The benefits and harms of sea buckthorn, healing effects and preparation. Sea buckthorn: photo of plant and berries Where sea buckthorn grows best

Introduction

It is known that more than 25 thousand medicinal plants grow on Earth, which are used to treat almost all diseases and are almost always more effective than drugs of synthetic origin.

The human body consists of many chemical substances, balanced among themselves in the process of evolution. Any disease first of all disrupts this balance, which is restored by the body on its own; medications help it with this.

That is why preference should be given to medicinal plants that also have a balanced chemical composition, while drugs of synthetic origin or substances obtained in pure form, are used mainly in clinical cases when emergency assistance is needed.

This does not mean that medicinal plants cannot be used to treat acute diseases, as well as injuries, but it should still be noted that they are of greater importance as a therapeutic agent.

Since ancient times, people have used plants with therapeutic purpose. Modern science Every day he makes new discoveries that once again prove that Nature is the wisest healer. In addition, now, when humanity faces the threat of environmental disaster, preference is increasingly being given to natural means.

Many shrubs and trees used in ornamental gardening, attracted the attention of researchers. These include sea buckthorn, rose hips, serviceberry, hawthorn, rowan, etc. These plants help improve well-being, restore vigor, vital energy and health.

In our book you will learn everything about sea buckthorn, the healing properties of which have been known since ancient times. This plant is equally popular in both folk and traditional medicine.

With the help of sea buckthorn, many were able to get rid of various ailments. Sea buckthorn has been used as a medicine for many centuries; more than one generation of people has used sea buckthorn for various diseases. We want to talk about both traditional and non-traditional sea buckthorn treatment methods.

Sea buckthorn oil, infusions and decoctions are used to treat many diseases, but, having healing properties, it is also valuable product of great culinary importance. It is also used in cosmetology and has value as a natural product.

From our book you will learn not only how to use sea buckthorn, but also how to grow it, how and when to collect it, how to properly dry and store it - in a word, everything you need to fully know about this plant, which has great healing power.

Chapter I. Sea buckthorn

Where does sea buckthorn grow?

In any reference book on medicinal plants, sea buckthorn is described as a shrub or tree 4 to 6 meters high with linear-lanceolate leaves, dioecious, unisexual flowers. The fruit is a drupe, blooms in April–May, bears fruit in September–October.

However, this is only an overview of the main characteristics of the plant, which provides only superficial knowledge about sea buckthorn, since its main biological feature is highly polymorphic, i.e. its forms differ in the structure of the crown, the color of the bark, the color, size and shape of the fruit.

Therefore, sea buckthorn is best defined as a shrub that can only be called a tree if it is of sufficient height. Sea buckthorn has brown bark and short shoots of a silvery-rusty-brown color, ending in spines.

The alternate, linear-lanceolate leaves are 8 cm long and 1 cm wide, narrowed into short petioles, dark green above, silvery-white below, with brown scales.

Sea buckthorn is a dioecious, dioecious plant. Small, inconspicuous flowers appear on young shoots in the leaf axils. Men's and female flowers located on separate bushes.

Male (staminate) flowers are collected in an inflorescence in the form of a spikelet of 10–14 flowers. The perianth consists of two sepals with round-ovate concave lobes, in which there are 4 free stamens. Female (pistillate) inflorescences differ from male ones in their smaller size and the presence of two covering scales, which fall off at the beginning of flowering, and the female flowers remain covered with green leaves. Female flowers, from 3 to 12 pieces, are collected in racemose inflorescences.

The above is also of practical importance, since the size of the buds in the spring, before the start of the growing season, can easily determine the sex of the bush. On male bushes the buds are larger and have several covering leaves; female bushes have smaller buds with two covering scales.

Sea buckthorn fruits are an oval or spherical drupe, red-orange-yellow in color on a short stalk. Almost sessile, they densely cling to the branches. Ripen in September-October.

Most often, sea buckthorn grows along river floodplains and on the sand and pebble banks of reservoirs, sometimes forming continuous thickets. This plant is most common in Transbaikalia, Sayan Mountains, Tuva, Altai, southern regions Kazakhstan and Central Asia(Tajikistan), in the Caucasus.

However, it can be grown in other regions of Russia, where climatic conditions allow: it is a frost-resistant plant, but demanding of light. Sea buckthorn was introduced into culture; with the help of breeding, forms were developed that do not have thorns, as well as with larger fruits and longer stalks.

Sea buckthorn propagates by sowing seeds in autumn, as well as by green cuttings in winter and summer. Good results When propagated by green cuttings, they were obtained in greenhouses.

Sea buckthorn is also cut in boxes with sand, covered with glass, where constant humidity and air temperature are maintained. The lower leaves are removed from the cuttings, the rest are cut in half.

Varietal sea buckthorn is propagated by grafting on seedlings wild varieties. When planting seedlings, it is recommended to deepen the root collar, which causes the formation of additional roots.

Collection and storage

Since the source of medicinal raw materials is the fruits of sea buckthorn, the timing of collection and storage rules are of no small importance, since during processing and over time some chemical substances that have medicinal value disintegrate or lose their potency.

