How long and how can you store viburnum at home?

Viburnum berries are unique in many respects, and only if they are stored correctly can you count on the product to fully reveal its potential. Particular attention should be paid to winter preparations for those people who care about their health.

Whole fruits, juice squeezed from them, cooked jam or jelly are sources of vitamins, microelements and organic acids. Their consumption helps strengthen the heart muscle, normalize the functioning of the digestive system, restore immunity and reduce cholesterol levels. Finally, viburnum simply has a pleasant, refreshing taste, making it unlike other berries and fruits.

How to collect viburnum and store it fresh?

If you pick viburnum at the wrong time, its taste will have a bitterness that cannot be covered even by sugar. The optimal time for collecting fruits intended for consumption or making preparations for the winter is late autumn. It is best to wait until the first frost and start harvesting immediately after. For this purpose, pruning shears are used to cut the bunches of the product. The component will lose juice if you collect it one berry at a time.

Even fresh, viburnum can be stored for a long time. A cool room or refrigerator is best for this. We hang the bunches of berries or place them in a container, which we cover with a lid, leaving a gap for air circulation. At a temperature not higher than 5-8ºС, the workpiece can last the whole winter. In cases where the use of such low temperatures is not possible, the fruits should be processed.

When to collect red viburnum in 2021 by region of Russia

The exact time when healthy fruits can be picked depends on the weather in a particular region of the country. So, in the south they start harvesting at the end of August, in the middle zone and in the north they pick the berries from September to November.

Drupe harvest dates by region:

• the time when you can pick viburnum in the Moscow region and Leningrad region comes at the end of September; work can continue until the end of November;
• in the Urals, the time when you should pick red viburnum berries comes at the end of autumn;
• in Siberia, the best days when you can and should cut viburnum berries are the first days of December;
• The time period when red viburnum ripens in Kaliningrad, in the Volga region, begins in September and lasts until mid-October.

Freezing and drying viburnum

In a city apartment, the easiest way to store frozen or dried viburnum. Regardless of the approach, the content of useful components in berries will remain at a high level. The preparations can later be consumed in their pure form, or used as a component for preparing a wide variety of dishes.

• Freezing. The berries feel great in any frost and can stay on the tree all winter. Therefore, at home, the easiest way is to take the collected brushes to a cold balcony and hang them there (in extreme cases, put them in a suitable open container). Even if you use a refrigerator for freezing, you should not remove the stalks. This will preserve the juice in them, and, therefore, useful substances. The fruits are placed in plastic containers or thick bags.

Tip: If during the process of picking, transporting or storing the berry has released juice, it will have to be used for preparing preparations. Moreover, the faster, the better. Even drying and freezing the product is useless; it will have little taste or benefit.

• Drying. Place the brushes on a baking sheet and dry at a temperature within 50-60ºС. At the same time, the oven door should not be closed, otherwise the fruits will burst and all the juice will flow out of them. The procedure continues until the fruits become dry and wrinkled. Only after completing the manipulation can the stalks be removed and the viburnum be placed in dry glass jars with ground-in lids.

Most often, frozen and dried products for the winter are further processed into compotes, jelly, infusions, decoctions and fruit drinks. Sometimes the berries are used to make jam, jelly or marshmallows.

Basic rules for collecting viburnum for the winter

You need to know how to collect drupes. This determines how long it can last. During work, several important requirements must be observed:

• You need to pick not individual berries, but whole bunches (it’s more convenient to tie them into bunches);
• for ease of collection, it is better to use garden shears or pruners;
• the collected berries must be washed and dried before use;
• damaged and rotten specimens cannot be placed in the same container with whole ones, they must be removed; If this is not done, all the collected berries will spoil.

Clusters of drupes look very beautiful when placed in bouquets. You can hang them from the ceiling in your pantry and pick the fruits as needed. Even after they dry, their beneficial qualities will remain.

How to prepare viburnum, ground with sugar?

The beneficial components in the berries are not destroyed even under the influence of sugar. Grinding ripe fruits with this component is one of the simplest and most common options for preparing a product for the winter. The procedure looks like this:

• We remove the berries from the brushes, sort them, remove the poor quality ones and wash them in cool water. Dry the viburnum on paper towels until the moisture completely disappears.
• Now the products need to be crushed, while collecting all the healing juice. For this purpose, we use a sieve, blender or meat grinder.
• There is no need to try to remove the seeds during the chopping process. They will not reduce the quality of the composition, nor will they spoil the texture.
• For one part of berries, take two parts of sugar and mix these components thoroughly.

The finished dish should be stored in sterile glass jars. Sterilization time should be at least 10 minutes. After this, close the twists and put them in a cool place. Do not worry if during storage the fruits release juice, which will sink to the bottom of the container. This does not affect the taste and composition of the mass.

