Berry picking. Tips for berry growers What berries are picked in October

Strawberries, red and black currants, gooseberries, cherries, cherries, raspberries, actinidia, blueberries... One after another, the berries are ripening in the garden. Here it is - a natural pharmacy of good health!

Summer is truly rich in gifts. In addition, most fruits and berries are excellent both fresh and processed. And our task is to process the entire harvest and prepare it for the winter for everyone by known methods and means. It’s not for nothing that they say that a summer day feeds the year. Home preparations for the winter or for the future were always made. Even archaeological excavations confirm this: people in different parts of the world at all times tried to store food for future use. If in ancient White Rus' mushrooms, cucumbers and tomatoes were salted in every yard, then only wealthy families could afford jam: sugar was very expensive.

Today, any salad, compote or jam can be bought in the store at any time of the year. But despite this, there is practically no family that does not traditionally make homemade preparations.

Canning was invented by the Frenchman Nicolas François Appéroux. He accidentally discovered that juice boiled in a closed jar did not spoil longer.

Homemade preparations are a very serious matter, and you need to approach it with all responsibility. And also - with soul. In addition, this activity is very exciting and extremely useful! And in order for everything to be done correctly, let's listen to the recommendations of Maria Maksimenko, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, head of the storage and processing department of the Republican Unitary Enterprise "Institute of Fruit Growing."

Natalya TYSHKEVICH, presenter of the “Garden and Vegetable Garden” episode.

Summer in a jar

Maria Grigorievna, my favorite winter treat is jam. How to cook it correctly?

- Jam is a product made from whole or evenly chopped fruits, boiled in a clear, non-coloring sugar syrup. Success largely depends on the right utensils. The best is a brass (commonly called copper) basin. You cannot cook in an enamel container. The slightest crack - and iron will get into the jam, causing both coloring and appearance it will deteriorate sharply. There are two ways to make jam: in one step (immediately until ready) and multiple times (boil and cool). In any case, cook the jam for no longer than 40 minutes. Vitamins are better preserved with single and double cooking, and the shape of the fruit is better preserved with repeated cooking. As for berries, dark-colored ones with dense pulp are best suited for cooking.

How to determine readiness?

If the syrup flows from the spoon not as a liquid, but as a thick thin thread, and the cooled sample does not spread on the plate, but is held on like a “button,” then the jam is ready.

Why does jam sometimes turn sour or mold during storage?

There may be several reasons: less sugar was given than necessary; the foam was not completely removed during cooking; undercooked or placed in damp jars.

Can he be saved?

You can boil it for 7 - 8 minutes with sugar (100 - 150 g per 1 kg of jam) over low heat, removing the foam.

Why is jam sugared?

- When it is overcooked or cooked with a lot of sugar. But he can also be rehabilitated. Place the candied jam in a bowl, add 4 - 5 tablespoons of water per 1 kg of jam and place on low heat. Heat, stirring, until the sugar is completely dissolved, bring to a boil and immediately place in dry, hot jars.

Are five-minute jams good?

Certainly. Firstly, they retain more nutrients and vitamins. Secondly, there is less sugar consumption: 500 - 700 g per 1 kg of berries. Black and red currants, cherries, and other thin-skinned berries are excellent for such jam.

Why is acid added to jam?

Before the last cooking of non-acidic or low-acidic fruits, add dissolved citric acid or lemon juice. Acid not only improves the taste of some fruits, but also protects jam from sugaring and souring.

Is it possible to make jam without sugar at all?

It’s possible, that’s exactly what our ancestors did, cooking it in the oven in the heat. We also have an oven at our disposal. Wash the fruits, clean them and place them on the stove over a small flame with a divider so that the mass is reduced by 2-3 times. After that, place it in the oven and cook further. The puree should decrease in volume by another 6 to 10 times. It all depends on the sugar content of the fruit. So, raspberries will “shrink” by 8 times, gooseberries by 9, and currants by 7. Pour the jam into dry, sterile jars and store in a cool place.

Jam, jam, marmalade... What are the features of these preparations?

Jam differs from jam in that the berries are boiled and cannot be separated from the syrup. We cook the jam in one step. Berries and fruits that contain gelling agents are best suited for its preparation. Apples, apricots, red and black currants, cranberries, plums, quinces, cherry plums, and gooseberries are especially rich in pectin. There are few gelling substances in raspberries, strawberries, cherries, and pears. But you can make jam from them mixed with other fruits.

Ripe and even overripe fruits are suitable for jam. As a rule, jam made from berries alone turns out to be runny, so it is better to add apples or other fruits to them, which give the preserves a jelly-like consistency.

The jam is denser in composition than jam, and it takes longer to cook. First, the fruits and berries are blanched for 3 to 5 minutes at a temperature of plus 100 degrees. Then the hot mass is ground through a sieve and boiled over low heat with constant stirring. The advantage of jam is that it can be stored without canning even for several years (if it is cooked well, of course).

You can also make marmalade from ripe or overripe fruits and berries. It tastes best from apples and plums. They are first boiled until soft, rubbed through a sieve and, after waiting for the puree to thicken a little, sugar is added to it (in a 1:1 ratio). Then cook again over low heat, stirring wooden spoon(so as not to burn), until thickened, but no more than 15 - 20 minutes. Then place on a baking sheet on parchment paper, level and dry in the oven. After this, sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into diamonds.