Sea buckthorn fruits are harvested at the end of August - September or October after the first frost. Since the fruits are very delicate and can be deformed, they are collected as follows: a litter is spread under the bush, onto which the bush is shaken. You can also chop off cut branches, but it should be borne in mind that sea buckthorn is a perennial plant, and therefore in some cases it is undesirable to cut off branches.

Since sea buckthorn is a polymorphic plant, depending on the size of the fruit, the weight of 100 berries ranges from 25 to 70 g. The color can be yellow, orange or red. After harvesting, the fruits should be dried first in the shade and then in a dryer.

Packaging is done in 50 kg bags or baskets. Fruits should be laid as loosely as possible. This requirement is based on two reasons. Firstly, if the fruits or other parts of the plant are packed tightly, they will warm themselves and the process of decomposition will begin, some will be lost. Chemical properties. Secondly, sea buckthorn fruits are easily deformed, and some of the valuable qualities of the berry are also lost.

Before drying, the fruits should be sorted and spoiled and mechanical impurities should be removed. Drying should be done immediately after harvesting: the fruits are laid out on a litter thin layer. It should be remembered that the fruits of many plants cannot be dried in the sun, as this destroys some of the trace elements that make up them. The only exception to the rule are plants that contain tannin. It is present in sea buckthorn leaves. Before drying, the leaves should be cleared from other parts of the plant, the bark and roots should be washed to remove soil, the buds should be sifted and winnowed to remove debris and dust.

During collection and drying, it is necessary to ensure that there is no clogging with mechanical impurities: earth, sand, other plants or their parts. Medicinal raw materials (sea buckthorn fruits) should not contain more than 6% of parts of the same plant, more than 2% of burnt or damaged fruits, more than 1.5% foreign impurities(including mechanical more than 0.5%). Fruits should be stored in a well-ventilated area on racks.

Sea buckthorn is a shrub or small tree, reaching a height of three to four meters with branches covered with small spines and green, slightly elongated leaves.

Sea buckthorn is wind pollinated and blooms in late spring. The fruits are small (up to 8-10 mm), orange-yellow or red-orange, oval in shape. The name for this plant “Sea Buckthorn” is very apt, since its berries are on very short stalks and sit very closely on the branches, as if clinging to them. The berries have a rather pleasant sweet and sour taste, as well as a peculiar, unique aroma that vaguely resembles pineapple. This is why sea buckthorn is sometimes called the northern, or Siberian, pineapple.

This plant has a fairly wide distribution area: from Western and Eastern Siberia up to the southern regions of the European part of Russia, Moldova, the Caucasus and Ukraine.

Back in its heyday Ancient Greece They gave the horses a strong decoction of sea buckthorn leaves and branches. This was done to keep their skin healthy and shiny.

Useful properties of sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn berries are incredibly rich in vitamins; flavonoids, folic acid, carotenoids, betaine, choline, coumarins, glucose, fructose and phospholipids. Berries contain a fairly large amount of acids, such as malic acid, citric acid, caffeic acid and tartaric acid. The berries are also rich in tannins. This modest-looking berry is not deprived of macroelements and microelements, such as sodium, magnesium, iron, silicon, aluminum, lead, nickel, manganese, strontium and molybdenum.

The bark of the branches hides a significant amount of serotonin, which has a very beneficial effect on the central nervous system, and also delays the growth of malignant tumors. Hidden in the leaves of this unsightly plant is real wealth in the form of ascorbic, oleanolic and ursolic acid.

Sea buckthorn has healing properties. It is able to strengthen the walls of blood vessels and make them less permeable, improve tissue metabolism, and has an antioxidant effect (prevents tissue oxidation, and therefore aging).

Sea buckthorn relieves tissue inflammation and promotes wound healing; it can improve the course of any chronic disease due to the large amount of vitamins it contains. Sea buckthorn bark has antitumor properties.

Sea buckthorn is also used internally to treat diseases of the cardiovascular system, chronic diseases, blood diseases, gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, and vitamin deficiency.

For anemia and exhaustion, sea buckthorn fruits are used as food in any form. The leaves and young twigs are brewed and drunk as tea.

Almost everyone, without exception, knows about the miraculous sea buckthorn oil, which is “extracted” from the fruit, and the seeds of the berries contain much more of it than the pulp. The oil is very effective in the treatment of radiation injuries to the skin, thermal or chemical burns and in the treatment of trophic ulcers. Thanks to the truly magical and miraculous powers of sea buckthorn, doctors resist stomach ulcers and duodenum, stomatitis and pulpitis. Sea buckthorn oil cures laryngitis and pharyngitis instantly. This unsurpassed remedy is suitable for injuries and defects of the cornea, conjunctivitis, and radiation burns of the eyes. Many dermatologists recommend sea buckthorn oil to enhance hair growth and in cases of certain skin diseases.

Sea buckthorn oil is used to treat burns, bedsores, frostbite, senile cataracts, gastritis, diabetes, anemia, hypertension, various ulcers, and atherosclerosis.

