People who grow blueberries have to harvest ripe berries in the middle of summer. Many people do this with their own hands, but some prefer to use special combines. You can make such a blueberry harvester yourself.
What is a blueberry harvester?
Before you make a device for harvesting blueberries, you need to understand what it is.A berry picker is a device that makes harvesting ripe berries much easier. With the help of such a combine, the harvesting procedure does not last several hours, but a matter of minutes.
The main element of this tool is the elongated teeth, which are shaped like ridges. The distance between the cloves is 5-8 millimeters, and the length of each of them reaches 25 centimeters. These sizes allow the comb to safely pass by the leaves and stems of blueberry bushes.
The next important detail of the product is a ladle equipped with a small handle. When harvesting ripe berries, the comb is positioned so that the teeth point upward. Then the structure is carefully pulled along each row. All berries will be automatically picked by the tines and placed in the bucket.
Classification of berry harvesters
There are different types of equipment for harvesting blueberries. Before using them, you need to familiarize yourself with their main features.
According to the level of mechanization, combines are divided into:
- A manual berry picker that does not involve mechanical processes. Such a device is made on the basis of ancient prototypes of combines that were used many years ago. Externally, a manual fruit picker resembles an ordinary rake, to which a small box or fabric bag is tied. Modern models of such devices have a well-fixed handle on which a sheet palisade is attached.
- Mechanical harvester. This is the most common berry harvesting machine used by many gardeners. These models are equipped with small motors responsible for the operation of the scoop, which shakes off ripe blueberries. They also have a built-in small glass for storing blueberries.
- Automatic tool.The most expensive models are the easiest to use. Outwardly, such devices resemble combines that collect grain from the fields. The only major difference is that blueberry pickers do not have digging elements or mowing blocks.
Similar designs
Various tools can be used as analogues of devices for picking ripe berries. At the same time, they can look different and have both simple and complex designs. The simplest options for harvesters include a regular scoop, with small teeth installed on the leading edge. This scoop is popular among gardeners due to its ease of use.
There are also some homemade models that have a great balance of functionality, cheapness and simplicity. Most often, such devices for harvesting ripe blueberries and blueberries are made from scrap materials. However, such tools have certain disadvantages. The main disadvantage is considered to be fragility, since most homemade combines quickly break down.
Required tools and materials
Before you create a good and reliable container for picking blueberries, you need to figure out what materials and tools will be useful to get the job done.
The following materials and tools will be needed:
- Steel sheets. To make a durable structure body or create a container for collected berries, steel sheets are used. For this purpose, it is recommended to use new and undamaged metal sheets.
- Iron wire. The rake, which is responsible for picking the berries, must be made of wire.In this case, it is better to make them from durable pins that will not bend when in contact with the ground surface. The length of the pins should be at least 10-15 centimeters.
- Plywood or plastic. In order not to damage the berries during the harvesting process, the body is lined with plastic or wood. Some gardeners line their own blueberry picking device with scraps from plastic bottles or canisters.
- Fastening elements. Screws, nails or bolts are used to secure parts of the combine.
- Drill. This tool is necessary for making mounting holes.
- Hammer. This may be necessary if the combine body will be covered with plywood.
Making such a device yourself
The machine for harvesting blueberries is manufactured in several stages:
- Creation of a schematic drawing. First, a diagram is created with the exact dimensions of all structural elements.
- Creation of the corpus. During the manufacturing process of the case, you will have to cut the metal sheet.
- Making a comb. To make your own comb for picking berries, you will have to cut pre-prepared metal rods. They don’t have to be long, but even short twigs will make the berries difficult to pick.
- Attaching the scraper to the body. The created comb must be secured to the front side of the combine body. This is done with durable fastening screws.
- Creating a pen. To equip the blueberry picking machine with a handle, you can use a steel tube or metal plate. The material is bent to form the shape of a doorknob and bolted to the top of the structure.
Is mechanized berry picking harmful to shrubs?
Many people are interested in whether blueberry picking can harm ripe berries.Some people believe that a harvester with a comb cannot damage shrubs, but this is not true. Even high-quality models of combines can damage branches and crops.
Products with large sizes cause the most damage. They pick off not only ripe berries, but also leaves and young, immature branches, which, along with the harvest, end up in a scoop for the collected fruits. That is why gardeners recommend using compact models of combines with small blades or scoops for harvesting berries.
Most often, berries are damaged if you use the harvester carelessly. All damaged fruits are poured into a glass and covered with sugar before they begin to deteriorate.
Conclusion
Many people who grow berries in the garden want to make it easier to harvest a ripe harvest. Often, special combines are used for this, with which you can harvest blueberries in 5-10 minutes. Before using such devices, you need to familiarize yourself with their varieties and figure out how to make a berry picker yourself.
