How to collect sea buckthorn

A not very large shrub of the Lough family attracts attention with berries of a saturated bright yellow hue. This is sea buckthorn.

Some botanical information

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

The shrub is spread over a rather large territory, starting from the western and eastern regions of Siberia up to the south of the European part of our country, the Caucasus, Moldova and Ukraine. Sea buckthorn begins to bloom in late spring. Self-pollinating by wind.

If you look closely at the location of the fruits of the bush, you can see that the berries on the branches are almost close to each other, as if clinging to a 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 knew how to properly pick berries during ripening, used their medicinal properties in full. Ancient Greek athletes and warriors ate berries in the belief that they would give them strength and courage. Even horses preferred to graze near the bush, their hair and mane began to shine and gained luster.

Harvesting principles

Today, sea buckthorn takes pride of place among healthy products. The scope 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. Thorny branches and small fruit size interfere. Many start collecting, but do not finish the work, the berries remain on the bush. Gardeners ask themselves: “Is it possible to collect sea buckthorn quickly and painlessly?” It turns out you can.

The first condition is to harvest the fruits immediately after the onset of the first cold weather, until the berries are very soft, and do not choke when tearing off the branch. In each region of our country, the ripening and harvesting of sea buckthorn is different, depending on the geographical location and weather conditions.

In addition to the climate, the purpose of the harvested berries, i.e. purpose of their use. If sea buckthorn is going for compote, jam, juice or just for food, then you need to get down to 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 is mid-autumn.

You can quickly gain useful fruits if you follow some rules.

1. It is advisable to collect from top to bottom, from the top of the bush gradually descending to the lower branches.
2. To avoid getting berry juice irritating the skin, you need to wear old things. Hands must be protected with gloves.
3. Use auxiliary devices for harvesting fruit.

Simple devices for collecting sea buckthorn

Since sea buckthorn has healing properties, gives the body a lot of vitamins and nutrients, almost all gardeners try to pick it up. For these purposes, various devices are invented that help in the quick harvest of berries.

1. The simplest and most common way is to hit 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 are knocked with a stick and ripened berries are poured down on the substrate.The crop is poured into a prepared container, for example, wooden boxes.
2. Some gardeners do not want to use tools because the berries are damaged, so they pick them manually. Labor is facilitated by hanging a bucket of berries under the neck. Of course, this is a very time-consuming process, but the result obtained is worth it.
3. Over the years, summer residents have come up with several types of devices. They are the best harvest assistants. This, for example, a loop, a scraper, scissors and a tin tube. The loop is made of thin steel wire and connected to a handle from a wooden beam. The loop is fixed to the edge of the branch, then a sharp movement is made, and the berries are quickly cut. Under the bush, a container must be placed in advance. The scraper is made of aluminum wire. To do this, take a piece half a meter long, in its middle bend a curl resembling a spring. The ends of the device align and bend in one direction at a right angle. The device clamps the branch into a curl and, moving it down, remove the berries. The disadvantage of the device is a large number of crushed berries. If collected for the purpose of processing into juice, then it is better not to use a scraper.
4. Some gardeners do not bother to make devices; they pick berries with scissors, a blade and a special glove. But first, branches are cut from the bush, only then comes the turn of the fruits. The berries are covered with sugar and boiled jam, which has excellent taste.
5. There is one more effective way to quickly collect berries in the arsenal of sea buckthorn connoisseurs - 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, a plastic bag is attached to the device. The process of assembling the fruit consists in bringing the device to the berries, pressing the peduncle with the tube - and the berries are in the bag. The collection technology using a tin tube seems very simple, but there are some nuances. Hand movements should be quick, and fingers dexterous.
6. In rare cases, resort to harvesting with forceps. But this is not a very convenient and fast way.

Harvesting sea buckthorn berries is a very difficult procedure, the shrub carefully guards its fruits with dense, prickly branches from hunters for the healing power of its fruits. 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 bush there is a unique element - beta-carotene, which has an effective effect on various glands of the body. For example, this element helps reduce pain in people with pancreatic disorders.

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

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

What sea buckthorn products are used in medical practice?

Based on the healing properties of the fruits of the bush, various preparations are made, which can often be found on the shelves of pharmacies. For example, sea buckthorn oil and even jam.

Sea buckthorn oil is widespread among ophthalmologists. Treatment with its use is prescribed for various eye diseases and burns of these organs. Better than a doctor, this product will cure various wounds and erosions. Patients with a stomach ulcer and duodenal ulcer can also resort to this tool. It actively helps with colds, chronic sinusitis, rhinitis and relieves toothache.

Useful properties are possessed not only by berries, but also by leaves, bark, branches of a bush. Having made an infusion of them, you can get a good hair balm. Its 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 be taken into account, berries and products based on them must be used very carefully so as not to harm their health.

Video: do-it-yourself sea buckthorn collection tool