Sea buckthorn oil inhalations are used to prevent occupational diseases respiratory tract working in hazardous industries.

It has long been established that preparations made on the basis of sea buckthorn oil can greatly improve the body’s tolerance to certain antitumor drugs, and sometimes even enhance their effect.

The most valuable content of sea buckthorn is tocopherol (vitamin E), which stimulates the functioning of all internal organs and endocrine glands. If there is a lack of this vitamin, there is nothing to count on for active longevity, male and female strength, or reproductive ability. Together with vitamin A, vitamin E stimulates immune system. That's why expectant mother It’s very good to “fill up” with these substances for future use, ideally even before pregnancy. If there is not enough vitamin E in the body of a pregnant woman, there is a danger of spontaneous miscarriage, prematurity, or a gene shift leading to the birth of a freak. 20 -30 g (4 - 5 teaspoons) per day of sea buckthorn oil provides daily norm vitamin E.

Sea buckthorn will insure both a pregnant woman and a newborn. It is recommended to add sea buckthorn juice to the milk of a nursing mother from the age of one month onwards. A few drops of juice are added to the baby's complementary foods, and if the juice is absorbed normally, the dose is quickly increased.

Dangerous properties of sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn has some contraindications. Fortunately, there are very few of them. First of all, it is worth remembering that it is a means with increased content various biologically active substances. This berry contains a lot of carotene, which can cause allergic reaction in the presence of serious immune disorders.

Sea buckthorn should also be used with caution by people with liver diseases, pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder) and inflammation of the duodenum, since sea buckthorn contains many acids. We must remember that sea buckthorn increases the acidity of urine, so it is best to avoid it if you have urolithiasis.

Sea buckthorn has long been one of the most common medicinal plants. In Ancient Greece, its leaves and young branches were used to treat people and horses. But then they gradually forgot about her. And only in the last three to four decades has sea buckthorn become widely used again.

Latin name Hippophae.

The Latin name of sea buckthorn comes from the Greek name of the plant: hippophaes; from hippos - horse and phaos - shine. It was believed that horses fed with sea buckthorn leaves had especially shiny skin.

• A genus of plants in the family Lochaceae ( Elaeagnaceae).
• Shrubs or trees, mostly thorny, from 0.1 to 3-6 m (rarely up to 15 m) in height.
• The leaves are alternate, narrow and long, green with small dots on top, grayish-white, silvery or rusty-golden on the underside due to the star-shaped scales densely covering them.
• Flowers appear before leaves.
• The fruit is false (drupe), consisting of a nut covered with an overgrown, juicy and shiny receptacle. The fruits are orange or reddish, there are many of them, they are densely located and seem to “stick around” the branches (hence the Russian name of the plant).

Other names for sea buckthorn: waxweed, dereza, ivotern.

Most often, when we talk about sea buckthorn, we mean Sea buckthorn, or buckthorn ( Hippophae rhamnoides) is a dioecious shrub or tree, a species of the genus Sea Buckthorn, common in the temperate climate of Eurasia.

Useful properties of sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn fruits are considered multivitamins. They contain provitamins A, vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, C, E, K, etc.). The fruits contain 3-6% sugars (glucose and fructose), organic acids- apple, wine, etc., tannins. The alkaloid hippophaine was found in the leaves and bark. ascorbic acid and up to 10 different tannins, in the bark - up to 3% fatty oil of a different composition than in fruits and seeds.

Fatty oil accumulates in fruits, which consists of triacylglycerols with saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, among the latter monounsaturated (palmitoleic, oleic) acids predominate; pectin substances, organic acids, tannins, flavonoids, nicotinic and folic acids, macro- and microelements (boron, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, potassium, calcium), sugars and some types of plant antibiotics.

The oil from the fruit pulp is bright orange in color, while the oil from the seeds is yellowish. They differ slightly in composition. Oil from the fruit pulp contains up to 0.350% carotene and carotenoids, thiamine and riboflavin, quite large quantities(0.165%) tocopherol and a significant amount of essential fatty acids.

The plant is wind-pollinated; its flowers have virtually no nectar. The so-called “sea buckthorn honey” in everyday life is a syrup made from sea buckthorn berries.

Application of sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn fruits are used to obtain sea buckthorn oil, used in medicine. Fruits are an important part of winter food for birds.

Sea buckthorn juice, puree, jam, marmalade, jam, and candy fillings are prepared from sea buckthorn fruits. The juice is used to produce and flavor wine, soft drinks, liqueurs, and tinctures; fresh fruits, after freezing, lose some bitterness and are used to prepare jelly, tinctures and jellies.

IN folk medicine Sea buckthorn oil is used internally for vitamin deficiencies (scurvy, night blindness), gastric and duodenal ulcers. The leaves in Central Asia are used externally for rheumatism. The fruits and leaves of sea buckthorn are widely used in oriental medicine.

Sea buckthorn leaves accumulate tannins, which are the active principle medicine- hyporamin, which has antiviral activity.