Useful properties and use in folk medicine

The first mentions of the therapeutic properties of viburnum can be found in herbalists of the 16th century, and today it is one of the most popular plants in herbalism.

We advise you to read: Mistletoe, medicinal properties and contraindications

Viburnum is prepared for the winter as a basis for healing decoctions, infusions and alcohol tinctures. To do this, the collected plant materials are dried under canopies, avoiding direct exposure to sunlight.

The berries are collected after the onset of sub-zero temperatures outside, tying the bunches into bunches and hanging them in a dry room. If all storage conditions are met, medicinal preparations do not lose their medicinal qualities for 1.5 years, and the bark can be used for 3-4 years.

Viburnum is a medicinal berry. How to use the fruits?

Ripe viburnum fruits are the active ingredient in many ancient traditional medicine recipes. Due to the high content of active components, this tasty berry can be used as an effective treatment for:

• respiratory infections and colds, including influenza, ARVI, bronchitis, sore throat;
• problems with the functioning of the digestive system;
• cardiovascular diseases;
• nervous conditions;
• diseases of the genitourinary system;
• kidney and liver diseases;
• pathologies of the epidermis;
• inflammatory processes of the oral cavity;
• metabolic disorders;
• general weakness of the body, anemia, vitamin deficiency.

Important! Preparations with viburnum have a high degree of impact on the human body, so they should be used in doses and under strict self-monitoring of well-being.

Viburnum bark - use in folk medicine

Due to the large amount of tannins in its composition, viburnum bark has a strong astringent, vasoconstrictor and antiseptic effect.

The most pronounced healing qualities of this part of the plant are manifested in the fight against diseases such as:

• gingivitis, periodontitis, stomatitis - lotions and rinses based on viburnum bark are used;
• gastritis, intestinal disorders, ulcers - use aqueous solutions;
• psoriasis, diathesis, eczema, lichen - baths and applications with a decoction of viburnum bark help well;
• for nosebleeds and hemorrhoids - extracts of plant materials are used.

The bark is harvested during the period of maximum sap flow, which occurs in the spring months, before the first buds appear. Sections of bark are removed from the side branches, washed under running water and dried at +45 °C.

Viburnum flowers - use for medicinal purposes

Kalinov color also has valuable medicinal qualities. It is a strong natural immunostimulant, so experienced herbalists advise drinking tea brewed with viburnum flowers during seasonal illnesses, as well as during general weakness of the body. In addition, using a decoction of viburnum flowers you can:

• natural way to reduce blood pressure;
• relieve anxiety - tinctures made from this part of the plant are characterized by a mild sedative effect;
• cleanse the body of bad cholesterol;
• strengthen the walls of blood vessels due to the vitamin P contained in the color (rutin).

Important! Aqueous infusions of viburnum flower can provoke an increase in the acidity of gastric juice, which must be taken into account when using natural medicine for people with gastrointestinal problems.

Viburnum branches - benefits and harm to the body

Viburnum branches, like the bark from the plant, are collected in the spring, before new leaves bloom. They are thoroughly cleaned of dirt and dust, crushed and a healing decoction is prepared by brewing a spoonful of raw materials with a glass of boiling water.

We advise you to read: Medicinal hyssop herb - application

The aqueous solution is used as a preventive and therapeutic agent for colds, sore throats, ulcers (both external and internal), conjunctivitis, hemorrhoids, and also as a diuretic to relieve swelling.

A contraindication to taking a decoction of red viburnum branches may be individual intolerance to the components of this part of the plant. In this case, drinking the drink can harm the body, so it is better to limit it to external use.

How to squeeze juice from viburnum and prepare liqueur?

The juice obtained from viburnum can be used not only fresh. It is collected and poured into suitable containers to be stored for several months. The procedure looks like this:

• We sort the fruits, wash them, dry them and put them in a juicer. Using a sieve or masher is not very suitable here; the liquid will not be released as actively.
• Mix the extracted juice with sugar in equal proportions and pour into sterile glass jars or bottles.
• If desired, you can add water (a glass of liquid per 1 liter of juice) and a little honey. In this case, the mass should be boiled for 10 minutes. This product can be stored for 1-2 years, thanks to heat treatment.

Viburnum juice is used in the production of jam, fruit drinks, compote, marshmallows, and marmalade. And the fresh component is often used to prepare the liqueur. You just need to mix 100 ml of juice, water and sugar with 0.5 liters of vodka and keep the mixture at room temperature for two days. The finished liqueur is bottled and sealed for the winter. You can keep it in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

Wine

Grind viburnum (1 kg), add water (500 ml), add sugar (80 g) and leave to ferment.
After 3 days, strain and add another 80 g of sugar (add two more servings every three days). Close the bottles with a lid with a water seal. When the fermentation process is over, bottle the wine and seal it. The best place for storage is a basement or other cool, dark room. Important

1. Harvesting is an important moment in harvesting. To ensure that the fruits last all winter, make sure that there is no mechanical damage to the berries.
2. For cosmetic purposes, freeze viburnum juice in molds and wipe your face every day in the morning and evening.
3. Viburnum infusion helps with insomnia.
4. Viburnum juice as an additional remedy is often used to treat gynecological problems.
5. It is not recommended to consume the berry for pregnant women, people with low blood pressure and serious blood diseases.

