When the blueberry comes. Berry picking: berry calendar for forest and garden berries

Shrub Description

Shrub Description

Common blueberry is a perennial undersized shrub. Depending on the climatic conditions of growth, it grows from 10 to 50 cm in height.

It has a main stem from which smooth branches depart at an acute angle with light green ovoid leaves that fall off in the winter. The rhizome is creeping, gives many long shoots from which new young plants are formed.

Flowering takes place in May. The flowers are greenish-white, located singly at the base of young shoots. The fruits are round black or black with a bluish tinge.

Where does blueberry grow

It is very widespread in our country. The most typical habitats are forests consisting of coniferous trees (pine, spruce) and sphagnum bogs. It grows well in swamps, on its outskirts, in low-lying areas of the forest, as well as in dry, elevated places.

The presence of constant moisture is not decisive for her. But it is worth noting that it still blooms and bears fruit better in the swamps.

Wild berry appears almost annually, but abundant harvests occur periodically. This is due to inconsistent weather conditions. The yield is usually affected by the weather at the time of flowering bushes.

Harvesting berries

It ripens in July. I begin to ripen the first berries at the very beginning of the month, but blueberry picking begins in mid-July and continues until autumn. Collection is usually done by hand.

Where it is used a lot by harvesters, they significantly speed up the assembly process, although the berries have to be immediately cleaned of numerous debris.

The fruits of the shrub serve as food for many inhabitants of the forest. Of the wild animals, it is willingly eaten by a raccoon dog, small mustelids, etc.
Of the birds, hazel grouse, wood pigeon, black grouse and capercaillie are not averse to her.

Fresh berries make very healthy and tasty dishes, for example, such as blueberries with milk, crushed berries with sugar and sour cream, juice is very useful.

The collected fruits are not stored for a long time, so they must be processed as soon as possible.

Preservation for the winter

The most popular ways to preserve berries are:

- freezing,
- sugaring,
- making jam
- drying.

Freeze

We sort out the berries, remove forest debris, and also remove wrinkled, damaged and rotten ones. Then we take a food container and put berries in it in layers, not forgetting to sprinkle them with a small amount of sugar. Close the container tightly with a lid and put it in the freezer.

It is better to store frozen berries for no more than one season; after a few months in the freezer, they gradually begin to lose their taste.
Such blueberries retain a lot of useful properties, their quantity and quality practically does not lag behind fresh berries.

Candied

Canned in this way, it retains a lot of useful substances. Taste, aroma and color are similar to fresh berries. The preparation is the same as in the first method. Washed and sorted berries must be crushed in order for the juice to come out of them. We put the resulting mass in a measuring container, for example, in a liter jar, and only then in a pan or basin. This is done in order to find out how much sugar is needed. Pour granulated sugar to the berries, based on one liter of berries, add 1.0-1.1 liters of sugar. Next, mix everything thoroughly and put in a cool place - a cellar or refrigerator.

The duration of the exposure of the mixture depends on the speed of dissolution of sugar in the juice, this happens after about 1.5-2 days. At this time, it is necessary to occasionally mix the mixture of berries and sugar.

Pour the candied blueberries into jars. The lids with which we will close the jars can be treated with alcohol, and sprinkle the berries on top with a small amount of citric acid - these measures will help prevent mold.
Berries preserved in this way are stored without losing their properties for about one year.

Jam

Also a very tasty product. To prepare it, we prepare the fruits and add sugar as in the previous method. After stirring, put in a cool place for several hours so that most of the sugar dissolves. Then put on fire and cook until tender, not forgetting to remove the foam.

After the jam has cooled down a bit, pour it into jars. Banks will need to be pasteurized: 0.5l. - 10min., 1l. - 15 minutes.

Blueberry jam can be stored in good conditions for about two years. Good conditions are cold and lack of sunlight.
Due to the fact that during the cooking process, heat treatment occurs, the concentration of useful substances in the product decreases.

Drying berries

Produced in an oven or special dryers. It is desirable to divide this process into two stages.

The first is the drying of berries for 2-3 hours at a low temperature - 35-40g. WITH.

The second is drying itself at a temperature of about 50-60g. WITH.

Dried berries keep for about two years.

During the harvesting of blueberries, shoots and leaves are also harvested. They are dried under sheds, in attics in a well-ventilated area without access to sunlight. Dried shoots are stored for about a year.

Dried blueberries and shoots with leaves are mainly used as medicinal raw materials.

Useful properties and application

In fresh, processed (juice, decoction, jelly) and dried form, they are used as an antiseptic and antibacterial agent, they help well with various diseases: diarrhea, cystitis, urethritis, rheumatism, urolithiasis, etc. The fruits are also used as a general tonic and as a means to improve vision.

Leaves and shoots are used in folk medicine in the form of decoctions, infusions and extracts. They help in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, in diseases of the liver, pancreas, for the treatment of skin diseases and wounds.

Blueberries, like in the summer, can be purchased at any city market, but it costs quite a lot in such places. For many rural residents of the northern regions of our country, collecting it is a good way to earn money. Most often they are sold in local markets and on highways. That's the best place to buy it.
Now the price is 180-200 rubles. for 1l. (2012, Kirov).

Season 2014 - 150-180 rubles.

Wild berries are generous gifts of nature - a variety of aromas, flavors and colors! Nowadays, any berries can be bought in a store at any time of the year, but their taste and aroma are not at all the same as those of a freshly picked wild berry.

The beneficial properties of such berries also differ, in the forest - more vitamins! Don't miss out on the summer wild berry season, take note of the flowering and berry ripening calendar, and you'll always know when to pick berries in the summer.

Useful properties of berries

Below is a brief description of the berries and describes the beneficial properties of the berries. Berries are important in human nutrition.