The oil has wound-healing and analgesic properties; it is used to treat scaly lichen, Darier's disease, burns, frostbite, eczema, ulcerative lupus, poorly healing wounds, cracks, etc.

The seeds are used as a mild laxative.

In cosmetics, sea buckthorn oil is used to prepare nourishing masks for the skin; A decoction of fruits and branches is used for baldness and hair loss.

Sea buckthorn is used to secure sand, road slopes, ravines, and hedges. Sea buckthorn is also widely used as an ornamental plant.

Planting sea buckthorn

Choosing a landing site

Sea buckthorn must be planted at the greatest distance from garden soil cultivation zones. For example, choose sea buckthorn seedlings for planting appropriate place on the edge of the plot, along the road, near the garden buildings, next to the lawn.

The roots of sea buckthorn are several weakly branching cords extending to the sides many meters from the plant. Sea buckthorn roots lie shallow (20-30 cm from the surface of the earth), so they are easily damaged when digging the soil in the garden. And injury to even one of the roots greatly weakens the plant. The gardener needs to know this structural feature of the sea buckthorn root system and be sure to take it into account when choosing a place to plant seedlings.

Digging the soil next to sea buckthorn is the most common cause of poor fruiting or death of this plant. An additional negative consequence of such digging is the appearance of abundant growth in places where sea buckthorn roots are damaged.

Second important condition when choosing favorable place planting sea buckthorn seedlings – open place. Sea buckthorn is light-loving and therefore should grow in an unshaded area of ​​the garden.

Planting sea buckthorn seedlings

Planting sea buckthorn is no different from planting other fruit plants. Do not use fresh organic matter when planting sea buckthorn seedlings and do not overuse mineral fertilizers. You can limit yourself to a bucket of rotted compost, a handful of superphosphate (certainly double - in areas with soil prone to acidification) and a glass wood ash for each of the plants planted.
You can, of course, when planting a sea buckthorn seedling, add a spoonful of good complex fertilizer.

If you are replanting sea buckthorn, try to dig up as many of its roots as possible (they are very long). However, if during digging you had to cut off the roots heavily, then cut off the above-ground part of the transplanted plant as well. Practice shows that “overdoing it” with pruning sea buckthorn seedlings is better than “sparing” the plant and preserving too much of the above-ground part.

When transplanting large plants sea ​​buckthorn can only be left with the main trunk (1-1.5 m long) without any side branches at all.

The long roots of sea buckthorn quickly and far go to the sides beyond the landing pit. Therefore, applying fertilizers in the tree trunk area one to two years after planting is not as important as for plants with a more compact root system.

Growing sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn is quite winter-hardy, however, in winters with sharp temperature changes, the wood and, especially, the flower primordia of male plants freeze. Generative buds in sea buckthorn are formed during growth current year. Productivity largely depends on weather conditions. Seed progeny of sea buckthorn begins to bear fruit at 4-5 years, vegetative progeny at 3-4 years.

Sea buckthorn blooms simultaneously with the beginning of leaf growth; male and female flowers are inconspicuous, without aroma. The fruits ripen simultaneously 90-100 days after flowering. The shape of the fruit varies from spherical to oblong-oval, cylindrical, fruit weight from 0.07 to 1.1 g, color from light yellow to red.

The root system of sea buckthorn is located mainly in the upper horizons of the soil, which should be taken into account when growing it in the garden. In natural thickets, sea buckthorn spreads most often due to suckers that appear on first-order roots lying at a depth of 5-15 cm. After 2-3 years, the suckers bear fruit, but their own root system They develop weakly and the connection with the mother plant remains.

An interesting and important feature of the sea buckthorn root system is the presence of nodules. The work of many researchers has established the nitrogen-fixing role of sea buckthorn nodule formations. Sometimes, out of ignorance, nodules are mistaken for root cancer and they are cut off, which significantly reduces the survival rate of seedlings and impairs their growth.

Sea buckthorn is a light-loving plant. In dense plantings, in the shade of tall plants and when standing densely in natural thickets, it grows upward and branches weakly. Young offspring plants die from lack of light.

Sea buckthorn propagation

In amateur gardening, sea buckthorn is propagated only vegetative way: lignified or green cuttings, grafting, root suckers.

Propagation by lignified cuttings

Lignified cuttings at least 5 mm thick are harvested in November and stored in the snow. In the spring, they are cut into lengths of 15-20 cm, soaked in water for 2-3 days and kept with the lower ends in a heteroauxin solution (200 ml per 1 liter of water) for 24 hours. You can keep the cuttings in water for 10-12 days. During this time, the buds will begin to bloom and the beginnings of roots may appear.

The area for planting cuttings is prepared in advance. For autumn digging, add 6-8 kg of humus per 1 m (on heavy soils, in addition, 3-4 buckets of sand) and 80-100 g of superphosphate.

In the spring, the soil is dug up again using half a shovel and carefully leveled. The width of the ridge should be no more than 1 m. The ridge should not be raised high; it is best to trample paths on the sides so that the ridge rises slightly above the rest of the territory.

