How to collect sea buckthorn

Not a very large shrub of the Lochaceae family attracts the attention with the berries of a rich bright yellow shade. This is sea buckthorn.

Little botanical information

Sea buckthorn has sweeping thorny branches with leaves of elongated type of grayish-white and green. The maximum height of the plant reaches 6 meters.

The shrub is spread over a fairly large area, ranging from the western and eastern regions of Siberia all the way to the south of the European part of our country, the Caucasus, Moldova and Ukraine. Sea buckthorn begins to bloom in late spring. Selfed by wind.

If you look at the location of the fruit of the shrub, you can see that the berries on the branches are very close to each other, as if sticking around the plant.It is because of this feature that the shrub got its name - sea buckthorn. Its berries are a whole complex of vitamins that fill the human body with energy and health.

History tour

Sea buckthorn was very popular in ancient Greece. The Greeks were able to pick berries properly during ripening, using their healing properties in full. Ancient Greek athletes and warriors ate berries, believing that they would give them strength and courage. Even horses preferred to graze near the bush, their fur and mane began to shine and acquire shine.

Principles of harvesting

Today, sea buckthorn takes pride of place among healthy products. The area of ​​its application is quite wide, berries are used in medicine, cosmetics and culinary dishes.

Sea buckthorn is a very tasty and healthy berry, but it is difficult to collect it. Prickly branches and the small size of fruits prevent. Many people start picking, but they don’t finish the work until the end, the berries remain on the bush. Gardeners are wondering: "Is it possible to collect sea buckthorn quickly and painlessly?". It turns out you can.

The first condition is the harvesting of fruits immediately after the onset of the first cold weather, while the berries are not very soft, and they do not choke when taken from the branch. In each region of our country, the time of ripening and gathering of sea buckthorn is different, depending on the geographical location and weather conditions.

In addition to the climate, the purpose of harvested berries, i.e. purpose of their use. If sea buckthorn is going to compote, jam, juice, or just for food, then it’s necessary to start a business at the beginning of ripening. If you plan to get marmalade or sea buckthorn oil, then autumn is the best time for this, the berries will be more juicy and ripe. The best option - the middle of autumn.

You can quickly get useful fruit, if you follow some rules.

1. It is advisable to collect the collection from the top down, from the top of the shrub, gradually descending to the lower branches.
2. In order to avoid getting berry juice, irritating the skin, you must wear old things. Hands must be protected with gloves.
3. Use auxiliary devices for harvesting fruits.

Simple tools for collecting sea buckthorn

Since sea buckthorn has healing properties, it provides the body with many vitamins and nutrients, almost all gardeners are trying to collect it. For these purposes, come up with a variety of devices that help in quick harvesting of berries.

1. The easiest and most common way is to strike the trunk and branches of a bush with a stick. Previously, the soil under the bush is covered with a film, acrylic or cloth, then they knock with a stick and the ripe berries are poured down onto the backing. Crop is poured into a previously prepared container, for example, wooden boxes.
2. Some gardeners do not want to use tools because the berries are damaged, so they are harvested by hand. Labor is made easier with the help of a bucket hung around the neck under the berries. Of course, this is a very laborious process, but the result is worth it.
3. Over the years of practice, gardeners have come up with several types of devices. They are the best assistants in harvesting. This, for example, loop, scraper, scissors and tin tube. The loop is made of thin steel wire and connected to the handle of a wooden beam. The loop is fixed to the edge of the branch, then a sudden movement is made, and the berries are quickly cut.Under the bush should be pre-set capacity. The scraper is made of aluminum wire. To do this, take a piece half a meter long, in the middle of it curl a curl that resembles a spring. The ends of the device align and bend in one direction at a right angle. The device clamps the branch into the curl and, moving it down, remove the berries. The lack of devices - a large number of crushed berries. If collected for the purpose of processing the juice, then the scraper is better not to use.
4. Some gardeners do not bother to make fixtures, they pick berries with scissors, a blade and a special glove. But beforehand the branches are cut from the bush, only then the line of fruits comes. The berries are covered with sugar and jam, which has excellent taste.
5. There is one more effective way to quickly pick berries in service with connoisseurs of sea buckthorn - a tube made of a tin plate. The tin tube reaches a length of 10 cm, its diameter should be slightly larger than the size of the berries. On the one hand attach the plastic bag to the device. The process of assembling the fruit is to bring the device to the berries, press the tube on the stem - and the berries are in the package.The technology of collecting using a tin tube seems very simple, but there are some nuances here too. Hand movements should be quick and fingers should be deft.
6. In rare cases, resort to harvesting with forceps. But this is not very convenient and fast way.

Harvesting sea buckthorn berries is a very difficult procedure, the shrub carefully guards its fruits with thick, thorny branches from hunters for the healing power of its fruits. The berries are firmly attached to the shoots, and their thin skin makes the process difficult. But the result justifies all the effort.

Sea buckthorn as a remedy for all diseases

In the fruits of the shrub there is a unique element - beta-carotene, which has an effective effect on the various glands of the body. For example, this element helps to reduce pain in people with disorders in the pancreas.

Berries help in the treatment of avitaminosis, anemia, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, heart and blood vessels.

An integral component of the berries are vitamins. In combination, they will help to slow down the aging process, prevent the accumulation of toxic substances in the body and generally increase the life expectancy.

What sea buckthorn products are used in medical practice?

Based on the healing properties of the fruits of the shrub, they make various preparations that can often be found on the shelves of pharmacies. For example, sea buckthorn oil and even jam.

Sea buckthorn oil has become widespread among ophthalmologists. Treatment with its use is prescribed for various diseases of the eye and burns of these organs. Better doctor this product will cure various wounds and erosion. Patients with gastric and duodenal ulcers may also resort to this remedy. It actively helps with colds, chronic sinusitis, rhinitis and relieves toothache.

Not only berries have useful properties, but also leaves, bark, branches of a bush. By making an infusion of them, you can get a good hair conditioner. Regular use will help get rid of dandruff.

An exception

Of course, sea buckthorn is undoubtedly a valuable plant with unique beneficial substances. But he, like any drug, has side effects. Sea buckthorn can cause severe allergies. This circumstance must of course be taken into account; berries and products based on them must be used very carefully in order not to harm their health.

Video: do-it-yourself sea buckthorn tool