Berries are of particular value as a source of vitamins and organic acids, which play an important role in human life, increasing the vitality of the body, its physical and mental performance and resistance to various diseases. How to use the beneficial properties of berries to improve health.

Berry picking rules

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

berry calendar

Calendar of average terms of flowering and maturation of herbal and dwarf forest berries. The berry picking calendar shows the average timing of flowering and ripening of most wild berries and fruits growing on the territory of our country.

As a rule, the harvest season for lingonberries begins in August-September. The taste of lingonberries is sour with bitterness, which leaves only after frost, lingonberries are harvested until November. The beneficial properties of lingonberries are known to everyone, therefore, when lingonberries ripen, take the baskets into the forest.

Lingonberries are a valuable vitamin carrier, lingonberries contain a whole range of biologically active substances, organic acids, sugars. After harvesting, lingonberries can be stored fresh for a month, as they contain benzoic acid. Cowberry berries and juice from them are taken with high blood pressure, are a good thirst quencher, laxative and antipyretic. Cowberry juice has anti-inflammatory and diuretic effects, antimicrobial and detoxifying effects, helps with flu and acute respiratory diseases.

Lingonberry, boletus, lingonberry

Voronika (she is shiksha, she is crowberry) is a plant of the tundra and the north. The crowberry ripens in August, and the crowberry is harvested in the fall, until frost. Crowberry leaves, similar to needles, remain on the plant even in winter, only they turn purple-black. Useful properties of crowberry berries are very diverse. Crowberry well removes radionuclides from the body, improves immunity. Hypertension, migraine, insomnia, metabolic disorders and seizures can also be treated with crowberry juice. In the tundra, crowberries quench their thirst with berries instead of water. Crowberry has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, wound healing, astringent, anticonvulsant, antispasmodic and antioxidant properties. For long-term storage, it is enough to fill it in a jar, fill it with water and put it in the basement. Crowberry is stored in this form for up to a year or more. You can also freeze the crowberry.

Crowberry, crowberry, shiksha, bear berry, bagnovka

The harvest season for wild blueberries or gonobobel comes in July, August and even September. The beneficial properties of blueberries will help everyone who collects blueberries - bluish-black berries with a strong bluish-gray bloom with greenish flesh. Blueberries have a number of unique properties: they remove radionuclides, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, normalize heart function, slow down the aging of nerve cells and the brain. Blueberries have anti-sclerotic, cardiotonic, hypotensive and anti-inflammatory effects. It is effective in atherosclerosis, hypertension, capillary toxicosis and other diseases associated with insufficiency of blood capillaries. Blueberries are recommended for diabetics, as they promote tissue repair, enhance the effect of drugs that lower blood sugar levels, and increase metabolism.
Blueberry, gonobobel, blueberry, drunkard

Wild strawberries ripen in June-July; in more northern regions, strawberries can be harvested even in August. There are legends about the beneficial properties of strawberries. Strawberries are a berry that ranks first among all in terms of iron, vitamin E, folic acid and calcium content.

Strawberries are useful because they contain trace elements, sugars, pectins, acids, fiber, vitamins and essential oils. They not only improve appetite, but also contribute to the normalization of digestion.

Strawberries help restore strength, cure diarrhea in children and help with anemia. Strawberries have vitamin, anti-allergic, choleretic and diuretic properties, normalizes metabolism.

Thanks to the properties of strawberries, toxins and cholesterol are removed from the body. Strawberries are harvested for future use by drying, freezing or rubbing with sugar.

Wild strawberry, sunnitsa, drifting snow, berry

Cranberries bloom in June, and the berries are harvested from September through the autumn. Doctors attributed this berry to the most useful food for humans.

Cranberries are a great antioxidant. Due to the high content of potassium salts and vitamin C, cranberries are very useful for the body during infectious and colds. Cranberry is considered a natural antibiotic due to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Cranberries contain substances that prevent the formation of plaques in the vessels and the formation of blood clots. Cranberry, rich in medicinal properties, is indicated for varicose veins, as it helps to increase the strength and elasticity of the walls of blood vessels and capillaries. Most of all, cranberries are useful fresh, in which they are stored for quite a long time due to the content of benzoic acid.

Cranberry, stonefly, crane, snowdrop

The berries of the princesses ripen in July - August. The princess has a very pleasant taste - it is sweet, but with a sour taste and a strong aroma, reminiscent of both pineapple and peach.

In addition to the fact that the princess is tastier than ordinary raspberries, it is also useful as raspberries. Infusions and decoctions of the princess in folk medicine are recommended as an antipyretic, for gargling when coughing, for catarrhs ​​of the upper respiratory tract and bronchial asthma. Princess berries quench thirst and act as an antipyretic, infusions of berries are given to patients as a drink. From the young leaves, the princesses prepare delicious fruit tea. Leaf infusions are used as a gargle for sore throats and coughs, and as an astringent for diarrhea. Fresh leaves are applied to wounds to relieve inflammation and heal faster.

Princess, polyanka, mamura

Kostyanik ripens in July - August. Bone is harvested until the end of September to enjoy the taste of the berry and its healing properties.

Due to the high content of vitamin C (about 150 mg%), tannins and pectin, organic acids, the juice from the fruits of the stone fruit is used as an antiscorbutic and protistocidal drug. Bone juices are recommended for anemia, anemia. Bone fruit juice helps to improve metabolism, strengthen the walls of blood vessels and remove toxins and cholesterol from the body. Rescue infusions from the bones and from pain in the heart. Effective for cystitis and colds. Bone berries have a pronounced antipyretic agent, therefore they are recommended as inclusion in complex therapy for diseases accompanied by "high fever".
Bone, bonfire, stone

Krasnika grows on Sakhalin, the south of Kamchatka and some other places. Redberries are harvested in August - September. The taste of redberry berries is peculiar: at first they seem sweet, later - sour, and when you completely chew them, bitter-salty.