When the soil temperature at a depth of 15 cm is not lower than 5 degrees, the cuttings are planted in the beds. One or two buds are left above the soil surface. After planting, the cuttings are watered abundantly and the soil is mulched with humus. For better rooting of cuttings, the bed can be covered with film before planting, or after planting, wire arches can be installed and film stretched over them. In the presence of film greenhouses, cold nurseries, frames, lignified cuttings 3-4 cm long can be planted (according to the 4x4 cm pattern).

After planting, it is necessary to monitor the soil moisture: long cuttings are watered once every 3-4 days, short cuttings - daily. The temperature in film shelters should not exceed 27-30°C. By the end of the season, some of the seedlings reach standard sizes, next spring they can be transplanted to permanent place. The remaining seedlings are grown for another season.

For transplantation, only seedlings with a root length of 20 cm, a height of the above-ground part of 50 cm and a diameter of at least 8 mm at the root collar are taken.

Propagation by green cuttings

This method is the leading one in conditions industrial production, but amateur gardeners can also use it. When propagating from green cuttings, you must have a small greenhouse, greenhouse or frame. By June 15-20, a ridge is prepared in a greenhouse or frame: a layer of gravel 10-15 cm high is poured, then a layer fertile soil 10-12 cm high and a mixture of peat and sand in a ratio of 1/3, 5 cm high. The surface of the ridge is leveled, slightly compacted and watered abundantly.

In the second or third decade of June, cuttings are prepared. By this time, the shoots on the mother plants should be 12-15 cm long. After cutting the cuttings 2-3 bottom sheets deleted. The cuttings are tied into bundles and the lower ends are dipped into a heteroauxin solution (150-200 mg per 1 liter of water). After 14-16 hours, they are removed from the solution, washed and planted in the beds. Cuttings not treated with growth substance can also be planted.

Rooting of green cuttings depends on compliance with humidity and air temperature. Immediately after planting, it is necessary to carry out a refreshing spray on the cuttings. In hot weather in the first days after planting, spraying should be repeated after 0.5-1 hour, in cloudy weather - after 2-3 hours. The air humidity in the greenhouse should be at 90-100%, and the temperature should not be lower than 30° C. Shading them with shingles has a good effect when rooting cuttings.

Two weeks after planting, adventitious roots will begin to appear. From this time on, the cuttings are watered abundantly, but less frequently (1-2 times a day). Plants gradually become accustomed to outside air. About a month after the roots appear (early August), the film is removed. Every 6-7 days phosphorus-potassium fertilizers at the rate of 40-50 g of superphosphate and 20-25 g of potassium salt per 10 liters of water.

After the soil freezes, the seedlings in the greenhouse or frame are covered with pine paws or straw. In winter they need to be covered with snow. After growing, they are transplanted to a permanent place only in the spring.

In an amateur garden, you can also root combined cuttings. In this case, cuttings are cut at a length of annual growth of 12-15 cm, but with 12-15 cm of growth from the previous year (total cutting length 25-30 cm). If there are lateral branches, they are removed into a ring. Experience shows the high survival rate of such cuttings in a film greenhouse, even with rare watering.

When making an oblique cut on a rootstock and scion, it is necessary to take into account that sea buckthorn tissue is very loose, they crumble heavily and quickly turn black. These circumstances require very careful knife pointing, speed of operations, coincidence of the cambial layers of the rootstock and scion, and tight tying. The upper cut of the cuttings is covered with petrolatum or plasticine.

If there are good growths, grafting with cuttings can be done on a male plant with a female one and vice versa.

Budding

The leading method of propagation of fruit plants - grafting with eyes - is of little use for sea buckthorn, since the eyes take root poorly due to the low activity of dividing the cambial layers of the rootstock and scion. Better results can be obtained by grafting the eye into the stock with a tongue.

Sea buckthorn pests

Sea buckthorn moth

Found in Transbaikalia. During the swelling of the buds, the caterpillars penetrate inside and eat them away. In summer they form nests, gathering 4-6 leaves on the tops of shoots with a web. Caterpillars pupate in the top layer of soil. The butterflies emerge in late July-early August, and a month later they lay eggs on the bark at the bottom of the trunks and in fallen leaves

• Control measures: Candidate of Agricultural Sciences V.V. Dankov considers spraying with 0.4-0.6% chlorophos at the beginning of bud break to be the most effective in the fight against sea buckthorn moth.

Sea buckthorn fly

Considered the most dangerous pest sea ​​buckthorn, capable of destroying the entire crop. Distributed in Altai. The flight of the fly begins in the second half of June and continues until mid-August. The pest larvae hatch a week after laying, penetrate into the fruits and feed on their pulp. The berries wrinkle, darken and fall off. After three weeks, the larvae go into the soil. There they pupate and overwinter.

• Control measures: Experts consider spraying with 0.2% chlorophos in mid-July to be a highly effective means of control.

