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Gardeners begin to collect gooseberries in the middle or end of summer. It all depends on the variety and weather conditions of the region. The berry at the time of collection should not be overripe, soft. The collection process is complicated by thorns that cover the shoots over their entire surface. But experienced amateur gardeners know how easy it is to solve this problem.
When gooseberries ripen
For timely harvesting, 2 stages of fruit maturity should be taken into account – technical and consumer.
With technical maturity, harvesting begins 2 weeks earlier than the full ripening period. Gooseberries at this stage are still green, firm, but have enough sweetness to make jam or jam. It is too early to use it fresh. The fruits at this stage have a characteristic size for the variety, they are suitable for transportation.
In the period of consumer maturity, gooseberries are completely ready for fresh consumption. It turns pink, amber, or purple, depending on the variety. It softens, the sugar content rises in the pulp.
Ripening time depending on the variety
All known and popular varieties of gooseberries ripen in different periods. It all depends on the region where the crop is grown and its varietal characteristics.
Ripening period and variety:
- ” yellow” – from 6 to 8 June;
- “Anniversary” – the last week of July;
- “Malachite” – from the beginning of July;
- “Invicta” – from July 15;
- “English Green” harvested in early July;
- “White Nights” ripens after July 20;
- “Candy” collected in August.
When gooseberries ripen in the regions
Features of the climatic zones of each region of Our Country determine the ripening of gooseberries at different times, regardless of the variety.
In the Moscow region, culture begins to ripen from mid-July. The fruiting period lasts until mid-August. Early-ripening varieties can ripen a week earlier, late-ripening varieties later, but their fruiting will be longer.
For the Urals and Siberia, winter-hardy varieties are chosen that can tolerate frosts down to -20 ᵒС without shelter. They differ in late maturation and precocity. On average, all varieties of this crop begin to ripen in the Urals in late July or early August, bear fruit for 2 weeks.
In central Our Country and in the south, almost all varieties of gooseberries can be grown, they take root well, bear fruit abundantly, starting from the end of June. From the earliest varieties, the harvest can be harvested as early as mid-June.
Is it possible to collect unripe gooseberries
Green fruits are harvested for further processing. They should reach the size characteristic of the variety, the skin should be quite hard, the berries should be completely green or with a slight pink tinge on one barrel. Such a collection allows you to save the bush, reduce its depletion. Unripe fruits are used to make jams and jams. Also, gooseberries at this stage of maturity are suitable for harvesting and further transportation, they will not lose their presentation and taste.
Unripe fruits can only be stored frozen, if they are not placed in the freezer, they will begin to deteriorate and will not reach full maturity at home.
When gooseberries are harvested for jam
For jam, the berries are harvested a few days before they are fully ripe. During this period, the sugar content in the pulp is already high enough, and the peel is still strong and elastic to retain its shape during heat treatment.
The berries must be felt – they must be elastic and not squeezed, such fruits are suitable for making jam. Also, after harvesting, when biting them, you can hear a characteristic crunch, which is not observed in overripe fruits after harvesting.
Almost all varieties of gooseberries at the stage of full ripening on the barrels have small dark spots. Such berries are suitable for fresh consumption and for winemaking – they are sweet and juicy, but they are not suitable for jam – they are overripe. For the preparation of jams, fruits are harvested until dark spots appear on their surface.
During heavy rains, gooseberries are harvested earlier, as moisture softens the peel, it cracks, and the fruit becomes unsuitable for processing after harvest. Also, harvesting should be done in dry, warm weather; berries harvested in this way can be stored for several days without processing.
Gooseberry fruits are removed from the bush in stages. Small and unripe, left to ripen.
How to pick gooseberries
Harvesting fruit from a thorny bush is a troublesome business. In order not to prick and not damage the gooseberry shoots, gardeners use special devices or gadgets of their own manufacture.
Collection by hand
You can protect your hands from sharp gooseberry thorns with thick garden mittens for pruning roses. Hands above the wrist are covered with long sleeves. The shoot is taken by the top, gently tilted so as not to damage, and each berry is cut off separately. Fragile fruits after harvesting are folded into prepared containers, trying not to crush them.
How to collect gooseberries so as not to prick
It is not always possible to preserve the integrity of the berry if gloves are worn on the hands. Some gardeners find this method inconvenient. In this case, gardeners resort to the use of other means of protection.
With a plastic bottle
To make such a device is simple and at home. A teardrop-shaped hole is cut in an ordinary plastic bottle. Its wide part should be in the center of the bottle, and the narrow part should lie closer to the bottom.
To collect the fruits, the bottle is taken by the neck, the berry is put into the narrow part of the hole at the level of the handle and the bottle is pulled towards you. The gooseberry falls into the wide part of the cutout and stays inside the bottle. As soon as the container is full after harvest, the crop is poured into another larger container.
With a berry harvester
In large agricultural areas, it is not advisable to harvest gooseberries with your hands. For harvesting, special berry harvesters are used.
Thus, the efficiency of the harvesting process is increased, and the possibility of injury to pickers with prickly spikes is eliminated. The process is completely mechanized.
In small farms, special trays and combs are used, labor remains manual. The device is a capacious box with a handle, the edge of which is equipped with a comb in the form of small rakes. This comb is substituted under the shoot and led upwards, the berries fall between the teeth, come off and fall into the body.
Other tools for collecting gooseberries
Hand comb in the form of a thimble. She is put on a finger and held along the shoot. The cuttings of the berries fall between the teeth and break off.
Under the bush, you must first substitute a container convenient for collection. It can be a square of slats, with a tarpaulin not tightly stretched over them. Berries, falling on sagging fabric, will not break.
A fork or tongs for picking berries can protect your hands from pricks of thorns. On sale they can be found from wood or plastic or made independently. With these devices, they capture or fix the shoot, tilt it and pick the fruits with their free hands.
Vibrator for collecting gooseberries. It is used in conjunction with a thick cloth or tarp, which is spread under a bush. The shoot is brought into the plug of the apparatus and turned on. Under the influence of a vibrator, the berries fall on the spread fabric.
Gooseberry cleaning and harvest processing
The collected fruits are poured with water and let them brew for 15 minutes. So the foliage and all the debris will rise to the surface of the water. If necessary, repeat the procedure. On berries with petioles or leaves, cut off all excess.
Gooseberries harvested at the stage of technical maturity must be processed within 24 hours. Fruits in the stage of consumer ripeness are processed immediately, without delay. The maximum shelf life is 12 hours in a cool place.
For long-term storage, jams, jams and compotes are prepared from gooseberries. From overripe berries prepare wine and jelly. Also, the harvested crop can be frozen and enjoy the fruits already in the cold season.
Conclusion
Collecting gooseberries by hand is troublesome. But the ingenuity of modern gardeners and the agricultural industry will facilitate this process, making it less traumatic. Using modern devices, you can collect high yields in a matter of hours.