Fresh berries and redberry juice effectively reduce blood pressure in hypertension. It has been established that redberry berries are rich in P-active substances that dilate blood vessels and strengthen their walls. Krasnika berries contain vitamin C, benzoic and other organic acids, fiber, 7 essential amino acids, trace elements (copper, cobalt, manganese, zinc and chromium). Redberry is useful for colds, with a headache, the analgesic effect of redberry is manifested. Redberry juice and liquid extract are also used as a laxative. In addition to the berries, the redberry has young leaves that taste like sorrel.
Krasnika, klopovka

Cloudberry blooms in May - June, and you can collect cloudberries in July, August. From time immemorial in Russia, fresh and soaked cloudberries were served to the royal table as the most valuable berry of the North. In the North, it is still called the Royal berry.

Cloudberries contain 3 times more vitamin C than oranges. Cloudberries surpass carrots in the content of provitamin A, which rejuvenates cell populations. Miracle cloudberry is a rich source of tocopherols, which accelerate the regeneration of damaged cells and are involved in the most important processes of tissue metabolism. Since cloudberries are high in potassium, they help protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease. It is good to give fruits along with honey to strengthen weakened patients. One of the last requests of A. S. Pushkin was the desire to eat soaked cloudberries.
Cloudberry, gloshina, teddy bear Blueberries are harvested from July to September. Blueberries are a healing berry, it contains many vitamins and minerals. It tones and stimulates metabolic processes, has a hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, analgesic, diuretic effect. Blueberries can powerfully counteract aging and even rejuvenate the body. The use of blueberries improves the blood supply to the retina, as a result, the regeneration of retinal tissue is accelerated. Blueberries are the richest source of so-called anthocyanidins, the most powerful of all natural antioxidants. The flavonoids found in blueberries are able to raise the level of glutathione (a powerful protector of nervous tissue). It is assumed that just half a glass of blueberries a day can prevent Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's. Bilberry extract has shown the ability to strengthen the walls of blood vessels. Blueberries can lower blood cholesterol as well as some drugs and be a powerful weapon in the fight against heart disease.
Blueberry, blueberry

Summer is a great time to relax and pick berries. In order for the beneficial properties of berries to remain healing, we recall another simple rule for picking berries: pick berries away from highways, industrial plants, landfills and other dangerous places. I hope our berry calendar has awakened in you the desire to immediately go to the forest to pick berries.

To get a liter of fruit drink, you will need 800 ml of boiling water, 125 g of cranberries and 3 tbsp. spoons of honey or granulated sugar. Rinse the berries and mash them with a wooden crush. Then put the cranberry mass in cheesecloth, folded in several layers, and squeeze the juice with it.

Pour the cake with hot water, boil for 5-10 minutes and strain through a strainer or gauze. Mix the resulting broth with the finished juice, add honey or sugar and cool it. That's all - a delicious drink is ready! Just do not forget that the dishes for cranberry juice should be enameled, glass or stainless steel.

Aluminum pots can oxidize and make a healthy drink unhealthy.

Lisa Chernikina

Andrey Shalygin PhD, DBA, Chief Editor of National Explorer

Source: http://www.nExplorer.ru/news__11349.htm

The fine summer time is a fertile time for lovers of forest gifts. Nature begins to bear fruit abundantly, attracting fans of outdoor activities, combined with the harvest of mushrooms and berries, under the canopy of forests.

Time to pick blueberries

Among the many useful plants in the coniferous and mixed forests of our country, blueberries grow abundantly. This berry is loved by many forest dwellers. A person has also highly appreciated its taste and healing qualities for a long time.

Many are happy to use it fresh, dry it, freeze it, make compotes, grind it with granulated sugar and make jam. In addition to the obvious benefits for vision, blueberries can rejuvenate the entire body as a whole, restoring the walls of blood vessels, strengthening the nervous system and cleansing the blood of excess cholesterol.

Decoctions and infusions of berries or leaves are used as a diuretic and choleretic agent. Plant preparations have an astringent and hemostatic effect.

Most of all, this berry loves spruce forests and low-lying places with wet, swampy soil. The first vitamin fruits ripen in forest clearings and edges, that is, where the sun warms best. Usually this time comes in mid-July, but if you are interested in leaves, then their collection should begin in May, until the flowering of the shrub has begun.

How to collect and store leaves

In order to prepare a truly medicinal raw material, when collecting blueberry leaves, several important rules must be followed.

• Collection should begin before the first flowers appear. It is during this period that the leaves contain the greatest amount of valuable substances. It is permissible to harvest raw materials during flowering, but this should be done carefully so as not to damage the future berry crop.
• In dry weather, the leaves are carefully cut off by hand or cut with scissors, without completely exposing the branches, so as not to destroy the plant.
• Do not trim entire shoots at once. This will surely speed up the process. However, it causes irreparable harm to blueberries, as the bushes grow slowly, and will not soon recover from the barbaric procedure.
• To collect environmentally friendly leaf, choose blueberries that are far from busy highways and industrial zones.
• The collected raw materials are laid out to dry in a thin layer in a shady place. Good ventilation should be provided.
• In order to exclude the appearance of mold, the leaves are periodically stirred.
• The readiness of raw materials is determined by the fragility of the sheet. When bent, it should break and crumble.
• Store the blueberry leaf in a well-ventilated container (canvas or paper bags), in a dry and cool place.

How to pick and store berries

When harvesting berries, several basic principles should be put into practice that will preserve the benefits and presentation of the harvested crop.

