The fans of delicious elderberries can hardly wait for the much-awaited harvest time every year. The calendar provides an indication of when ripe fruit can be expected. How you know the exact start date will no longer be hidden from you here.
When is the harvest time for elderberries?
The elderberry harvest season begins in August and extends into September, with the exact start date depending on the weather and ripeness of the fruit. The harvest ends at the latest when the leaves of the elderberry bushes fall.
Harvest season starts in August
If the summer weather has been within normal parameters so far, the first ripe berries can be expected in August. Now the fruit branches bend towards the ground under the aromatic load. The collection period for elderberries extends well into September. Equipped with a washable basket, sharp scissors and gloves, the experts get into action. You should pay attention to these tips:
- only harvest completely colored cones
- cut off the entire umbel including the fruit stalk with scissors
- reddish shimmering elderberries are poisonous and are picked out
Resist the temptation to snack on the raw fruits. The purple-black berries contain a toxin that only breaks down after cooking. Red elderberries should even be pitted because their seeds remain toxic even after heating.
Harvest season ends with leaf fall
Regardless of the calendar date, the beautiful elderberry season ends at the latest when the leaves fall. All types of elderberry shed their fruits including the leaves. Smart hobby gardeners quickly pick the bush empty and quickly freeze the harvest until it is processed.
Tips & Tricks
Anyone who collects elderberries in the wild should familiarize themselves with the differences between the harmless black elderberry and the poisonous dwarf elderberry. If in doubt, avoid any herbaceous plant with apparently ripe fruits if it also smells miserable. The dangerous parakeet also has its berry umbels pointing upwards and not hanging like its big brother.
