When to collect barberry and how to dry the berries, fruit storage technology

The harvest of barberry fruits begins when the sweet and sour berries turn red. In the middle zone they ripen by the end of summer. Jams and marshmallows are made from the fruits of the bush, spices, marmalade and liqueur are prepared. The berries of the plant are rich in ascorbic acid and pectin, improve appetite, strengthen the immune system, and have an anti-inflammatory effect. But in order for the use of fruits to give a positive result, you need to know when to collect them.

What can be used

Barberry berries are included in diets for weight loss, consumed to strengthen the immune system, and added in pickled form to fried or stewed vegetables. The fruits are used to make masks that smooth out wrinkles on the skin and remove dark circles under the eyes. Decoctions are prepared from leaves rich in ascorbic acid and carotene, which promote:

• stopping bleeding;
• eliminating nausea;
• excretion of bile.

The roots of barberry are dried and put into tea, and the infusion is used to rinse the mouth to relieve inflammation. The decoction is used for stomach cramps. Natural paint is obtained from the branches and trunk of barberry. Medicines from the bark of the bush reduce blood pressure and stop internal bleeding.

When to Harvest Different Parts of a Plant

To ensure that the leaves, wood and fruits do not lose their healing properties, they need to be harvested at certain times; they are collected at different times of the year.

Berries

Unripe barberry is dangerous to humans because it contains poison. In mid-latitudes, fruits begin to be harvested no earlier than the end of August. You can pick the berries from the bush in late autumn after frost, but overripe barberries leak juice and quickly spoil.

Roots

In the underground part of the thorny bush, most of the useful components accumulate by autumn. To prevent the plant from dying, carefully use a shovel to separate no more than 1/3 of the root shoots. They are not washed, but dried and stored in burlap or wrapped in newspapers. The next harvest of this barberry can be carried out no earlier than after 5 years.

Bark

When the bush begins to secrete sap, which in mid-latitudes occurs in the second month of spring, medicinal raw materials such as bark are prepared.It is removed from the shoots, laid out in the attic in a thin layer and turned over several times to dry everything.

Leaves

At the end of spring, the buds on the barberry open and the bush blooms. At this time, you need to cut off young branches no more than 10 cm long with tender green leaves and dry them all together, washing them from dirt.

For long-term storage, medicinal raw materials are laid out in a thin layer in the oven, first at 45, and then increasing the temperature to 60 degrees.

How do harvest times depend on the variety and region of growth?

A tree-like shrub with a spreading crown is found in the Caucasus, southern Europe, and mid-latitudes. The plant takes root without problems even in Siberia. Amur barberry is common in the Far East; its berries are harvested in November. The Dulcis variety pleases with very tasty fruits that ripen in October.

In central Russia, common barberry is harvested after the first frosts, when the bitterness disappears, and they arrive already in September.

Collection rules and technology

The bush's berries are harvested in the fall, but you must try to catch them before they become overripe. Soft fruits crumple and crush, and it is very difficult to process such barberries. The selected berries are washed under the tap, but do not mix with your hands, otherwise it is easy to damage the skin. Fresh fruits can be stored until winter if sprinkled with sugar.

You cannot collect barberry near highways and railways. The fruits are cut along with thin branches or picked from the bush.

How to dry barberry at home

Ripe berries of the prickly plant are washed, crumpled and rotten ones are removed, and the water is allowed to drain.After this, they need to be spread out in a thin layer on a baking sheet, which is sent to the oven, where the temperature is set to at least 40, then another 20 degrees is added.

Dried barberry fruits stop sticking together and are easily separated from each other.

Drying twigs and leaves

At the end of May or beginning of July, after rain, young shoots of shrubs up to 10 cm long are harvested along with leaves. At home, medicinal raw materials are laid out in a thin layer under a canopy to avoid direct sunlight. Dry barberry leaves in a ventilated area.

We prepare the roots

The underground part of the bush, which is dug up in the fall, is freed from soil and rotten shoots and chopped into pieces up to 15 cm long. The root sections are split and placed in a dryer heated to 50 degrees.

Fruits and seeds

The oval berries of the thorny bush are very small, their length does not exceed 12 mm. Barberry seeds, like all parts of the plant, have healing properties. The fruits are harvested without removing the seeds.

Storage duration

Dried leaves and roots do not deteriorate, do not lose their beneficial components and can be used for up to three years. Berries ground with sugar should be consumed within 6–12 months. Jam or fruit preserves can be stored for the same amount of time.

Where and how to use blanks correctly

Tincture of berries is used to treat gout and scurvy, relieve stomach colic, relieve constipation, inflammation of the eyes, and is also used as an antiseptic.

Decoctions and infusions are prepared from the root, which help:

1. Stop the bleeding.
2. Improve the functioning of the gallbladder.
3. Improve metabolism.

The flowers are poured with boiling water and drunk as tea for a cold.A decoction is prepared from the dry leaves of the bush, which is used to narrow dilated blood vessels and speed up blood circulation.

Barberry is used to produce drugs that reduce blood pressure and normalize heartbeat. Tablets from the berries are prescribed for hepatitis, to remove stones from the gall bladder. Dried fruits are used as a seasoning and added to various dishes.

The bark of the shrub is crushed, placed in hot water, and an infusion of 50 ml is taken for stomach pain, cystitis, and impaired kidney function.