• The beginning of the collection period falls approximately in the middle of summer. It is at this time that you should go to the forest for berries.
• The age of blueberries can reach 20 or more years, but it is necessary to collect blueberries only from young bushes under the age of 10-15 years. It is these fruits that contain the maximum amount of nutrients. You can determine the age by the number of side shoots: the more there are, the older the plant.
• Pick only ripe, undamaged and healthy berries. Ripe blueberries have a dark blue, almost black color, and are covered with a bluish bloom. Partially green fruits will remain immature.
• For fresh consumption, harvest before the full moon, and for harvesting - after it, on the waning moon. In the first case, the berries are much tastier and more aromatic, and in the second, they will be better stored.
• Harvest blueberries in dry weather, in the morning or evening, when the sun is somewhat less active and the air is cooler.
• Use plastic containers or wicker baskets. The second option is preferable, since the tender berry wrinkles less and is better ventilated.
• Pick berries only with your hands, never using special devices like the so-called "harvesters". They often deform fruits, cause significant damage to blueberries, damaging them and reducing future yields.
• The harvested crop can be processed by making jam or compote, but blueberries are frozen or dried to better preserve their healing properties.
• In order to properly dry the berries, they must first be sorted out, removing damaged fruits and forest debris (twigs, leaves, blades of grass). Then the raw materials are scattered in a thin layer in a dryer, oven or oven and dried at a temperature of 40-50 ° C until the berries are completely dry and deformed, not forgetting to stir occasionally.
• Store dried blueberries in wooden, cardboard or wicker containers, which provide maximum ventilation of raw materials. For storage choose a place with low humidity and protected from sunlight.

Lechilka.com » Vegetables, fruits, berries, nuts » Blueberries

Source: http://lechilka.com/kogda-sobirat-cherniku.html

Berry picking: berry calendar of forest and garden berries. How berries are harvested, what berries and when can be harvested: lingonberries, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries. What is useful berry

Berry picking begins in June, when the earliest berries ripen. The berry season lasts six months and ends in late autumn. To know the berry picking period, you need to have a berry calendar with a description of the berries, photos of wild and garden gifts.

From the berry calendar you will learn when strawberries and lingonberries ripen in the forest, when to pick raspberries and currants in the garden, how Victoria differs from strawberries, the calendar shows the ripening dates for cranberries and blueberries, how to pick cherries and gooseberries correctly when harvesting wild strawberries.

Berries are grown in gardens, summer cottages, wildlife lovers love to collect wild gifts in the forest. The safety of fruits, the quality of freshly picked berries depends on the correct collection of berries.

Properly made collection will not harm the plant, caring human hands with careful collection will allow berry bushes to quickly recover and bear fruit from year to year, delighting with a bountiful harvest, ripe and fragrant berries useful for the human body.

Wild and fresh garden berries play an important role in human nutrition.

Berries are a natural source of vitamins, juicy fragrant brightly colored fruits have a positive effect on mood, treat depression, have a beneficial effect on mental thinking, increase immunity and performance due to the presence of a whole complex of vitamins, trace elements and useful organic acids that make up berries.

Find out more: WHAT IS HONESTUCK USEFUL - useful properties + recipe for berry jam without cooking.

In forest berries, according to statistics, there are more vitamins than in garden berry species.

Eating wild and domestic fruits fresh in summer and pureed in winter (recipe HERE) is very beneficial for health.

Do not miss the chance to stock up on berries in the summer, growing them on your plot, picking them in the forest starting from the first summer month of June and ending with the last month of picking in the berry calendar - October.

When to pick berries

When to pick berries? Harvesting time may vary in different climatic zones, the beginning of berry fruiting varies depending on the location. A freshly picked ripe berry has excellent taste qualities - juiciness, sweetness, beautiful bright color, rich berry aroma - if it is collected on time.

The timing of ripening and picking berries in time depends largely on weather conditions.

Early ripening is affected by air temperature, the higher it is, the earlier the ripening of berries occurs, the abundance of rain adversely affects the quality of the fruits, they become watery and cannot be stored for a long time.

Summer heat and drought make the berries dry, the juiciness of the berry pulp decreases with a lack of moisture or a complete absence of rain.

After the berry has stopped growing, the harvest period begins. The berries of the first harvest contain the highest amount of vitamins and minerals; the first harvest harvested in dry weather at the beginning of summer in June, July is suitable for harvesting for the winter and long-term storage.

The second stage of the collection begins in mid-summer - mid-July and the end of the month, after the berry has reached its maximum color, characteristic of each individual type of berry crops, the appearance of a fragrant sweet aroma, rich taste.

Ripe juicy fruits, collected in June-July, are suitable for eating immediately after harvest, denser ones are selected, sorted by size and used for preparing homemade compotes, making sweet dumplings, and making berry filling when baking pies.

A ripe berry should be collected, in time it is worth focusing on the approximate time frame. To determine when to pick berries, focus on the external signs of ripeness of berries - color, aroma, taste - and also keep in mind the time of the onset of the mass harvest period relative to the area where you live.

Remember! Too early picking is fraught with loss of taste, late picking leads to a decrease in the berry yield, so try to pick berries in a timely manner!

How to pick berries

When harvesting at home, in the forest closest to home, there are simple rules for picking berries: following simple instructions, you will be able to preserve the natural quality and useful properties of berries picked for eating, harvesting for future use, and transportation.

• In order not to harm yourself and your family members, it is forbidden to pick berries near highways, large industrial enterprises. When eating crops harvested near contaminated areas, there is a risk of heavy metal poisoning.
• When picking berries, it is forbidden to use such devices as scoops and scrapers that harm plants. Damage to berry bushes by mechanical devices destroys plants and reduces the yield of berry bushes.
• Harvested berries, unlike fruits, do not ripen after picking, so it is recommended to pick only those that are ripe.
• Favorable time when it is better to pick berries - in the morning and in the evening; collection, as a rule, is carried out every other day, but in dry, hot weather, fruits are plucked daily.
• They pick berries from berry bushes and fruit-bearing trees from the bottom up, starting from the lowest branches and gradually rising to the top.
• Berries are plucked with brushes (currant black, white and red). The second way to harvest is with a stem (strawberries, victoria, sometimes raspberries).
• For delicate varieties of berries, buckets are used for collection, small baskets are used to keep the berries whole, not rumpled.
• Collected berries should be removed in a cool place, covered with grass from direct sunlight. Fruits left under the sun quickly begin to lose their useful properties and marketable appearance.
• When transporting and carrying, freshly picked berries should not be transferred from one container to another in order to avoid damage to the crop. During transportation, be sure to cover the container from the sun.