The second place in popularity among summer preparations is compote.

Experts consider compotes one of the most best views canned fruit and berries. They retain a high percentage of valuable substances: sugars, vitamins, acids, mineral salts, etc. As well as the taste, aroma and natural color of fruits and berries. It is best to prepare compotes from berries freshly picked on a sunny morning. Stale fruits lose not only their appearance, but also their taste. And those collected in the rain or during prolonged damp weather noticeably sour.

Compotes can be prepared not only with sugar, but also with juice, honey, saccharin, sorbitol, vanilla and other spices and herbs.

Natural compotes are very useful and popular. This is when berries or fruits are poured with pureed puree or juice from the same fruits. Place currants, gooseberries, blackberries, rowan berries, plums or other berries in a saucepan and heat over low heat to 85 - 90 degrees. When the fruits are covered with juice, transfer everything into sterile jars and pasteurize for 15 - 20 minutes.

How does science relate to freezing?

With great approval. Freezing fruits is not only convenient, but also healthy: they preserve all the vitamins. In principle, you can freeze any whole berries: either separately, by variety and type, or assorted; with seeds or halves and even on branches; with and without sugar. Dark-colored fruits are ideal for freezing. Light fruits (apricots, plums) turn black when defrosted. You can also freeze pureed berry or fruit puree, as well as fruits drenched in 50% sugar syrup (500 g of sugar per 1 liter of water). The main thing is to pack the frozen food correctly: in a plastic bag or plastic container They must be tightly closed so that the liquid does not freeze out.

Is it worth drying fruits and berries?

Certainly. Moreover, it is very simple: if you want, in the oven, if you want, in the sun. For drying, it is better to choose slightly unripe fruits. Can be with or without seeds. The most important thing is correct temperature regime. There are three stages: first, plus 45 - 50 degrees - drying; then 70 - removal of the bulk of water; and finally 80 - bringing the humidity to 20 - 25% and sterilizing the fruit. Drying takes 10 - 12 hours. If the berries are wrinkled and do not stick together when squeezed, then everything was done correctly. You can also prepare dry powder from the berries: dry the fruits so that they crumble easily.

Wild and garden strawberries, raspberries and blackberries do not need to be washed before drying, otherwise the berries will become sour. It is better to take unripe raspberries. During drying, be sure to carefully stir the berries several times with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Homemade juices are much nicer and healthier than store-bought ones.

Undoubtedly. In addition, at home they can be preserved in different ways: with sugar, without sugar, with pulp (so-called nectars), clarified, blended (or mixed).

Fruit and berry juices are rich in vitamins and all the beneficial substances found in fresh fruits. Good combination taste and aroma is obtained by blending sweet and sour fruits: gooseberries and pears, apricots and apples, sea buckthorn and pears...

To prepare juices, take ripe, but not overripe fruits, without the slightest signs of spoilage.

How to dispose of the scraps that remain?

You can make jam, jam, or make berry gingerbreads from them. Mash the berries with sugar (3:1) and cook until they fall away from the bowl. When the mass begins to harden on a spoon placed on ice, pour everything onto a dish, level it, let it harden and cut into gingerbread.

What are candied fruits?

These are boiled, then dried and candied fruits or their peels. Candied fruits are cooked like jam in several stages from apricots, quinces, pineapples, pears, cherries, cherries, peaches, rowan berries, as well as from orange, lemon, watermelon and melon peels. When the slices become transparent, they must be carefully removed from the syrup and dried in the oven, like marmalade.

Is it worth pickling, fermenting, soaking fruits and berries?

Why not? Marinades for fruits and berries are prepared in the same way as for vegetables, using acetic acid, Bay leaf, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, sugar. Usually apples, cherries, plums, cherries, grapes, currants, dogwoods, and gooseberries are pickled. As for the starter, the fruits can only be filled with warm (not higher than 30 degrees!) brine. Apples, pears, plums and grapes are traditionally used for soaking.

Maria Grigorievna, how are vitamins preserved during canning?

The most sensitive to temperature changes and the effects of oxygen, the most unstable and quickly oxidized is vitamin C. Ascorbic acid is best preserved when frozen. Loss of vitamin A during freezing and blanching is insignificant. Most carotenoids are lost during cooking and drying. The most resistant to heat treatments are vitamin PP, B6 and P—active phenolic compounds. Vitamin B1 is lost very little during canning. And then when heated to 120 degrees.

Help "SB"

According to the degree of preservation of the vitamin complex of the raw materials, processing methods are distributed as follows (in descending order): bulk freezing, frozen in sugar syrup, compote, frozen puree, crushed, pureed fruits, juice with pulp, natural juice.

From 10 kg of fresh berries, 1 - 1.2 kg of dried berries come out.

Raspberries

We have known about the beneficial properties of raspberries since childhood. Who has not been treated raspberry jam? Salicylic acid, which is found in large quantities in berries, perfectly reduces fever.

Even after heat treatment, raspberries do not lose their medicinal properties. Jam, fruit drinks, teas, compotes will help restore strength at any time of the year.

Only freshly picked berries are suitable for processing. If you find raspberry beetle larvae in them, then dip the fruits in a 1 - 2 percent solution of table salt (10 - 20 g of salt per 1 liter of water). Collect floating pests with a spoon. After this, rinse the raspberries cold water and dry. If the berries are clean and healthy, it is better not to wash them.

