Content
- 1 How cloudberries grow in the forest
- 2 When cloudberries bloom
- 3 When does the cloudberry ripen?
- 4 Which cloudberries to collect
- 5 How to properly collect cloudberries
- 6 How to quickly collect cloudberries
- 7 How to sort cloudberries
- 8 Is it possible to collect unripe cloudberries?
- 9 When to collect cloudberry leaves
- 10 Conclusion
Cloudberry is a delicious northern berry that contains a huge amount of nutrients and vitamins. In order to harvest cloudberries and get the maximum benefit from them, you need to know exactly when they ripen.
How cloudberries grow in the forest
Cloudberry is a herbaceous plant that loves damp places. Distributed in northern latitudes, tundra and forest-tundra. In the forest, this berry grows in the same area as cranberries - in swamps, near rivers. It should be humid nearby, since the plant loves such a climate. In addition, the northern berry tries to grow in the shade, since the sun does not spoil the berry too much in its native lands.
This is not a solitary plant; it grows immediately in a carpet. Therefore, it is convenient to collect it not only manually, but also with a combine.
When cloudberries bloom
The exact flowering time of this plant depends on the region. In the North-West of Russia, among all the berries, cloudberries begin to bloom and bear fruit first. Flowering begins in May - June. At this time, a single flower with five leaves appears at the top of the shoot.The petals are most often white, but sometimes pink. The flowers of the plant are exclusively unisexual. Therefore, it is possible to distinguish male and female individuals by the presence of stamens and pistils.
When does the cloudberry ripen?
The northern berry ripens in July. At this time, a fruit similar to a raspberry is formed. This is a drupe, which consists of several stones, each of which contains a fairly large stone inside. Cloudberries are a close relative of raspberries, but it’s easy to mistake them for their color.
During full ripeness, when the berry contains the maximum amount of vitamins and nutrients, the northern beauty has a bright yellow color. If you collect red fruits, they must be ripened.
Which cloudberries to collect
Full ripening of the berries usually occurs 45 days after the start of flowering. When the berry turns yellow, it can be collected and stored. But it is important to consider the speed of use. Sometimes it is better to collect cloudberries for home unripe so that they can ripen at home. There are several ways to process green cloudberries.
Fully ripe berries have very delicate skin and under any pressure, even slight, they release juice. Therefore, it is unprofitable to transport in a mature state.
How to properly collect cloudberries
At first glance, manual assembly does not present anything difficult. But this must be done correctly in order to preserve the integrity of the collected material:
- The berry is collected with sepals.
- The ideal option is with a reddish tint.
- The harvest should be placed in low containers so that the berries do not choke or spoil during transportation.
Manual picking has one main advantage - you can pick berries at the desired stage of ripeness and the required size. But there is one main drawback - a big waste of time.
How to quickly collect cloudberries
For those who don’t have time to pick cloudberries by hand, using a berry harvester is perfect. This device will help you quickly and without damage to collect a large number of berries. At the same time, there are several types of combine harvesters, which differ in the level of mechanization and design. Berry harvesters are:
- Manual, without mechanization of the process. A container with a special device that resembles a rake.
- Manual mechanisms with mechanization of the process. These are products that are held in the hand, but at the same time have a mechanism like a motor for translational movements.
- An automatic device controlled by an operator. This is a huge combine harvester that looks like a simple grain harvesting mechanism. The only difference is in operational management. Used for collecting cloudberries on an industrial scale.
Smaller harvesters are used for home harvesting, while larger, complex machines are used for harvesting in industrial settings.
How to sort cloudberries
It’s not difficult to sort through the harvest, but the process itself depends directly on the ripeness of the berries. If the berry is ripe, then you should sort it out very carefully so that the juice does not stand out and the fruit does not flow. When sorting, you need to select all wrinkled, black-spotted, sickly specimens, as well as those severely damaged during transportation. After this, the berries can be processed.
Is it possible to collect unripe cloudberries?
Unripe cloudberries will ripen quickly at home. In this case, the berries will have more opportunities to remain intact.If picked too ripe, it will not be able to be stored for long, and it will be difficult to process the berries. The main thing is to be able to ripen it correctly.
How to ripen cloudberries
There are several ways to ripen cloudberries at home:
- Place in an even layer on a paper towel. It is enough to keep the berry for 2–4 days.
- Place in a cool place along with the sepals.
Before putting it to ripening at home, it is imperative to sort out the berries, and then rinse and dry them. If you collect ripe fruits, then she may simply not make it home. In a cool place, cloudberries become completely ripe within 3 days.
What can be made from unripe cloudberries?
First of all, dried berries can be prepared from unripe fruits. Drying the northern royal year for the winter is simple: you need to spread it out in an even layer on pallets and place it in a well-ventilated area without direct sun.
An excellent option for preparing an unripe specimen is soaked berries:
- Sort and pour into a jar.
- Pour boiled water at room temperature.
- For three liters of water, you can optionally add half a glass of sugar.
- Cover the jar with gauze and place in a cool place.
In this form it can be stored from six months to two years. In this case, the degree of maturity does not matter. Ripening cloudberries is not necessary for this preparation.
When to collect cloudberry leaves
The leaves are used to prepare various decoctions and are prepared in several ways. But before harvesting, they must be assembled correctly. The leaves should be collected at the moment when the bud forms and the flowering period begins. At this moment, the leaves contain the greatest amount of nutrients.
It is optimal to collect the leaves at the bottom and in the middle of the stem. It will be beneficial for the plant if the number of leaves collected from one bush does not exceed a third of its total volume of leaves. Otherwise, the plant will get sick and will not be able to bear fruit normally next year.
Conclusion
Northern berries contain a huge amount of nutrients and a whole range of vitamins. But in order for it to be useful, it is important to collect it correctly and be able to prepare it. Unripe berries are stored better, since ripened cloudberries quickly become juice and their integrity is compromised during transportation.
Ripening cloudberries at home is a process that takes a couple of days. As a result, a storehouse of vitamins can be frozen, dried, or made into jam or jam. If you don’t want to collect fruits by hand and spend a huge amount of time, it’s enough to use a combine harvester, which you can either make yourself or buy in a store. Collection period: July, 1.5 months after flowering.