Picking garden berries: rules

Honeysuckle is the very first fruit crop, the fruiting of which occurs in early summer. In terms of popularity, sweet cherries, strawberries, raspberries and strawberries occupy an honorable place among cultivated and wild fruit crops.

When do strawberries ripen? Wild berry - wild strawberry - ripens in June. When strawberries are harvested in the forest: the answer is simple - all summer, strawberries are harvested in June-July-August.

Colds are treated with raspberry reserves in winter, the fruits of the plant act as a natural antipyretic for sore throats, during a flu epidemic. They try to use raspberries fresh in the summer, prepare them for the winter for treatment in the cold season.

When to pick raspberries? Raspberries are picked in the middle of summer, starting from mid-July, in August, some varieties bear fruit in September. The difficulty of collecting raspberries lies in the non-simultaneous ripening of the fruit.

What is the best way to harvest raspberries? A berry picked for immediate consumption must be ripe; if transportation and storage are expected, raspberries should be chosen slightly unripe with a stalk.

Cherries are harvested from mid-July, following strawberries; to protect the ripe crop from birds, trees and berry bushes are covered with a protective net.

The currant ripens in July-August, the berries are plucked with whole brushes, the currants are stripped from the brush before use or during processing for harvesting for the winter.

What is the difference between strawberries and victoria, what is the difference between two similar-looking fruits? Strawberries are considered a European berry, strawberries are more often grown in Europe, Victoria grows exclusively in Russia.

But strawberries and victoria are one field of berries belonging to the genus of strawberries.

Victoria has fruits larger than strawberries; the beginning of the collection for central Russia of victoria, strawberries, wild strawberries falls on the month of June, depending on the variety, it lasts the whole of July and the collection of strawberries ends in August, September.

The basic rule for picking berries is to produce quality picking, not leaving fruits affected by rot, scab on plants, helping the plant to get rid of diseases that reduce the yield of fruit crops with its participation.

Wild berry picking calendar: berry ripening dates in the forest

They love wild fruits for their aroma, sweet taste, characteristic fragrantness inherent in forest gifts. The berry collected in the forest is valued for the biologically active substances contained in the fruit pulp. Buying a wild berry in the market is easier than crawling through the forest in search of red, blue, burgundy bright berries to pick up at least one basket.

A self-picked berry from a store-bought one cannot be compared in terms of taste, the characteristic forest aroma inherent in the gifts of nature. Summer is the time to collect and benefit from natural gifts that have healing power, containing a storehouse of vitamins, useful substances for human life.

We offer to study the berry calendar. With the help of the calendar, it will be easy for you to plan a trip to the forest, not to miss the period of ripening of wild berries. When to pick wild berries, picking by month:

• June - strawberries ripen in the forest;
• July is the time when you can pick wild strawberries, blueberries, blueberries, stone berries, cloudberries, princesses;
• August - strawberries, lingonberries, blueberries, cranberries, stone fruits, blueberries, crowberries, blackberries, princesses are harvested;
• September - lingonberries, cranberries, redberries, blueberries, blueberries, mountain ash are harvested;
• October is the time when cranberries, lingonberries, chokeberries are harvested.

When to pick lingonberries and how lingonberries are useful for human health

Cowberry picking starts in August-September. Lingonberries are a tasty and healthy berry, the beneficial properties of lingonberries have been known since antiquity. The harvest season for lingonberries begins in August, but the bitterness characteristic of sour fruits disappears when lingonberries are harvested after frost - in October.

Lingonberries are a valuable gift of nature, the healing power is due to the rich composition of vitamins, minerals, sugars, organic acids. After harvesting, lingonberries are transported without damage to the crop, stored fresh for more than a month.

Lingonberry berry juice has medicinal properties, it is taken for hypertension, medicinal diuretic infusions, antimicrobial, antiviral are prepared on the basis of the juice.

The beneficial properties of lingonberries have a preventive and therapeutic effect on the human body, therefore, if it is possible to collect lingonberries, we collect baskets and go to the forest.

Note!

When to pick blueberries and how blueberries are useful for human health

Blueberries are famous for their beneficial properties, their composition is unique, so many people want to know when to pick blueberries. Blueberries are harvested in July, August, September. Along with the complex of vitamins that make up blueberries, the berry has a healing effect on humans.

The use of fresh blueberries, berry juice, fruit drink, jam has a beneficial effect on various human organs. Fruit culture improves eyesight, is a natural antioxidant, heals the heart, slows down aging.

Taking blueberries every day helps to strengthen blood vessels, reduce bad cholesterol in the blood.

When to pick cranberries and how cranberries are useful for human health

Cranberry is a healing berry, it contains vitamins, minerals, acids. When cranberries ripen - one of the most useful berries? Cranberries ripen in August. When to pick cranberries? The answer is simple, the harvest of cranberries is carried out from August and throughout the autumn, until the winter cold, the season for collecting cranberries in the forest lasts.

The useful properties of cranberries are constantly being studied, cranberries are a folk healer, a gift from nature to man. The high content of vitamin C in cranberries allows the use of sour berries in the treatment of colds, viral infections.

Cranberry, unique in its composition, is included in a huge number of traditional medicine recipes, with its help, traditional healers successfully treat varicose veins in patients, purify the blood, cranberries cleanse blood vessels from cholesterol plaques, and have a therapeutic effect on the body as a whole.

