Ripening time and harvest time of red and chokeberry

Chokeberry is a healthy berry, which is used for the preparation of both preparations for the winter and for medicines.

This plant component can be used to make compotes, juices, preserves, wine, as well as various tinctures, tea and various useful decoctions. But still it is worth being able to collect it correctly.

In order to prepare delicious preparations from this berry you need to know the timing of its collection and be able to determine them... The storage period, the beneficial properties of the berry, and its taste depend on this.

Rowan red and black ripens around the end of August at the beginning of September. A ripe berry can withstand increased frosts, and the harvest is preserved almost until spring.

In the southern regions of Russia coloration of red and black rowan begins from the beginning of July, but during this period it has not yet ripened. Many gardeners believe that this berry reaches full maturity closer to September. However, even during this period, it is not yet considered fully mature.

It is worth remembering that berry taste depends on ripeness and ripening period... If you want the fruits to be not very sweet with a bitter taste, then the collection should be done at the very beginning of ripening. If you want the berry to be sweeter, then it is better to wait with the collection until frost.

You can start the first collection of berries already when the structure of the fruit becomes completely black or red, and to the touch it becomes not very hard and dense. This usually occurs in mid-August and early September.

At this time, the berry becomes bitter and takes on a slightly tart aftertaste. The second collection period begins already from the end of September until winter, at this time the fruits fully ripen and become sweet in taste.

How can and should be collected: important rules

Rowan harvesting has a number of features... Unlike other varieties of berries, this type of fruit crops has a number of features, on which the correct harvest depends.

It is worth remembering a few rules for collecting, on which the storage, taste, structure of fruits and preparations from them depend:

• it is necessary to start shooting ripe fruits in sunny weather;
• the day after the rain will be optimal. The rain will wash away all the dust and dirt from the berries, and also beat off spoiled, rotten fruits;
• berries for picking must be dry, because raw berries with water will not be well stored;
• it is advisable to pick in the morning, because it is during this period that the berries are of the greatest value, contain a high level of useful components;
• if the berry ripens and is harvested for drying, then it is necessary to cut off whole brushes with berries. They should be cut with pruning shears. After that, the brushes are strung on a rope and hung in a dry place to dry;
• if the berries are harvested for the preparation of compotes, preserves, decoctions, tea and other medicinal drinks, then it should also be cut off with brushes. Then the berries are separated and used for cooking. If you remove it for each berry, this process will take a lot of time, besides, the likelihood of damage to the fruit increases.

When to collect chokeberry, the video will tell you:

Collecting berries for jam and compote

Various blanks can be prepared from red and black mountain ash: it is suitable for making preserves, jams, jellies.

It is included in the composition of one-component compotes, juices, and it is also added to fruit and berry compotes. Rowan goes well with apples, pears, cherries, plums.

It is important that the berry has not only a beautiful bright color, but also a suitable taste. For dessert blanks for the winter, the taste of the fruit should be sweet, if it is bitter, then, accordingly, the taste of jam or compote will be bitter.

It is advisable to pick the berries for cooking jams and compotes a little later - from the end of September closer to mid-October. During this period, the fruits become juicy, poured with a bright color and acquire a sweeter taste.

If the berry is planned to be added to compotes assorted fruits, for example, in addition to apples or pears, then rowan can be harvested from the beginning of September, without waiting for full ripeness.

At this time, the berries have a bright color, which will make the compotes beautiful. A small handful of black or red mountain ash can brighten up compotes from zucchini, melon, it will give them a bright, rich color.

If you plan to prepare one-component compotes, then with the collection it is recommended to wait until the first frost. In central Russia, this period falls on October. During this period, a decrease in temperature at night is observed.

Beforehand, it is worth trying a few berries to taste to make sure they are suitable for making compotes and jam. If not, then the berry should be left for some time in the frost so that it is fully ripe.

Making vitamin tea or decoction

Rowan red and black have a high level of useful componentsthat have a beneficial effect on human health.

This berry helps to eliminate various diseases of the digestive system, liver, kidneys, normalizes the activity of the heart and blood vessels.

This berry can be added to various tinctures, decoctions, fortified tea. Wherein for cooking, you can use both fresh and dried fruits... The main thing when preparing to take into account all the recommendations of the recipe.

Fortified black or red berry tea

Fortified tea based on red or black mountain ash considered an effective remedy against influenza and SARS... It is useful to drink this drink in the spring, when there is a lack of vitamins and useful components.

It will take about 50 grams of mountain ash and 50 grams of hawthorn berries, a liter of hot water.

Tea preparation scheme:

1. To begin with, prepare 50 grams of rowan and rosehip berries.
2. If you have a thermos, then you should fill it with mountain ash and rose hips.
3. Fill in 1 liter of hot water.
4. We close the thermos and leave to infuse for 6-8 hours.

Drink ready-made tea should be half a glass 2-3 times a day.... To improve the taste, increase the tonic properties in the finished drink, you can add a little natural honey, a spoonful of grated ginger root.

Currant and rowan tea

The drink with the addition of currants turns out to be very tasty, invigorating and tonic. It can be drunk during periods of epidemics of colds.

It boosts the properties of the immune system, enhances the body's resistance to the effects of various infectious and colds.

To prepare a healthy drink, you will need 50 grams of red or black mountain ash, 1 large spoonful of currants, dried currant leaves 1 large spoon.

Cooking rules:

1. We prepare the berries and leaves.
2. We spread rowan, berries and currant leaves in a thermos.
3. Everything is filled with a liter of hot water.
4. Be sure to close the thermos tightly.
5. We leave everything to brew overnight.
6. You can drink tea every day for half a glass 3 times.

It is worth noting that fortified mountain ash tea improves the functioning of the liver, kidneys, heart, blood vessels... In addition, it normalizes the activity of the digestive system.

Decoction of flowers

Rowan flowers have useful properties... They should be harvested in late May and early June. Decoctions of rowan flowers help to normalize the activity of the endocrine system, eliminate liver disorders, help with hemorrhoids, coughs, and various gynecological pathologies.

For cooking you will need about 1 large spoon of rowan flowers, 250 ml of hot water.

Everything is being prepared according to the following scheme:

1. First, prepare 1 large spoonful of rowan flowers.
2. We put the flowers in a jar.
3. Fill everything with hot water, one glass is enough.
4. Everything is infused for 30 minutes.
5. After that, the broth is filtered through a gauze material.

Drink the broth should be half a glass three times a day.... You can infuse the flock in a thermos for 3-4 hours. It is recommended to drink it glass three times a day.

Decoctions based on rowan flowers can be added to medicinal baths to treat joint pain. Decoctions are used for various colds - they are often used to gargle with pharyngitis and laryngitis.

First stage suitable for harvesting fruits that will be used for drying. Second phase suitable for the preparation of various preparations, preserves, compotes, jams.

In any case, whenever this berry is harvested, it has beneficial properties that have a beneficial effect on the activity of the organs of the body, on the general condition and health.