Raspberries are usually used to make jam. Let's try to modify it a little this time. When preparing berries for jam, set the whole, beautiful ones aside. Grind the rest with a mixer or masher, passing through a sieve or cheesecloth. Place this mass in a bowl or pan with a wide bottom and heat, gradually adding sugar (for 1 kg of berries, 1 kg of sugar). When it dissolves and the jam boils, add the beautiful berries and let them simmer for 5 minutes, remembering to skim off the foam. Place the jam in jars and seal.

Dried berries and leaves are a good addition to jam. An infusion prepared from them (2 - 3 tablespoons per 2 cups of boiling water - daily dose) can be used both for colds and for neuroses, diarrhea, bleeding, hemorrhoids. This infusion is especially useful for hypertensive patients.

Raspberry juice is unusually aromatic, beautiful and, of course, very tasty. Especially in a mixture with honeysuckle, blackcurrant, apple. In this case, for 1 liter of blended juice you will need 1 glass of sugar syrup (300 g of sugar is dissolved in 1 liter of water and brought to a boil).

A tincture of fresh raspberry leaves and vodka (1:5) helps well with mosquito bites. Are you getting ready for a big celebration? Then stock up on fresh raspberries. It has been established that it is an excellent sobering agent for alcohol intoxication.

You can make delicious berry scones from raspberries. All you need to prepare them is 2 - 3 cups of berries, a pinch of powdered sugar and cinnamon. Preheat the oven to 100 degrees. Distribute the berries over a deep baking sheet and simmer until they begin to spread. We take out the berries and rub them through a sieve. Cover a baking tray with baking paper, pour the puree onto it and dry until completely cooked at a temperature of 60 degrees. Roll the finished treat into a tube, sprinkle with cinnamon and powdered sugar. Wrap in baking paper and store in a glass container in a cool, dark place.

Gooseberry

And how many delicious and healthy products You can make gooseberries for the winter! Just prepare the berries as skillfully as our ancestors once did: ripe ones for incomparable wine, unripe ones for royal jam and marinades. If you decide to put compotes, then so that the berries retain their integrity, prick them.

Raw gooseberry and orange jam is very tasty and aromatic. For 1.5 kg of berries - 1 - 2 oranges, 2 kg of sugar. Pass gooseberries and oranges with peel (but without seeds) through a meat grinder. Add sugar and mix well. After the sugar has completely dissolved, place it in sterile jars and place it in the cellar or refrigerator.

Gooseberry jam is also easy to prepare. Pass 1 kg of berries through a meat grinder, add 1 kg of sugar, stir and put on fire. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat for 2 minutes. Then pour in 3 tbsp. l. rum and immediately pour the jam hot into sterile jars and roll up.

If you love gooseberries, you should definitely make royal jam from them. Take the fruits a little unripe. Rinse them with cold water, remove the stems and dry flower calyxes. With a sharp knife Make a side cut and use a pin or small spoon to remove the seeds. Pour 5 cups of prepared berries with a cooled decoction of cherry leaves (a handful per 2 - 3 cups of water) and place in the refrigerator overnight. Then drain the broth and prepare syrup on it (for 2 - 2.5 cups of broth - 7 cups of sugar). Boil it for five minutes and add the prepared berries. After the syrup boils again, reduce the heat and cook for exactly 15 minutes, remembering to skim off the foam. To prevent the jam from changing color, cool quickly by placing in cold water. Properly prepared jam should be emerald green or slightly yellowish green in color. Store it in the refrigerator.

Delicious gooseberries and pickled. We chop ripe, strong berries, fill the jars with them up to the shoulders and fill them with marinade. For 500 g of water - 400 g of sugar, 100 g of 9% vinegar. Boil water, sugar and spices (5 - 6 allspice peas, 5 - 6 cloves and a small piece of cinnamon) for 5 minutes. When the filling has cooled, strain and add vinegar, pour this marinade over the gooseberries. Sterilize filled jars for 3 minutes.

It’s not difficult to make a savory gooseberry relish. Pass washed but already dry unripe gooseberries, washed and dried dill and peeled garlic through a meat grinder (for 1 kg of gooseberries - 200 g of dill and 300 g of garlic). Add salt and sugar to taste. Mix everything well and pack into clean, dry mayonnaise jars. Store in a cool place.

Currant

Almost simultaneously with raspberries, the collection of no less medicinal red and black currants begins in summer cottages.

The special attractiveness of black currants for future use is the high multivitamin content of its berries (especially they contain a lot of vitamin C) and at the same time not a large number of enzymes that destroy ascorbic acid, and therefore preparations from it are an excellent concentrate of vitamins, right up to the berries of the new harvest. When storing black currants for the winter, remember one more feature: its berries are richest in vitamin C in their green form, and as they ripen, its amount decreases. Therefore, in processing, where slightly unripe (but colored!) berries (jams, preserves) can be used, it is better to use them.

The so-called colored currants are rich in pectin, which is why excellent jellies are made from them. The thickest is obtained from white currants. And to make it bright, add red. In addition, white currant berries are sweeter and several times richer in vitamin C.