When to pick wild strawberries and how strawberries are useful for human health

Wild strawberries ripen in June, July, strawberries are harvested until mid-late August, depending on the region in which the berries grow. Wild strawberries are tasty and healthy. Useful properties of strawberries are high in folic acid, iron, vitamin E, calcium.

The benefits of strawberries are found in fruits, leaves, the plant contains fiber, pectin, sugars, trace elements, essential oils, and a rich vitamin complex.

The most valuable is the wild strawberry. It normalizes digestion, metabolism, increases appetite, restores strength after heavy physical exertion, has choleretic and diuretic properties.

When to pick wild strawberries - when the picking season comes, it is better not to put off going to the forest. When the slightest opportunity arises, you can collect strawberries after mass ripening. Strawberries are ideal for harvesting for the winter, fragrant jam is made from it, compotes are rolled up, berries and leaves are dried for brewing into tea, frozen, and eaten fresh.

Blueberries have chosen forest pine and mixed areas, as well as wet swampy places. Sometimes blueberries grow so much that they form huge thickets, consisting of low - up to 35 cm - bushes, strewn with blue-black berries, flattened at the top, and covered with a bluish bloom.

Many blueberries are perceived as a means of affecting visual acuity. But it turns out that this plant also has other medicinal properties.

Useful and medicinal properties of blueberries

• The berries contain malic, citric, succinic, oxalic and lactic acids.
• Berries contain tannins, sugar, vitamin C, vitamin B, carotene, anthocyanins, myrtillin.
• The leaves contain tannins, pectins, hydroquinone, arbutin, amorphous glycoside myrtillin, quercetin, ascorbic acid.
• Neomyrtillin, which is found in the leaves, is called vegetable insulin. Thanks to this component, blueberries lower blood sugar levels.
• Berries and blueberry leaves have astringent, anti-inflammatory, tonic, diuretic, choleretic and hemostatic effect.
• Blueberries are used for visual impairment, as blueberries have a positive effect on the retina.
• Blueberries are high in manganese.
• Blueberries are prescribed for gastrointestinal infections, gastritis with low acidity, kidney stones, skin diseases and rheumatism.
• Blueberries normalize metabolism.
• With the use of blueberry leaves, purulent wounds, eczema, hemorrhoids are treated.

How and when to harvest blueberry leaves

Blueberry blooms begin in early summer, and until the berries appear, you need to start collecting leaves.

To do this, choose dry sunny weather. The leaves are cut off by hand, trying not to damage the flowers, so as not to reduce the number of berries in the future.

How to dry blueberry leaves

The leaves are laid out in a thin layer on a bedding under a canopy or in the shade and are periodically stirred for even drying.

Well-dried raw materials crumble easily in the hands.

Store dry blueberry leaves in canvas bags in a dry, cool place without access to light for 2 years.

How and when to harvest blueberries

In late July - early August, blueberries ripen.

For picking berries, choose dry, cool weather, when the morning dew has already dried on the bushes.

It is best to harvest berries from young plants, as they are richer in medicinal properties. Young blueberry bushes differ from old ones in green twigs and a minimal number of side branches. The age of a plant can be determined by counting the number of side branches, starting from their tops and ending with the main stem. Old blueberry bushes, which are 20-30 years old, although they bear fruit, are deprived of many useful substances.

The berries are plucked by hand, trying not to damage the delicate skin, and placed in shallow baskets, lining each layer of berries with soft twigs.

Before drying, the berries are sorted, removing damaged, wrinkled and overripe fruits, as well as debris, leaves and twigs.

How to dry blueberries

The berries are dried in the sun or in an oven, gently stirring occasionally so that they do not become moldy and dry evenly. If the berries are dried in an oven, then the initial temperature should not exceed 45-50 °. And only after the berries have dried up, the temperature can be increased to 70 °. To prevent the berries from steaming, it is advisable to keep the door ajar. Blueberries are mixed by gently shaking the baking sheet.

In this article, we will talk about where and how blueberries grow. We will tell you how to find this berry in the forests of the Moscow region. We will share valuable information about the benefits of blueberries, the collection and processing of berries.

Description of blueberries

The berry grows in the form of low shrubs with straight stems. Thin blueberry leaves are located along the entire length of the stem, have a smooth surface and an oblong shape. During the flowering period, the shrub is covered with small light green flowers with a delicate pink tint. The fruits are spherical black-blue berries with a slight bluish bloom, with juicy reddish-purple pulp, with a large number of seeds. The taste of blueberries is sweet, with a slight sourness. The ripening period of berries is quite extended - from June to August.

How to find blueberries?

If, in search of a berry, you still have not found where blueberries grow in the forest, this is not at all surprising. Since it is quite difficult to find shrubs hiding from the sun in a dense coniferous forest. Unlike any other berry, blueberries do not grow in sunny glades. She prefers the most gloomy places of the forest, which are simply teeming with mosquitoes and other insects, from which repellents do little to save. That is why the price of blueberries is quite high. After all, first you need to find where the blueberry grows, and only then will the complex process of collecting and delivering the berries to the sales counters.

Useful properties of berries

Blueberries are a healthy wild berry that has a storehouse of vitamins and valuable nutrients. Even the important fact that astronauts are fed blueberries makes us understand how important this berry is in the diet of almost every person. The unique composition of fresh blueberries includes vitamins A, C, PP, E, organic acids and a lot of trace elements. The berry is especially rich in manganese - blueberries are the leader in the content of this substance. We list the main part of the useful properties of this miracle berry:

• strengthening immunity;
• acceleration of the recovery process for colds and viral diseases;
• treatment of inflammation of the oral mucosa;
• strengthening the heart muscle and blood vessels;
• normalization of blood pressure;
• antioxidant properties that reduce the risk of tumor diseases;
• memory improvement;
• treatment of eye diseases;
• normalization of metabolism;
• maintaining safe sugar levels in diabetes;
• healing of skin lesions;
• treatment of hemorrhoids and diarrhea;
• prevention of epilepsy;
• anemia treatment.

