materials can be poured into a prepared bag. The shelf life of raw materials is about 5 years without loss of original characteristics.

To dry the sea buckthorn itself, you will need to perform more steps. First you need to sort through the harvested crop, remove damaged specimens, wash thoroughly and wait until dry. Then a solution is prepared from a teaspoon of soda and 1 liter of water, heated almost to boiling.

The berries are placed in the soda mixture for 5-10 seconds and immediately washed with warm water. When the harvest dries a little, it remains to be laid out on a baking sheet in the oven and covered with paper. In order for the sea buckthorn to dry quickly, the oven should be preheated to 35-40 degrees and wait 2-3 hours. It is recommended to store the dried crop at a temperature of 18 degrees.

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.

Harvest canning

Sea buckthorn berries can be preserved to keep them fresh. To do this, you need to rinse the fruits well, mix with sugar and grind in a meat grinder. The proportion of sugar to harvest is 0.7:1 kg. Mixed products should be transferred to sterilized glass containers and left in a dark room with a temperature of about 0-5 degrees. Canning can also be done in the following ways:

Pour the washed fruits into containers and fill to the top with heated syrup. Close the containers with airtight lids and turn them upside down. After waiting for complete cooling, remove the glass container to the basement or refrigerator.
Pour sea buckthorn into jars and place in a bowl filled with hot water. The jars need to be covered with lids and kept in boiling water until the sea buckthorn begins to release juice and falls to the bottom. After 15 minutes, you will need to remove the jars from the water and close tightly.

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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Collection methods

Many people like to use sea buckthorn, but few people want to collect it. You can buy already processed products, but this is a certain risk. The bush often grows near the road, so when purchasing you cannot be sure of the environmental friendliness of the product. It’s easier to grow sea buckthorn on your own plot or choose a bush away from the road.

The name “sea buckthorn” is translated from Greek as “shiny horse.” In ancient Greece, sick and weak horses were nursed with the help of its leaves. Valuable animals, under the influence of the plant, became plump and shiny.

The difficulty lies in the fact that the berries adhere firmly to the branch, and are protected by sharp needles. There are several ways to help simplify this task.

During frosts

One of the simplest and most common methods. Frozen berries are easily removed and do not burst. It is enough to knock on the branches and shake them so that they themselves fall onto the prepared tarpaulin. Light frosts are not suitable for this method. The sea buckthorn must freeze from the inside. This is the method used on an industrial scale.

Pros: the berries will become sweeter and will definitely not burst during the picking process.
Disadvantages: the method is suitable for processing, the fruits cannot be eaten fresh, they become more watery.

You need to plant female and male sea buckthorn trees at a distance of about ten meters from each other. It will be possible to harvest only from female ones. If you arrange them in a circle, one male tree will be enough to pollinate eight plants.

Pick sea buckthorn with your hands

The most difficult, time-consuming and dangerous method for health, as it is easy to prick yourself with needles. However, it is not very productive. The berries burst in your fingers.

Cutting berries with small scissors

Helps preserve fruits, but still requires a lot of time and effort.

Cutting branches with sea buckthorn with pruning shears

One of the most effective ways. Cut branches should be placed in the freezer for a day. After this, the berries will be easy to remove. This method is often used at home.

When pruning, it is important not to harm the tree. You need to choose “blind branches”, without leaves at the end. Also, you should not cut everything at once, otherwise there is a risk of being left without a harvest next year. With this harvesting method, you need to give the tree a break to recover - it is better not to use it every year.

Squeezing juice directly from branches

The ideal time is October or November. It is enough to place a clean container and slowly move along the branch from base to tip, crushing the berries. The resulting juice must be filtered.

Be sure to work with thick gloves. With prolonged contact, sea buckthorn juice can corrode the skin. It is important to protect your hands from it and from sharp needles. It is better to wear unnecessary clothes or use an apron. Sea buckthorn stains practically cannot be washed off.

Collection of sea buckthorn leaves

This is what a special device for collecting small berries, which includes sea buckthorn, looks like. This device can be purchased at the store; some gardeners make them themselves.
The leaves of this plant are widely used for culinary (as a seasoning) and medicinal purposes: for atherosclerosis, hypertension, and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Leaves collected around early to mid-June - at the beginning of flowering - are considered the most valuable.

Sea buckthorn leaves contain 10% tannin, that is, they have astringent and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, they contain ascorbic acid, tannins, as well as serotonin - the pleasure hormone, the strongest neurotransmitter. Healing infusions and tinctures, decoctions, and teas are prepared from sea buckthorn leaves.

To prepare for future use, the leaves should be spread in a thin layer on thick paper and dried in a draft, protected from sunlight. This is done on the balcony, attic, veranda. From time to time you need to stir the raw materials so that they do not become moldy. Store dried leaves in places with low air humidity in well-ventilated cardboard boxes and canvas bags.