First, squeeze the juice out of the berries, add sugar to it (a little more than a glass of sugar per glass of juice) and place on very low heat. The sugar needs to be completely dissolved, otherwise it will settle to the bottom and top part the workpiece will be sour and liquid. Stir the mixture all the time with a wooden spoon. Pour into hot, steaming jars, roll up and put “under a fur coat” to steam for additional sterilization.

Good, and most importantly healthy, currants pureed with sugar. For 1 kg of berries, take 1.3 - 1.5 kg of sugar. Mix the fruits with sugar with a mixer. Place the “live” jam into jars and store in the refrigerator.

For “five minutes” of black currant, 1 kg of berries will require 1 glass of water and 1.2 - 1.4 kg of sugar. Dissolve sugar in water and cook syrup. Then dip the berries into it. After boiling, cook for 5 minutes and roll into jars.

An original appetizer - pickled red currants. Place the berries (in bulk or on branches) in a jar and pour in the cooled marinade: for 0.6 liters of water - 0.5 liter bottle of vinegar and 4 cups of sugar.

Have you tried cranberries in sugar? What about black currants? Sort the berries, wash and dry. Dissolve 1 glass of sugar in one egg white, add 1 tbsp. l. lemon juice and grind everything white until the mass thickens. Roll the currants in the resulting mixture and place on a dish sprinkled with sugar or powder. When the berries are dry, pour them into jars.

It will not be superfluous to dry the fruits and leaves of black currant. Tea made from 2 tbsp is good for heart patients. l. dried berries for 1 - 2 cups of boiling water. The decoction will also help with stomach ailments. A decoction of black currant leaves cleanses well the liver, the walls of arterial vessels and lymph nodes, and also neutralizes toxic substances accumulating in the body.

Cherry

Everyone can make cherry compote. And the cherry in own juice? This harvesting process is more labor-intensive, but the berries will be as fresh in winter. Place the prepared fruits tightly in jars and place in a pan with water. While the water is heating up, the cherries will begin to release juice and “shrink.” Add more berries and continue until the cherries are covered with their juice. Cover the jar with a lid, pasteurize for 10 - 15 minutes and immediately roll up.

Cherry jam is a troublesome task; not everyone dares to make it. Well, if anyone finds an extra hour of free time, he will not regret it. Cherries are boiled both with pits (then the berries are pricked) and without. The bones are removed with a special device, and if it is not there, with a wire pin. For 1 kg of fruit - 1 kg of sugar (if the cherries are very sour, then 1.2 - 1.3 kg), 3/4 cup of water. Sort the berries, rinse cold water and dry on a towel. You can cook jam in two ways: in one or two steps. In the first case, drop the cherries into boiling syrup made from all the sugar and water and cook over medium heat until tender. In the second option, prepare syrup from half sugar and water. When it boils, put the berries in it and let it sit for 5 - 6 hours. Then pour the syrup into another saucepan, add the remaining sugar there and dissolve over low heat. When all the sugar has dissolved, add the cherries to the syrup and cook over medium heat until tender. Pour the hot jam into sterile jars and seal.

Candied cherries are also very tasty: for 0.5 kg of berries - 250 g of sugar. Make a thick syrup from sugar and a small amount of water. Place pitted cherries in it and leave overnight. In the morning, drain the syrup, boil, pour over the berries again, and cool. Repeat this process several times until the sugar coats the cherries in crystals. Then lightly dry the fruits in a preheated but now cooling oven. Store candied fruits in foil or parchment paper.

Pickled cherries are also original. Pour 1 kg of berries with 0.5 liters of wine vinegar and leave overnight. In the morning, drain the vinegar, remove the seeds from the cherries and boil in a syrup of 500 g of sugar, 4 cloves, cinnamon and 100 g of drained vinegar until soft. After this, transfer the fruits into jars, pour in the remaining vinegar, after boiling it for 5 minutes. Place parchment paper soaked in vodka on top. Store in a cool place.

In addition to berries, which are rich in vitamins beneficial to the body, cherry leaves and stalks have medicinal value. A decoction of dry leaves is used as a lotion for various injuries skin.

Sleep, beauty

Strawberries have been known since the time of Hippocrates. And all thanks to its great taste and aroma. The berries are still in the garden, but summer residents are already puzzled by new questions: what varieties to plant in July - August and where to get high-quality planting material?

The variety is a matter of taste, but the quality of the seedling is paramount importance. That's what we'll talk about. What kind of seedlings can there be? With an open root system? With a closed one? Or maybe... frozen? It turns out there is such a thing. This is a frigo seedling. The word itself comes from Latin and means “cold.” Here, the trendsetters in gardening and berry fashion are the Netherlands and Great Britain, famous for their strawberry plantations. Moreover, both in open and protected ground. This berry is ripening all year round. And all thanks to frozen seedlings.

So what is frigo? I addressed this question to Cardius Kruisberg, to CEO Belagriplants LLC, which has been specializing in just such seedlings for about 13 years. Cardius is Dutch. In 1998, he came to Belarus as coordinator of the international project “Garden Strawberries”. At that time, having received an education as an agronomist, engineer and manager, he had just entered the university at the Faculty of Russian Language and Culture. This was the fifth language that a native of the Netherlands sought to learn. Although I had previously planned to locate my business in South America(I even learned Spanish): finding your niche in agriculture in Holland is simply unrealistic.

