Vintage red and white currants in this year turned out to be more than usual. Most likely, the bushes helped spring fertilizing and good weather. Now with berries need to do something about it. Part will go to compotes and jams, and some would like to leave fresh to feast on next fall.
Despite the fact that the red (white) currant stored longer than black, to keep it fresh but late autumn is very difficult. But probably. Now I'll show you how to do it.
1. Proper collection
It all starts with proper collection of berries. There are several key points that need to be taken into account.
- Never assemble the currants in a rainy or very humid weather. While collecting berries should be dry. Do not forget that even on a sunny day on the bushes can be dew. Wait until it dries;
- Picking berries do not individually but the whole sprig. Otherwise, you will damage the floors (Pomnetsya berries, fruit stem will break, damage protective layer);
- Brush with berries are best cut with sharp scissors, but not break. This is done in order to not damage or crush the fruit;
- Collect better currants in a bowl, with a flat bottom. If you use a wicker basket, can be damaged berries (Scratch compress between braids, crush);
- If you pick the berries in a bucket, filled to not more than 1/3, otherwise the fruit will start to crumple under its own weight.
For long-term storage, it is best to pluck unripe berries. Not green, but it is a little immature. They will be better kept. In addition, they are harder to damage.
2. Training
After berry crop is harvested, it is necessary to select the damaged fruit. Will make it quite difficult, because the currants and small imperfections on it are practically invisible.
Whip with damaged berries chips for early consumption, storage is no longer suitable.
Participants sort for storage in a small, lightweight ventilated baskets. This is done in order to:
- All berries can breathe;
- All berries in contact with moist air;
- Currants are not spoiled by the weight of their body weight. (As it happens in large buckets or basins)
Make sure that enough baskets flat bottom without splinters, sharp rods, brackets and wire. Otherwise, sorting, you can damage the berry.
Wash the berries before storing it is not necessary. This can damage the natural protective layer and make the fruit too wet.
3. Storage
After we distributed the berries of a small basket, send them in the refrigerator. The optimum temperature - about 1 degree Celsius. Humidity needs to be very high - up to 90%. In such circumstances, the berries will be able to fill the lack of moisture, while not starting spoils.
Many of my friends are careless in collecting, damaging the berries, and then complain that the currants are stored no more than 1 month. To berry really long kept, it is important to carefully collect it. Perhaps this is the key to long-term storage.
I would be very happy if my article was useful to you. Put a "thumbs up" and subscribe to my channel gardening.