They shine orange, are extremely juicy and are considered extremely rich in vitamins - the berries of the sea buckthorn. The wrong harvesting method can quickly become sweaty, injury-prone and dirty. But how do you do it right?
How to harvest sea buckthorn correctly?
Sea buckthorn berries are best harvested between September and October. Wear gloves and cut off the fruit-bearing branches. Freeze the branches at home and later shake off the berries or strip them with a fork. Spreading a tarpaulin under the bush and shaking it also helps to collect berries.
When is the best time?
The sea buckthorn berries are usually ripe and ready for harvest between September and October. Some varieties such as Sirola and Hergo ripen in August.
In principle, the harvest is possible until December or, if you're lucky, until spring. But waiting brings with it the risk that the fruit will start to ferment, taste rancid or be eaten by wild animals.
The berries are ripe when they have acquired their bright orange to orange-yellow color. As soon as the color of the fruits fades or fades, they lose quality and their taste suffers.
It's all about the technology
Harvesting sea buckthorn berries is not one of the easiest things to do in the garden. Due to the numerous thorns on the branches, injuries can quickly occur when picking. For this reason, you should wear gloves when harvesting, such as sturdy rose gloves (€17.00 on Amazon). There is also a risk that the berries will burst and the juice will ruin your clothes.
And this is how the professionals do it: The fruit-bearing branches are cut off with secateurs and frozen at home. The next day or later, they are removed from the freezer and the berries are shaken off. An alternative is to cut off the branches and scrape off the berries with a fork.
In addition, you can spread a tarpaulin under the supporting sea buckthorn bush. Then gently shake the bush, causing the ripe berries to fall. Then they just need to be picked up.
And after the harvest?
If you cut off all the branches, you won't have to cut back the bush later. Many kitchen creations can be made with the berries. They can be eaten raw, but are usually not to the taste of most people.
They are suitable, among others:
- as dried fruit
- for juices, smoothies and liqueurs
- as cake fruit
- for making jelly, compote and jam
- use the seeds included to propagate
- use the fruit-covered branches as decoration in the vase
Tips & Tricks
If the bright orange berries are not picked, local birds and small mammals like to attack them. They therefore represent a valuable source of food for overwintering in our region.