Cardius's parents are creative people. Father is an artist-restorer, mother is a teacher. But their son took after his grandfather, a farmer. What did he know about Belarus at that time? Almost nothing. For him, our country was associated with Russia. Cardius came to us, as it seemed to him, for a while, but stayed forever. I learned Russian, got married, and have two charming daughters. Now in the Grodno region, in the Shchuchinsky district, he is implementing the achievements of his compatriots.

Friends immediately nicknamed him “Dutch Bulbash.” And he's proud of it. He is captivated by many things about Belarusians. And first of all, the attitude towards Victory Day - a truly great and special day. There is also a tradition of planting and digging bulbs. Cardius understood: potatoes are not so much an agricultural crop for us as a cult crop! At the edge of the field there are Mercedes and BMWs, and their wealthy owners, together with their village parents, are stubbornly digging. It would seem that it would be easier to take it and buy it, but... And now the Dutchman himself annually plants up to thirty acres of bulba in the field.

And yet the main crop of his life is strawberries. The fields of Belagriplants LLC are a continuous conveyor: on one part only seedlings are planted, on the other - full swing berries are being picked and seedlings are being dug up.

“Frigo seedlings are annual frozen seedlings with an open root system,” says Dr. Cardius, as his colleagues from Belsadnursing respectfully call him. - It has its obvious advantages over ordinary green seedlings. Seedlings can be planted in the ground at any time - from April to August, which allows you not only to get the harvest on time, but also to avoid spring frosts - very dangerous for flowering strawberries. Seedlings can be planted in greenhouses all year round. With this approach, the berry conveyor can operate smoothly.

Remembering that the first berries appear 8 - 10 weeks after planting, it is easy to calculate that, having planted seedlings in June, the harvest can be harvested in August - September, etc.

In general, frigo is a technology for storing plants in frozen (but before certain temperature!) form. Our seedlings are essentially the same green plant, to which we are all so accustomed, but only more advanced, adapted to our needs, meeting the ever-increasing requirements of technological development.

At the end of October - beginning of November, with the first frosts, the bushes stop growing and begin to prepare for winter sleep. It is at this time that the company’s employees dig out annual seedlings strawberries Their leaves and cuttings are immediately cut off, then the bushes are packed in plastic bags and sent for storage in the refrigerator, where the temperature is zero - minus 2 degrees, i.e. the kind at which the strawberries “fell asleep.” When frozen, seedlings can be stored for up to 15 months. The biorhythms of plants are not disturbed.

Frigo takes root almost 100%, because the roots are well developed and the above-ground part is cut off. If the strawberries overwintered in the garden, they could freeze and die. And here, in the refrigerator, it’s just a winter resort. In addition, being in a frozen state, the berry grower does not waste energy trying to adapt to constantly changing temperatures. All forces will then be devoted to growth and fruiting.

Is it difficult to get a harvest of berries from frigo seedlings?

“It’s no more difficult than from ordinary seedlings,” Deputy Director Ilya Olesyuk enters the conversation. - First of all, it is necessary to take a responsible approach to choosing a site for planting. The land must be cleared of nematodes, chafer larvae and weeds. You should not create a bed under the garden, or where nightshades grew: potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, physalis. It is best to plow the soil in the direction of the rows. Then roll the soil a little, without disturbing its structure, and cut furrows so that the rows on which the seedlings will be planted are slightly higher than the row spacing.

Europeans plant strawberries only on a ridge: this way the soil warms up better. Some also cover it with film. But if the polyethylene does not fit tightly, an air pocket will form and the soil will warm up unevenly. Our climate, of course, cannot be compared with the European one: as well as the ridge warms up, it freezes just as well.

The soil should be moist during planting, and watering is required afterwards - especially in the first month. Moreover, before planting, it is recommended to immerse the seedlings in water for 10 minutes.

The seedlings grow quickly and amicably. Within a few days after planting, the first leaves appear. It is best to plant frigo on ridges 15 - 20 cm high: the larger the seedlings, the higher the ridge should be. In the fall, the area can be filled with organic matter, and fertilized in the spring. mineral fertilizers: the same azaphoska - from 0.8 to 1.5 kg per hundred square meters. Or give a complex “mineral water”, where the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is 1 - 1.5: 1: 1.5 - 2. The most important thing is to calculate the number of days until ripening (depending on the variety) and choose the right planting day.

Since frigo does not have leaves, carefully ensure that the “heart” is not covered with soil when planting. Water the berry plant well right away and moisten it constantly for the first week. And then, if there is no rain, water every 4 to 5 days. Then the care is the same as for ordinary strawberries: 1 - 2 fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers (15 g of urea per 10 liters of water), watering, weeding, mulching.

As for fertilizing, it is best to use granular fertilizers. But you need to make sure that they do not fall on a wet sheet. It is advisable to apply them before rain on dry foliage or during a good rainfall.

Weekly foliar treatments with liquid macro- and microelement fertilizers such as “Ekolist” are also effective. They can be used before, during and after harvest.

The yield of frigo is much higher than that of ordinary strawberries: from 80 to 120 kg of berries per 1 sq.m. The weight of one berry exceeds all expectations and can reach up to 100 g! Most of the varieties offered were bred through scrupulous selection in Holland and passed the frost test in our country. Some are zoned and included in the State Register.

