As the name suggests, the sea buckthorn has thorns. So you have to be a bit careful when harvesting. These 3 ways to harvest show how to do it smoothly.
In autumn, the sea buckthorn bears many orange-colored berries that are extremely rich in vitamins and juicy. Sea buckthorn berries can be eaten raw, but only really taste good after they have been processed into juice, compote or dried fruit. However, before the harvest was successful, the garden god put the thorns on the branches. So you need a harvesting method that protects your hands from severe scratches and injuries. How it works? We looked around at the pros and reveal the best tips and tricks for the sea buckthorn harvest!
When is sea buckthorn ripe?
The harvest time is from August to October, depending on the variety. You can tell when the time is right by the color: the berries of the sea buckthorn turn bright orange, orange-red or orange-yellow. As the color fades, the fruit will become soft, mushy and begin to ferment. In principle, you can still harvest after October, but then the birds are often quicker - because sea buckthorn berries are popular bird food.
How to harvest sea buckthorn
Option 1 - put on gloves & pick panicles:
The branches of the sea buckthorn are studded with innumerable long and sharp thorns. Just reaching into it is not a good decision! Sturdy gloves are a must if you don't want to hurt yourself. Protect your clothes too, as the berries burst easily and the juice leaves stubborn stains. Then pick or cut off the individual panicles. You can then scrape off the berries with a fork and collect them in a container for further processing.
Option 2 - place the tarpaulin underneath & shake it vigorously:
Put a large tarp or old sheet around the sea buckthorn bush. Then shake the branches or hit the side of the lower, stable branches with a wooden stick. The ripe berries detach and fall to the ground. Sounds brutal, but works quite well.
Option 3 - cut and freeze branches:
And this is how the professionals harvest: Cut off the branches, the fruitwear and freeze the sprigs overnight. The cold does not harm the taste. The next day, remove the harvest from the freezer and shake off the frozen berries. The fruit detaches easily when frozen. With this method, you can also trim your sea buckthorn bush at the same time.
Sea buckthorn as an autumn eye-catcher in the apartment
Sea buckthorn sprigs with berries look really great in a vase! So if you are less interested in the taste and vitamin content than in the look, simply cut off a few particularly beautiful branches and decorate your table with them. Sea buckthorn also looks good in an autumnal arrangement or door wreath. There are no limits to your imagination here. Leave a few berries on the bush for the birds to eat.
What are sea buckthorn berries good for?
You can squeeze juice, cook compote or mix sea buckthorn berries with other fruits into jellies and jams. The berries also fit in the cake batter, in smoothies or can be dried.