Sea buckthorn aphid

The pest and its larvae damage sea buckthorn leaves. Sea buckthorn aphids overwinter in the egg stage near the buds. During bud break, light green larvae suck the juice from young leaves, and then, after the leaves open, settle on their undersides. Winged female dispersers give rise to new colonies of aphids. Damaged leaves turn yellow prematurely, curl and fall off.

• Control measures: Experts recommend in conditions home garden To combat aphids, use decoctions and infusions of potato and tomato tops, tobacco leaves, onion peels and garlic bulbs and add to solutions laundry soap. As chemicals for control, it is recommended to spray with 10% karbofos during the leaf blooming phase.

Sea buckthorn gall mite

Damages sea buckthorn leaves. Overwinters in the axils of the kidneys. This is very small pest milky white in color and can only be seen under a magnifying glass. During bud bloom, mites suck out juices from young leaves, and then from blossoming ones. Flat swellings called galls form on the leaves. Damaged, deformed leaves drop prematurely.

• Control measures: the same as with sea buckthorn aphids.

Sea buckthorn diseases

Verticillium wilt

The most dangerous fungal disease of sea buckthorn. Distributed in all regions of its cultivation. Experts have found that the causative agent of the disease clogs the conducting system of sea buckthorn, and the plant dies. In affected plants, on individual or all branches, the leaves turn yellow and fall off in August, the fruits wrinkle, swellings appear on the bark and then crack. Plants die very quickly, literally the next year.

• Control measures: Currently, this disease has no cure and no control measures have been found. Experts advise not to prepare cuttings for propagation from sea buckthorn with signs of disease, but to dig up the affected plants, burn them and not plant sea buckthorn in this place for several years.

Amateur gardeners have already appreciated sea buckthorn and gladly accepted it into cultivation. The shrub, little known in the recent past, has firmly become one of the best multivitamin plants.

Sea buckthorn is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub usually 1 - 3 m high. Sea buckthorn is medicinal plant. Growing it in your garden is not difficult at all. If you create the right conditions, she will delight you with healthy and tasty fruits.

Many people fail to grow sea buckthorn because the tree suddenly begins to die. To prevent this from happening, it is important to know that the roots of sea buckthorn are in the top layer of soil and go far to the sides of the tree, so digging up the ground can easily injure them.

Soil requirements

To plant sea buckthorn, you need to prepare the soil well. Fertilize the soil with humus; it is better to use decomposed peat. Sea buckthorn should not be planted in waterlogged soil. Also, the plant does not like heavy soil and high-carbonate soils.

Choosing a landing site

Sea buckthorn is very photophilous and moisture-loving plant, so the landing site should be sunny. In the shade it will grow and bear fruit worse.

The tree should be planted at the edge of the plot, away from the garden. To avoid damaging the sea buckthorn root system when loosening the bed. A damaged root will cause wild growth to grow. You can loosen the top layer of soil, no more than 10 cm deep. Along with loosening, humus and mineral fertilizers are added.

How to choose sea buckthorn seedlings

It is better to select and plant sea buckthorn seedlings in early spring. Then over the summer the tree will take root well and overwinter normally. Seedlings two years old are suitable for planting.

Selection of seedlings

1. It is important to ensure that the seedlings are healthy and appropriate for the plant variety. Two-year-old seedling has a height of about 50 cm and a diameter of 5–7 cm, it also has 5–8 skeletal roots, 25 cm long.
2. Bark fits tightly to the wood, has a healthy appearance, is not wrinkled or scratched.

To avoid tree diseases, you should not plant raspberries, strawberries, or where stone fruit trees grew: apple trees, pears, cherries, apricots.

It is better to have 2-3 female trees and one male tree on the site for pollination.

Landing

Sea buckthorn is planted in a hole with a diameter of 70 cm, the soil is fertilized with mineral and complex fertilizers, a mound is made of soil at the bottom of the hole and the root system of the seedling is distributed over it; after the soil shrinks, the root collar should be located at ground level. Then you need to water the seedling well, using at least two buckets of water, and cover it with earth. In the future, you also need to water the seedling well.

How to distinguish male and female trees

Sea buckthorn buds are blooming

Sea buckthorn is a dioecious tree; it is divided into male (staminate) and female (pistillate) flowers. The male plant does not produce fruit, it serves for pollination. One tree is enough for 5–7 female seedlings. Female sea buckthorn bears fruit. Without male sea buckthorn there will be no harvest. Trees need to be planted nearby, since pollination occurs with the help of wind.

It is difficult to distinguish these plants, especially in early age. But there is a difference:

1. IN female plant there are small double buds. Male specimens have larger buds covered with 3–5 scales.
2. Male seedlings are larger.
3. The leaves have different shapes and color. On female sea buckthorn the leaves are green, male leaves are bluish and have a larger bloom.

Care

Caring for this shrub is easy. It is important to loosen the soil, water and feed the plant, and remove dried shoots. And then the sea buckthorn will bear fruit for about 12 years. After reaching the time when the tree stops bearing fruit, you can cut it down to the stump, this will stimulate the growth of new shoots, which in the future will bear fruit again.

Watering

Sea buckthorn loves watering, especially in hot weather. When picking berries, we recommend watering the sea buckthorn well and rinsing the berries on the branches in one go.