Such people feel good on Belarusian soil Dutch varieties, as “vima(r)Rina”, “vima(r)Zanta”, “vima(r)Xima”, “vima(r)Tarda”, and also in German - “zenga zengana”.

It wouldn’t hurt to cover the strawberry plantation with straw for the winter.

Frigo seedlings are good for planting in open ground, and in greenhouses. It grows well both in the fields and on summer cottage, and at home on the windowsill. And growing strawberries on film allows you to harvest 1 - 2 weeks earlier than usual.

Strawberries are known to require a lot manual labor, and therefore you can’t do without all sorts of hoes and hoes. Yes, and you have to plant it manually. By the way, on the Shchuchin plantations they “hoe” the strawberries not for themselves, as we are used to, but for themselves. The blade of a kind of hoe is located parallel to the ground and makes it easy to cut any weed. They say it’s much easier on both your back and arms. And several special devices have been invented for planting.

The earth may not immediately, but it will definitely thank you if you take care of it conscientiously. It also brings people together, says Cardius Kruisberg.

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- wild strawberry. It has excellent taste and makes excellent jam. Strawberries grow in abundance on the edges of birch, mixed and coniferous forests, in glades and slopes, preferring fairly dry soddy-podzolic soil. It is also found in the forest between trees, but much less often, because it loves light. It does not tolerate excessive moisture at all, so it does not grow in swamps.

The ripening time of wild strawberries depends on the specific climatic conditions one area or another. In most of the European territory of Russia, it can be collected from the first ten days of June; collection usually lasts two to three weeks.

Cranberries, on the contrary, thrive in swamps, which is why they are collected there. This dark red sour berry has a lot of advantages: it contains many vitamins (especially vitamin C), other useful substances, its decoctions have a general strengthening and antipyretic effect. The famous cranberry juice is very tasty. Cranberries are harvested in mid to early October.

Lingonberry is a smaller, dense burgundy-red berry, often with a white side. This is a very healthy berry. A decoction of lingonberry leaves helps well with kidney diseases, the berries have a beneficial effect on rheumatism and tuberculosis. Pickled lingonberries are an excellent side dish for meat, poultry, and fish. Thanks to the high concentration of a natural preservative - benzoic acid - this berry does not spoil for a long time. It is collected from the second half to the beginning of September in coniferous forests and peat bogs.

Blueberries are also extremely useful. It is eaten fresh, ground with sugar, and jam and jelly are made from it. It has a beneficial effect on vision, eliminates gastrointestinal disorders and oral diseases. Blueberries grow in coniferous forests, in peat bogs, and sometimes on mountain slopes; they are harvested in July-August.

Of course, we must not forget about wild raspberries. Although its berries are smaller than those of the garden berry, they are also tasty and aromatic. Raspberries have an antipyretic effect and normalize metabolism. In many regions of Siberia, raspberry forests are extensive and very dense. Therefore, local residents, while picking berries, talk loudly and from time to time knock on metal objects: both so as not to lose each other, and to scare away the bear, who also really likes to eat this fragrant berry. The harvest time for wild raspberries falls at the end of July - beginning of August.

Related article

To say that blueberries are healthy means to say nothing. This is a real storehouse of minerals and vitamins; it is successfully used not only in cooking, but also in medicine. Blueberries will help with stomach upsets and improve vision. If you have ever picked by hand in your life, you probably know what hard work it is, but this berry is worth it. And if you are going to the forest for the first time to pick berries, read the tips and recommendations.

The berry contains 30% sugar, 7% is malic, succinic, citric, quinic, oxalic and lactic acids, also B, A, C and keratin.

Blueberry leaves are no less useful than berries. In addition, the leaves contain essential oil, as well as ursulic, olenic, quinic, resin acids. So the entire plant is used for treatment.

Blueberries themselves and preparations from this plant are used for acute eczema, in the kidneys. Fresh berries are recommended for use for pain.

Elderly people and those who lead a sedentary lifestyle (cashiers, office workers, banks) benefit from drinking a decoction of dry berries of the plant, which affects the digestive processes.

The decoction also helps with inflammation of the gums and oral mucosa. Very effective remedy prevention of the threat of periodontal disease.

Berries should be collected during the ripening period, leaves - during the flowering period; collection should be done only in dry weather.

Blueberries are a miracle berry that has not only excellent taste, but incredible ability to win. various diseases. Scientists have found that blueberries have rejuvenating properties, prevent loss of visual acuity, impaired coordination of movement, memory loss, etc. Where does this miracle berry grow?

Description of blueberries

Blueberries are small perennial shrub, whose height reaches from 15 to 30 centimeters. The stems are erect, have many branches, smooth, the rhizome is long, creeping. Blueberry leaves are light green and have oval shape. Their length varies from 10 to 30 mm. This shrub blooms in late May-early June, but the berries ripen only in July-August.

Blueberries grow in coniferous forests (spruce and pine), but you can also see them in mixed forests. Mountain slopes, as well as wetlands, are favorite places for blueberries to grow. This plant is found almost throughout the entire territory of the European part of Russia, East Asia, as well as North America.

Blueberry picking and storage

Berry picking begins in July, and only in dry weather. After picking, the berries are poured onto specially prepared baking sheets, dried in a warm, well-ventilated room, and then dried in an oven. Dried berries are perfect not only for preparing various delicacies in the form of jelly, compotes, etc., but also for treatment.