The list is pretty impressive, isn't it? We offer a closer look at the beneficial properties of blueberries for men, women and children.

The benefits of blueberries for men

Just a few servings of this fresh berry, eaten in a week, can significantly increase potency. All this thanks to the flavones and flavonones included in its composition. In diseases of the prostate gland, it is also advisable to consume a small amount of blueberries. Moreover, many men suffering from heart disease in old age can significantly improve the health of this organ by adding this berry to their diet.

Benefits of blueberries for women

Since ancient times, these berries were considered rejuvenating. And to this day, due to the high content of antioxidants, blueberries not only slow down the aging process of cells, but gradually renew them, thereby rejuvenating. Regular consumption of blueberries contributes to the normalization of the menstrual cycle and the establishment of the entire reproductive system. An excellent prevention of varicose veins will be the introduction of these berries into your daily diet.

It is especially useful during pregnancy, when a woman is in dire need of vitamins and minerals, not only for her body, but also for her unborn baby. Daily consumption of blueberries during pregnancy can maintain the required level of hemoglobin and calcium.

Since the list of permitted medicines narrows during the period of bearing a child, and no one has canceled colds and viral diseases, decoctions and infusions of blueberry berries and leaves will become just a lifesaver. The antiviral, antimicrobial and antipyretic properties of this berry work wonders.

The benefits of blueberries for children

Doctors recommend feeding blueberries to children in the midst of the harvest. After all, ripe blueberries perfectly boost immunity, protecting the growing body from colds and viral diseases. Blueberries are one of the few berries that are allowed to be introduced into the diet of children from the age of seven months. To do this, just add literally a handful of mashed berries to fruit puree. For older children, the daily dose is gradually increased to one and a half to two glasses of berries.

Since children quite often suffer from intestinal upset, there is an experience of treatment with infusion of blueberry leaves, which will quickly relieve spasm and improve the functioning of the digestive organs.

Contraindications

As such, blueberries have no obvious contraindications. But you should be extremely careful when using this berry for the first time - you should not overdo it with the dosage. Despite the extremely rare manifestations of an allergic reaction to blueberries, this situation may well happen.

And, finally, the most important thing - with special care, you should eat wild berries collected in places with questionable ecology and increased background radiation. After all, if in places where blueberries grow, there is a risk of radioactive contamination, then the berry, like a sponge, will absorb it. That is why you should carefully approach the issue of picking berries, because your health depends on it.

Where do blueberries grow in Russia?

Oddly enough, but blueberries are considered a truly Russian berry, because the largest number of blueberry plantations is located on the territory of the Russian Federation. The most common places where blueberries grow are the wet and swampy areas of Tyumen, the Trans-Urals, Siberia, Karelia and the Urals. In almost every region you can find a forest rich in wild berries, including blueberries. For example, in the Lipetsk region, where wild blueberries do not grow in such large quantities as in the Urals or Karelia, there is a special nursery where this and many other varieties of berries are grown. We will dwell in more detail on the blueberries of the Moscow region.

Blueberry places near Moscow

Mosoblleskhoz provides the following data on the presence of blueberries in the Moscow region:

• Forests in the north of the Moscow region, where blueberries grow, are located in the floodplain of Dubna, not far from the Taldom district.
• The eastern part is rich in blueberries of the Meshcherskaya lowland, as well as in the forests of the regions of Yegorievsk, Shatura and Orekhovo-Zuevo.
• In the north-eastern region of the Moscow region - in the forests near Sergiev Posad and in the Losiny Ostrov national park, you can also find a lot of blueberries.
• To the west of Moscow, it is quite easy to find berries in the Mozhaisk and Ruzsky districts, as well as near the city of Vereya.
• In the northwest, there is a great chance to find blueberries in the Shakhovsky and Lotoshinsky districts.

Collection and processing of blueberries

The best time for picking blueberries is the end of July - the beginning of August. Choose either early morning or evening. To avoid excessive moisture in the berries, choose a day with the most dry weather. Berries are picked exclusively by hand, carefully, trying not to damage. Do not pick unripe, damaged or spoiled berries.

There are four main types of blueberry processing:

1. Heat treatment. It implies the preparation of jam, jam, fruit drinks and compotes.
2. Freeze. Fresh berries are washed, excess moisture is removed, blueberries are laid out on pallets in one layer and sent for quick freezing in the freezer. After complete freezing, the berries must be packaged in containers or bags. Such berries are stored for about six to eight months.
3. Drying. The first three or four days the berries are dried in sunlight, after which they are sent to the oven. Drying is carried out at a temperature of 70-80 degrees until the berries no longer give juice and stick together. On average, this process will take you about twelve hours.
4. Rubbing with sugar. Great alternative to jam. This type of preparation allows you to preserve vitamins as much as possible, but the shelf life of such a preparation is much less. Crushed berries are mixed with sugar in a ratio of 1:2.

In addition to berries, blueberry leaves have no less beneficial properties. They are collected in May or early June and dried, but not in direct sunlight, but in the shade.

In general, it should be noted that blueberries should be consumed fresh to the maximum. After all, this is how you can get all the useful substances that have not undergone modification after one or another processing. If simply eating berries or tasting blueberry juice bores you, we offer some delicious ideas in the next section.

blueberry recipes

Cupcakes with blueberries. Beat softened butter with sugar and eggs. Gradually add sour cream, flour and a little soda. Gently mix fresh berries into the finished dough and distribute into molds. Bake at 180 degrees until fully cooked. These muffins are a great addition to breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Creative breakfast. If you or your children do not like ordinary cottage cheese, then try diluting it with fresh berries, a spoonful of sugar and a little sour cream. The incredibly beautiful color and amazing taste of such cottage cheese will definitely not leave anyone indifferent.