Viburnum can help solve many health problems. Thanks to its medicinal and preventive properties, this berry has long occupied a significant place in folk medicine. Proper collection, preparation and storage allow you to preserve the most important substances for the winter and cope with ailments of any nature.

Your brownie.

Recipes for viburnum jam, jelly and marshmallows

Viburnum desserts have a pleasant taste and unusual aroma. Housewives are also attracted by the simplicity of their preparation. Even the least experienced housewife can easily cope with the following recipes:

• Jam. For 1 kg of berries, take a glass of water, 1 kg and a glass of sugar. We make syrup from water and sugar, into which we place the fruits. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 10-12 hours, covered with gauze. After this, cook the mass until tender, skimming off the foam regularly.

• Jelly. For 1 kg of berries we take 1 kg of sugar and 2 glasses of drinking water. Pour the fruits with water and boil for half an hour over low heat. Add sugar and cook the product after boiling for another 45 minutes. Place the finished jelly in sterile jars and seal it for the winter.

• Paste. For 1 kg of berries, take a glass of water. Combine the ingredients and boil the viburnum until soft. After this, grind the mixture through a sieve and put it back on the stove to cook. This time you need to do this until the workpiece resembles the consistency of soft dough. Spread the resulting mixture in an even layer on a special baking sheet and dry it in the oven.

Heat-treated viburnum products should be stored in a cool place. This will preserve their delicate and pure taste for as long as possible.

Juice

The easiest way to preserve viburnum is to use a juicer. It’s just that it won’t be possible to preserve valuable properties when heated. Therefore, we recommend using an electric juicer or rubbing through a sieve.

Cooking instructions:

1. Place washed, dried viburnum fruits in a mortar and crush with a pestle. You can use a blender. Just don’t grind it to puree.
2. Place 6 layers of gauze in a sieve, place over a saucepan, and lay out the crushed mass.
3. Leave to drain for 30-40 minutes. Then lift the edges of the gauze, twist it into a knot, and squeeze out the cake.
4. Season the resulting juice with sugar or honey if desired, stir until dissolved.
5. Place on the stove, heat to 90 degrees, without letting it boil.
6. Pour into a sterile container. Close tightly. Remove for winter. The juice can be easily stored in the refrigerator or cellar.

There is no need to throw away the viburnum cake. This is an excellent base for fruit drinks and compote. You just need to add sugar, water, and let it brew. Or store it in the freezer temporarily.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with How to install a heat meter for a house with central heating?

How to make oil and vinegar from viburnum?

Few people know that viburnum can also be preserved in the form of products that are unique in their characteristics. The berries should be processed at least once in the following ways to assess the quality of the resulting preparations:

• Oil. The cake that remains after extracting viburnum juice is ideal for preparing the composition. It should be crushed in a blender or passed through a meat grinder. Next, take 1 part of the cake and take 4 parts of vegetable oil and mix the ingredients. Infuse the resulting mass in a dark place for three weeks. Then we filter the product, squeeze out the cake and throw it away. Pour the collected oil into containers and close for the winter. We use the preparation to season various dishes.

• Vinegar. Take a 3-liter jar, put 0.5 kg of berries and a glass of sugar into it. Fill the mixture with 2 liters of water and add a few blackcurrant leaves for flavor. We close the workpiece and put it in a dark place for 2 months. During the first week, the composition should be stirred daily. The vinegar is ready when it becomes clear.

Viburnum preparations for the winter have a pleasant taste and appetizing aroma, but you should not consume them uncontrollably. First of all, such products are therapeutic agents and should be used in doses and systematically. If, as a result of long-term storage, the taste, aroma, color or texture of these components changes, it is better to refuse their further use. This can negatively affect the condition of the body.

Contraindications for viburnum

Preparing viburnum for the winter with sugar is not suitable for people who suffer from hypotension. It lowers blood pressure, which can cause harm in this case.

Women during pregnancy should consult a doctor before taking this remedy.

If the acidity of gastric juice is increased, you should not take viburnum with sugar. People suffering from diseases such as arthritis, gout, urolithiasis and kidney disease should also avoid this healthy berry.

If a person has increased blood clotting and a tendency to thrombosis, viburnum is contraindicated.

Viburnum is very useful for children's bodies, but doctors still recommend not giving it to children under two years of age. After reaching this age, still do not self-medicate, but be sure to consult a pediatrician.