Blueberries make excellent jam, as well as jellies, jams, etc.

Blueberries can also be stored frozen; when frozen, they lose only a small part of their beneficial properties. To do this, you need to lightly dry the blueberries, then package them in bags or special containers, close them tightly and put them in freezer, the temperature in which is not lower than minus eight degrees.

Blueberries have unique beneficial properties; their main wealth is antioxidants. When people hear the mention of this berry, they immediately remember its ability to restore vision. However, in folk medicine it is used to treat and prevent a number of diseases.

Blueberries are a source of potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and carbohydrates. In addition, it contains minerals, organic acids, iron, copper and sodium. It contains vitamins B1 and B6, C, PP and pantothenic acid. The pectins in its composition can cleanse the intestines of decomposition products, toxins and heavy metal salts.

Antioxidants in blueberries bind free electrons, affect the body at the cellular level and prevent the formation of low-quality tumors. Blueberry antioxidants are also called anthocyanins. Therefore, blueberries are an excellent remedy for the prevention of cancer.

Regular consumption of blueberries helps prevent the development of heart disease. It strengthens blood vessels, warns infectious diseases, improves memory, helps maintain normal weight and can be used as an anti-aging agent. Blueberries also strengthen the blood vessels in the back wall of the eyes, thereby improving the ability to see in the dark and restoring vision.

Sick diabetes mellitus you need to take a decoction of blueberry leaves and eat a large portion of fresh berries. For the winter, the berries can be frozen and the leaves can be dried to continue the blueberry treatment. This therapy helps lower blood sugar levels and stimulate the pancreas. In some cases, after taking the blueberry complex, the need for insulin disappears.

To keep blueberries well, grind them with sugar in a 1:1 ratio and store in tightly closed containers in the freezer.

Blueberries can be used for genitourinary diseases. Blueberries delay the aging process of the human body and prevent the development of prostate tumors at the cellular level.

Blueberries are very low in calories, but they are a real storehouse of vitamins and minerals. In addition, the berry contains a large amount of fiber. Frozen blueberries can be stored in the freezer for a long time; when frozen, they do not lose their useful qualities and has the same properties as fresh berries. Dried blueberries are almost as healthy as fresh ones.

It is better to limit the consumption of dried berries in case of malfunctions of the biliary tract and diseases of the pancreas.

Blueberry infusion or juice can be used to rinse the mouth and throat for stomatitis, sore throat and catarrh of the upper respiratory tract. The juice can be taken orally several times a day, 1/3 cup. It is most often used as a diuretic. It is used in the presence of sand in the kidneys and for the treatment of bedwetting.

Blueberries contain phytoncides, which are effective in treating the pathogens of diphtheria, staphylococcus, dysentery bacillus and even typhoid fever.

An infusion of blueberry leaves can be used to treat wounds until they heal. To prepare the composition you need to pour 1 tsp. leaves with 1 cup boiling water and leave for 30 minutes on a hot stove. After this, the composition must be filtered.

The berry picking season is extended over time. Early species delight us with a harvest already in late spring - early summer, and late ones fully ripen only in late autumn. Despite this difference, there are certain rules that govern berry picking - they will be discussed in our article.

How to pick berries

What is the harm of not picking berries on time?

Picking berries too early reduces the value of the resulting harvest - the berries have rough and not juicy pulp, sour or bitter taste. Due to incomplete achievement of the size inherent in the type of berry crop, the weight of the harvested crop decreases.

You can’t delay harvesting either - berries overripe and fall to the ground. As a result of biochemical processes, the process of rotting begins, which also significantly reduces the yield. Overripe berries cannot be transported for any length of time and are stored for a very short time (even in the refrigerator).

Rules for picking berries

Berries intended for long-term storage are collected extremely carefully, trying to protect them from the slightest mechanical damage. But even if the crop is subject to immediate processing, when harvesting it you should pay attention to the following simple rules:

- you need to pick berries in dry weather in the morning, waiting until the dew has completely dried or in the evening, when the sun does not interfere with work;

- if the berries grow on trees, work begins with the lower branches, and then moves along the tiers to the upper ones (the same applies to bushes - gooseberries, etc.);

- put the harvest in a suitable container (baskets, containers, buckets, boxes), and the more tender the berry pulp, the smaller it should be capacity of dishes;

- most of the berries are collected together with the stalk (strawberries,) or whole clusters are picked (for example, currants, etc.);

— containers intended for berries must be convenient, clean, free of foreign odors and without traces of mold;

- you cannot transfer delicate berries from one container to another - this will cause spoilage;

— the frequency of berry picking is determined by the species (for example, currants are picked in one go, strawberries and raspberries - daily or every other day);

- the harvested berries are placed in shaded, cool and dry place or immediately taken to the place of processing.

Picking berries is a real holiday, even despite the effort that has to be spent on this rather labor-intensive process. Have a good harvest!