Smoothies have become extremely popular lately. An excellent recipe for such a cocktail includes a handful of fresh blueberries, a banana, half a kiwi and a glass of kefir. Thoroughly mix all the ingredients in a blender - and your smoothie is ready.

Another blueberry smoothie recipe consists of a combination of natural yogurt, a banana, a spoonful of honey, orange juice, and, in fact, the berry itself. Such a cocktail will perfectly satisfy hunger and saturate the body with a mass of vitamins.

Conclusion

In this article, we tried not only to answer the question of where blueberries grow, but also shared a lot of useful information! We wish you good luck in finding and collecting this wonderful berry!

The people have long known the healing properties that blueberries possess. Where this berry grows, they are sure to collect it. And it's not just the locals who do it. Why do people come for the harvest, living hundreds of kilometers from those places where an amazing berry grows - blueberries?
Where it grows, medicinal value, how to use the fruits and other parts of the miraculous plant - all this will be briefly discussed in the article.

Description

Some areas of the European part of the country, Karelia, Siberia, the northern regions of the Urals, the Tyumen region, certain territories of the Trans-Urals are places where blueberries are especially common.

The yield of berries is different every year. This indicator is influenced by many different factors. Do not forget that the place of growth is one of the main conditions. In harvest years, up to one ton of valuable berries can be harvested from a hectare of blueberries.

Swamps and forests where blueberries grow are a real treasure of the country. Citizens are required to use resources prudently and carefully. Only such an approach will help preserve the wealth given to man by nature.

Blueberries in folk medicine

The plant is very popular among the people is not accidental. The healing properties of berries and blueberry leaves have been known for a long time. Infusions, decoctions and other remedies prepared from parts of the plant are used in modern practice to combat ailments.

Among the inhabitants of Ancient Russia, the peoples inhabiting the territory of modern Siberia and the Russian North, blueberries (where they still grow today) have always occupied a special place. The berry, normalizing digestion, helped to get rid of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Possessing bactericidal properties, blueberry juice helped relieve inflammation of the genitourinary system.

Medicines prepared from berries and leaves improved the activity of the brain, normalized the state of the blood. Regular consumption of blueberries had a beneficial effect on the retina, improving vision.
No wonder the people affectionately called the plant blueberries, blueberries, shrubs. All healers, healers, shamans had in their arsenal drugs made from a wonderful berry.

Composition of blueberries and leaves

The unique properties of the plant are due to the substances that make up its composition. Today, scientists have methods that allow you to accurately determine which acids, vitamins, minerals a particular product is enriched with. The berries and leaves of blueberries are also well studied.

It has been established that the fruits contain organic acids - citric, lactic, cinchona, oxalic, malic, succinic. Each of them individually and in combination with other substances has the most beneficial effect on the human body.
Iron, potassium, copper, manganese, sulfur, chromium, phosphorus, zinc are chemical elements, the presence of which is also found in blueberries. Manganese contains as much as not found in any other plant. Blueberries are used as a source of vitamins A, B, C, PP.

No less unique in their chemical composition are the leaves of the shrub. They are used in the fight against various ailments. For example, medicines made from blueberry leaves are used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

It is no coincidence that an expression has become entrenched among the people, the meaning of which is as follows: where blueberries grow and people regularly eat them, doctors have nothing to do.

Blueberries in beekeeping

As mentioned earlier, blueberry plantations are actively visited by bees during its flowering. Shrub flowers are an excellent honey plant. It has been established that bees are able to bring up to two kilograms of nectar per day from blueberry flowers into the hive.
This fact is confirmed by experienced beekeepers. They try to locate the hives near places where blueberries grow in large quantities.

Blueberry honey is different from other varieties of this product. It is very fragrant, transparent, has a slight reddish tint. According to the medicinal properties that this honey possesses, it is not inferior to varieties collected from other honey plants.

Blueberry cultivars

Such a useful and tasty berry could not be overlooked by breeders. Thanks to their hard work, already at the beginning of the 20th century, gardens and special nurseries appeared everywhere, where blueberries grow. About two dozen different varieties of this wonderful berry are grown in the Moscow region.

Conventionally, plants are divided into two groups, taking into account the height of the bush - medium (from 60 to 120 cm) and tall (up to two meters). All cultivars of blueberries intended for cultivation in the Moscow region are resistant to frost and fungal diseases. The close occurrence of groundwater is not an obstacle to the cultivation of bushes in garden plots.

Methods for harvesting blueberries

The second half of summer is the season when blueberries ripen. The berry, where it grows in natural conditions, can remain on the bushes until the beginning of autumn. During this period, there is an active collection of blueberries.

Berries are useful not only fresh, but also processed. What is the best way to prepare blueberries for the winter, preserving all its healing properties? This question interested everyone who was lucky enough to bring a basket filled with wonderful fruits from the forest.

Drying is one of the ways to harvest berries. Drying blueberries at home is not difficult. Berries need to be sorted out, removing twigs, leaves, spoiled fruits. Prepared blueberries are scattered in a thin layer on a baking sheet or other flat surface and placed in the sun. Regularly stirring the berries, achieve their complete drying.

The whole procedure will take several days - it will depend on the weather. Dried berries are stored in a paper bag or linen bag. In winter, you can cook compote, jelly from blueberries, use it as a filling for pies.

Freezing is another popular way to store blueberries. Berries can be placed whole in the freezer or mashed beforehand. The blank can become an independent dish, ready to eat, as well as the basis for making drinks, fillings for baking.

Another common way to harvest berries. Pancakes and pancakes will be much tastier if served with such jam.