Anyone who has ever had to collect sea buckthorn knows how difficult it is to do.
According to the expert of the online publication BelNovosti, agronomist, landscape designer Anastasia Kovrizhnykh, the berry got its name for a reason, since it densely clings to thorny bushes.
However, experienced gardeners have many tricks that they readily resort to when collecting orange fruits.
We are happy to tell you about one of these life hacks in this article.
How to pick sea buckthorn with a fork
As the name of this method suggests, you will need a four-pronged cutlery.
Take the one that you don’t mind wasting, because after collecting sea buckthorn, all you can do is throw it away.
Before you get to the berries, bend the teeth inward slightly.
Now that the preparatory work is done, you can get down to business. Using a tool, grab the branch and pull it towards you. Place a wide container underneath. Using a fork, separate the berries from the branch, starting from its bottom and gradually moving towards the top.
Hold the branch with one hand and with the other hand, holding the fork, move it from top to bottom along the bunches, collecting the berries into a container.
Unfortunately, with this method, some of the berries will be damaged and are only suitable for processing into juice.
When to collect sea buckthorn
However, all the tricks will be useless if you choose the wrong time to pick berries.
Sea buckthorn ripens in autumn. It should be collected shortly before the first frosts.
If you want to enjoy fresh sea buckthorn, make compote or jam from it, go for the harvest at the very beginning of ripening, and to make marmalade or butter you will have to wait until the end of the season - at this time the berries become much juicier.
Expert: Anastasia Kovrizhnykh