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STRAWBERRY - on sunny places: clearings, edges, clearings. Harvest - mid-July

BLUEBERRY - coniferous forests: blueberry forest, spruce forest, blueberry forest. Harvesting - from the second half of July to the end of summer

RASPBERRY - forms thickets in forests and along river banks. Harvesting - in July-August

BLACKBERRY (variety - bramble) - damp, bright places: banks of rivers and streams, edges, clearings. Collection - from July until frost

KOSTYANIKA (variety - princely) - in swamps up to the far north, in coniferous and deciduous forests, rocky slopes. Collection - in August

CHERYOMUCHA - bright places with close occurrence groundwater: along rivers, in ravines, in sparse forests. Collection - in August

ROSE HIP - in sparse forests, clearings, and bushes. Collection - in August-September

SEA BUCKTHORN - on loose and sandy soils, along rivers and streams, in fields, islands. Harvesting - in August-September

Rowan - undergrowth of coniferous and mixed forests. Harvesting - from the end of September before frost and after frost

KALINA - wet places (river and stream banks, ravines). Collection - from the end of September

CURRENTS - in alder forests, on wet soils along rivers and streams.

Cloudberry - in shady places in swamps, tundras, swampy forests among sphagnum moss. Harvest - end of July

LINGONBERRY - in the forest and tundra, in peat bogs. Harvesting - from early September until snow

CRANBERRY - in the tundra and forest-tundra. Harvesting - from late September until snow

Hawthorn - in bright places 9on the edges and clearings), in sparse forests. Collection - September-October

BLUEBERRY - in forests, tundra, swamps, peatlands. Harvest - from mid-July to August

VODYANIKA - sphagnum bogs, tundra and coniferous forests. Collection - in August

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When picking berries, it is prohibited to use various mechanical devices (scoops, combs, etc.) that damage the berry bushes and reduce the berry yield in subsequent years.
- Picked berries do not ripen after picking, so pick only ripe ones.
- Pick berries that you want to eat right away during the waxing moon, then they will be more fragrant.
- Collect berries for canning during the waning moon, then they will last longer.
- Collect berries in cool hours (morning and evening) every other day, and in the case of dry, hot weather, every day, avoiding overripening.
- The collected berries should be immediately removed to a cool place protected from the sun, since those heated in the sun very quickly lose their appearance, taste and beneficial features berries
- When carrying berries, they should also be protected from sunlight.

Summer is a great time to relax and pick berries. To ensure that the beneficial properties of berries remain healing, let us recall one more simple rule for picking berries: pick berries away from highways, industrial enterprises, landfills and other dangerous places. I hope our berry calendar has awakened in you the desire to immediately go into the forest to pick berries.

The berry picking season is very long. The earliest species ripen by the end of spring, the later ones by mid-autumn. I love berries, so I enjoy growing them in the garden and picking them in the forest. In order not to injure the plant, follow a number of rules for picking berries, which I will tell you about.

When to pick berries

Regarding the timing of berry picking, there are concepts: botanical and consumer ripeness of berries. The first occurs when the berry stops growing, useful material reached its maximum. This crop is suitable for long-term storage and processing. The second is characterized by the berries achieving the color, taste and aroma characteristic of the species. Such fruits are only suitable for consumption immediately after picking. The time difference between the stages of maturity ranges from several days (almost all types of garden berries) to two months (viburnum). Pick ripe berries; picking them too early leads to loss of taste; picking them too late threatens rotting fruits and reduced yield.

How to pick berries

When harvesting berries, remember a number of rules:

• Never pick berries near highways, factories or landfills. Eating such a crop risks poisoning.
• Best time for picking berries - the morning of a dry day.
• Start picking berries from trees and bushes from the lower branches, gradually moving upward.
• The more tender the berry pulp, the smaller the container for collection. Then the berry will remain intact.
• Most berries are picked with the stalk (strawberries, cherries) or whole clusters (currants).
• For transportation, collect the berries immediately in the container in which you will transport them. Transferring from one container to another provokes damage to the crop.
• The frequency of harvesting berries depends on the type of plant. Currants are harvested at one time; strawberry or raspberry bushes are approached once every two days.

Garden berry picking

The most difficult picking is picking raspberries. This is due to the fact that the berries on this shrub ripen at different times.

When to pick raspberries? From mid-July to the end of August, every day or every other day. Garden Raspberry pruning for beginners

From yours further actions With the berry it depends on how best to pick raspberries. If raspberries go straight to the table or for processing, pick ripe berries that are easily separated from the fruit. If transportation and storage are required, pick the raspberries together with the stalk and slightly unripe ones.

Collect currant berries with brushes, remove them from the brush immediately before consumption or processing. Gooseberries are collected together with the stalk. For transportation, pick off slightly unripe fruits. Cherries are harvested from mid-July. Be sure to cover the tree with netting to protect the berries from birds.

All types of berries are characterized by one more harvesting rule: when harvesting an edible crop, pick off rotten and spoiled berries. Leaving them on the plant increases the risk of disease, rot and reduced yield.

Collection of wild berries

Nowadays, any wild berry can be purchased on the market. But no purchased berry can compare in taste and aroma to one picked with one’s own hands in the forest. Besides, berries are a source of useful and important microelements and vitamins for the body, they form the basis of a huge amount folk recipes treatment of diseases. Pay attention to the berry calendar. It will help you navigate the timing of flowering and ripening of wild berries.

Summer is the time to get plenty of vitamins. Berries play an irreplaceable role in this process. Grow berries on your plot, pick them in the nearest forest, and don’t let summer go to waste!