Top dressing

You need to feed 4 times a season:

• The first time this is done is in the spring.
• the second time during flowering, this is done with a solution of potassium humate.
• the remaining two feedings are carried out after flowering, with an interval of 20 days, for this they use Effecton.

Trimming

An important condition for care is trimming the top. This promotes good crown development. You need to prune before the buds open to remove unnecessary, damaged branches and root shoots. This can be done during harvest. The tree can grow up to 6 meters; for convenient harvesting, it is important to regularly trim the tops. This is done with a sharp garden knife or pruning shears.

For preventive purposes, three-year-old branches are pruned.

Berry picking

Varietal sea buckthorn, in favorable conditions gives high yield. The berries grow densely on the thorny branches of the tree, which requires a lot of time and patience when picking the fruit. Harvest at the end of August. But if you make juice from the berries, the harvest is postponed until the beginning of September. Do not tighten too much, the berries become soft and burst.

Options for collecting sea buckthorn

Several are known ideas for harvesting sea buckthorn:

1. The traditional method is to tear off each berry, but this is very long and tedious.
2. Use various devices, for example, a stick with a hook. They are used to remove berries from the branch and they fall into the prepared container.
3. You can cut off the branches along with the fruits and freeze them. Frozen berries are easier to remove from the branch. This method is suitable in case of further freezing of fruits.
4. If you make juice from sea buckthorn, it is better to use the following method. Wash your hands well, or better yet, put on culinary gloves, and squeeze the juice directly onto the branch. You need to start from the base and lead to the end of the branch. The finished juice will fall into the placed basin. You can squeeze up to 5 liters of nectar in an hour.
5. There are also many devices for picking berries. You can take a wooden handle and wire, make a loop from the wire. To pick a berry you need to: put a loop on the fruit and sharply cut off the foot, the berries will fall into the basin.

• The berries should be cut from the crown to the bottom of the branch.
• It is also important to wear gloves to avoid scratches from thorns and skin irritation. In order not to spoil your clothes, you can use an apron, because sea buckthorn juice cannot be washed off
• There is no need to wash the berries, otherwise some of the juice will be lost. Before collecting, you can rinse them directly on the bush.
• It is better to collect in enamel dishes.
• Process on the same day as harvest.

Reproduction

There are many known ways to propagate sea buckthorn:

1. The easiest way to reproduce is seeds, they are sown in the fall. Shoots appear in a month. This method is used when breeding new varieties. Since such propagation produces male plants, they are used for decorative purposes or for grafting other varieties.
2. Reproduction root shoots used when sea buckthorn is not grafted. In the spring, the offspring is separated from mother plant, dig in and water well. When the root system has developed well, it can be transplanted to another place.
3. For reproduction layering It is better to take annual shoots. The soil needs to be fertilized. After that, small furrows are made near the base of the bush, into which the young shoots are bent. The tops are pinched a little. When young shoots grow 12 cm, they are sprinkled with damp soil and humus. In the spring, the rooted cuttings are transplanted to a permanent location.
4. When transplanted to a new place, sea buckthorn is propagated dividing the bush. To do this, dig up a bush, remove old branches, leaving young ones. When dividing a bush, choose plants with a developed root system.
5. For reproduction green cuttings non-fruit-bearing plants are used. In this case, you will need a greenhouse or greenhouse. The cuttings should be 12 cm in size. The bottom two leaves are removed, the cuttings are immersed in the rooting solution for 12–15 hours. Then they are planted in a greenhouse with prepared soil. For this fertile land mixed with peat and sand in a ratio of 1:3.
   It is important to monitor the temperature and water the cuttings regularly; after a few weeks, adventitious roots will appear. And after a month, gradually accustoming the plant to the outside air, the film can be removed.
6. Most affordable way- this is reproduction lignified cuttings. They are prepared in November and stored in the basement. In the spring, they are cut into 20 cm pieces, soaked in water for several days, and then in a rooting agent solution for a day. After which buds and root makings appear.
   Cuttings are planted in prepared soil, watered abundantly and mulched with humus. Within a year, healthy seedlings are transplanted to a permanent location.

Diseases and pests

Most often, the sea buckthorn tree gets sick from changes in temperature and humidity. The most serious disease is. This is an incurable disease in which the berries shrivel and dry out. Affected branches should be trimmed and discarded. If this disease appears again next year, the tree must be disposed of.

Sea buckthorn fruits are very rich in vitamins and biological active substances. Sea buckthorn is very useful and has medicinal properties.

Fresh fruits can simply be frozen or ground with sugar. You can make juice from the berries, make jam or jam. You definitely need to prepare sea buckthorn oil for the winter. This healing agent is known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

By growing sea buckthorn on your property, you can provide the whole family with vitamins. all year round. By consuming these berries every day, the body will receive many beneficial substances.

Magazine "Kommersant Weekend" (Ukraine) No. 147 dated 09/04/2009, page 11

Healing properties Sea buckthorn has been known since ancient times in Chinese, Tibetan and Mongolian medicine. In ancient Greece, sea buckthorn fruits were given before Olympic Games for horses to increase physical strength, improve general condition and appearance. The ancient Greek name for sea buckthorn means “shiny horse” - after a sea buckthorn diet, their coat became healthy and shiny. About sea buckthorn Marina Gladkaya said the chef of the restaurant "Stolovaya" Verkhovna Rada" Igor Gnuchiy.

— When do they start collecting sea buckthorn?

- Cannot be named the exact date. Sea buckthorn grows in completely different climatic conditions- from Asia to Siberia. In our country, they begin to remove sea buckthorn from the branches at the end of August and extend this pleasure until winter. In Siberia, on the contrary, severe frosts are expected. Northerners are trying to cope before the thaw, which can come suddenly and ruin everything. The berries will become soft, like porridge, and you simply won’t be able to remove them. Moreover, they go out to collect sea buckthorn either early in the morning or in the late afternoon, when the sun is not so active. At -15°C the berry already becomes capricious and easily sheds its skin, exposing the flesh when touched. This does not happen in severe frost.

— Don’t berries lose their properties in the cold?

- Sea ​​buckthorn - unique plant, it is even called the Siberian pineapple. She manages to keep useful material feels great at -50°C for a very long time. Sea buckthorn can be harvested before frost, but it is incredibly difficult. 700 g of fruit per hour is considered success and is equivalent to a feat.

- Why is it so difficult to collect?

— The fruits are tightly attached to the thorny trunk, hence the name “sea buckthorn.” There is no point in picking berries with gloves, but without gloves it is a feat. Firstly, the thorns - they scratch your hands and hurt. Secondly, the juice of the berries, rich in vitamin C, gets there and a burning sensation begins. But even if no one is scratched, there are still unpleasant moments. It is impossible to remove the berries without at least one bursting; as a result, your fingers turn iodine-colored. In Siberia, berries are collected at sub-zero temperature when they become like glass beads. They are simply knocked down with sticks onto a tarpaulin or removed with a comb. There are absolutely barbaric methods when fruit-bearing branches are cut off. It is important to understand what the berry is for, because a lot of things can be made from it.

— How to properly store berries?

— Perfect option- wooden barrel in dark place, but we, city residents, cannot do without plastic bag And freezer. Frozen berries are good for making butter or fruit juice. Berries from a barrel can simply be ground with sugar. Before freezing, it is worth culling the berries, getting rid of everything unnecessary that could end up in the basket - branches, unripe or spoiled fruits. The ideal berry is yellow or dark orange: the more carotene, the darker it is. Sea buckthorn should taste like pineapple with lemon and cranberry. If you crush sea buckthorn with sugar and it releases juice, do not be alarmed when you see a dark orange film on the surface. This is oil. By the way, it is very useful and has a healing effect. Everything that is in the berries is also in the oil.

- What are the benefits of berries?

— Sea buckthorn is a multivitamin in its pure form. The berries contain some types of plant antibiotics, which, in conjunction with a group of vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C, E) and microelements such as boron, iron, potassium, calcium, copper and others, provide powerful resistance to colds and strengthen the immune system. . You can open the directory and fall asleep from listing all the useful things that sea buckthorn contains. I'm surprised they haven't given her some kind of award yet or made her something like the Palme d'Or.

— What can you cook from sea buckthorn yourself?

- Anything, even butter. If you have a juicer at home, you will have a waste-free production. It is better to drink the juice immediately, and fill the cake with regular sunflower oil. The effect will be several times stronger if you let this tincture stand for some time and then repeat the procedure. Just strain the oil already soaked in vitamins and microelements from the cake and pour it into a fresh portion of sea buckthorn cake. This tincture is universal and can even compete with natural sea buckthorn oil extracted from berries. It has long been known that a drink made from vitamin C-rich fruits invigorates the morning much faster and better than, say, tea or coffee.

— Is sea buckthorn used in cooking?

— In autumn, sea buckthorn jam with tea — decent preparation for winter. Sea buckthorn restores and supports the immune system well. It can be added to your morning oatmeal. Jam with walnuts and mint is absolutely a masterpiece. In addition, a lot of sauces are prepared based on sea buckthorn, and not only for desserts. It goes well with white chocolate, ice cream and creamy sorbets, and it won’t spoil meat, such as game.

— What kind of meat is sea buckthorn suitable for?

— There are two ways: associative and geographical. For example, pineapple goes well with chicken. Since sea buckthorn has pineapple notes, a sea buckthorn sauce or mousse can easily replace it. The second way is by habitat: if game lives where sea buckthorn grows, it means they are compatible. There is one recipe for sea buckthorn sauce that is suitable for both desserts and meat. Take sea buckthorn juice without pulp and boil with sugar over low heat until thick. To improve the color, add a little starch and serve with plain ice cream, strudel or pancakes. If you want to serve this sauce with meat, just pour a little lime juice into it to emphasize the sourness, and most importantly, do not tell your guests what your sauce is made of. They themselves will never guess.