In our article we want to talk about a very interesting berry. What cloudberries are, not everyone knows. Many have heard of her, but have not tried it. In European countries, almost no one knows about this culture. And this is not surprising, since it does not grow everywhere. In Russia, it can be found in the Far East or Siberia, and even then only in the form of a wild plant, since it is difficult to grow a culture. In our article we want to talk about what cloudberry is and what its beneficial properties are.
Where and how does culture grow?
It is worth noting that cloudberries grow in regions with very harsh environmental conditions. You can find it even beyond the Arctic Circle. In our country, it grows in the Far East and Siberia. Cloudberries are also found in Sweden, Scandinavia, Norway, England and even in Alaska. In Finland, even produce coins with the image of a berry.
What is cloudberry? This is an unusual culture that has adapted to living conditions in the forest-tundra and tundra. It prefers berries to grow in mountainous regions, on wet and swampy lands, on mounds and plains. Growing, the plants form a dense carpet, on the surface of which translucent amber berries are visible. The culture is very productive, from one hectare you can collect up to a thousand kilograms.
Culture Description
What is cloudberry? This is a small squat plant, reaching 13 cm in height. The culture has a very branched root system. An interesting fact is that the roots of the plant are able to go two meters deep.
The culture is referred to as cross-pollinated forms; female and male flowers are formed in it. The leaves of the plant are small in size and have serrated edges. Berries are located in closed sepals, which open after the maturation of cloudberries.
The description of the plant will be incomplete if you do not remember that the berry is very reminiscent of raspberries. In the process of ripening, it first turns red, and then becomes yellow and translucent. Her color is very similar to the shade of amber. The berries are incredibly hard at first, and as they ripen, they become soft and juicy. Cloudberry blooms in May, and it can be harvested in late July and August.
Chemical composition
From ancient times it is known about the beneficial properties of cloudberries. Its use in folk medicine is due to the fact that the berry contains a huge amount of nutrients. The cloudberries contain vitamins: E, PP, B, C, A. The culture has a rich set of organic acids: salicylic, malic, citric. As for minerals, cloudberries are rich in aluminum, phosphorus, magnesium, silicon, calcium, iron, aluminum. In addition, the berries are rich in tannins and pectin, dietary fiber, fiber, sugar and water.
Beneficial features
What are the useful and dangerous properties of cloudberries? Due to the large number of valuable substances in the composition of the berry, it has the following properties:
- Suppresses the growth of pathogenic flora in the gastrointestinal tract.
- It has a pronounced antimicrobial effect.
- Improves the respiratory system.
- Kills giardia.
- Strengthens the immune system, helping the body recover from illness.
- Stimulates muscle function and brain function. Helps to regain strength after physical exertion.
- A powerful antioxidant that can prevent atherosclerosis.
- Makes blood vessels more elastic, regulates blood coagulation.
- It has a strong diuretic effect, relieves swelling, removes toxins, strengthens the body.
- In folk medicine, cloudberries are used as an effective remedy for scurvy in the absence of vitamin C. The berry was a real salvation for polar explorers who had been on expeditions for a long time.
Are there any contraindications to the use of cloudberries? Specialists have not yet identified any particular contraindications for the use of berry preparations. However, you should not eat berries during periods of exacerbation of stomach ulcers and duodenal ulcers, with gastritis.
You can also not use cloudberries with individual intolerance.
Flowering and fruiting
In vivo, cloudberries ripen first from wild berries. In May and June, single flowers painted in white or pink appear on the tops of the stems. Outwardly, they seem the same. But this is not so. In some flowers, only pistils develop, and in others, only stamens. This means that the flowers are same-sex. Male flowers are larger, but later on the fruits are formed only from female flowers. In nature, everything is thought out to the smallest detail. Pollen of male flowers pollinates female, therefore both are necessary.
Ripe berries appear in July. They are a complex drupe that resembles raspberries in shape. Each of them consists of small juicy fruits, grown together in a berry. Unripe cloudberries are painted red. In the future, it gradually becomes yellow and transparent. Ripe berries have a delicate, sweet and sour taste.
Cloudberries, like other shrubs, are preserved in the winter with the help of rhizomes. In winter, the ground part dies. And with the advent of spring, new shoots grow from the rhizomes.
Choosing a place to land
The beneficial properties of cloudberries have been known for a long time. Since culture is growing only in certain regions, it is almost impossible to find it on sale. For this reason, gardeners are trying to grow cloudberries at their sites.
Under natural conditions, culture most often grows in swamps. Of course, you will not find such places on the garden beds. Therefore, experienced gardeners recommend creating suitable conditions on several beds.
Growing cloudberries in the garden is not an easy task. For planting, you must choose a well-lit place. They dig trenches with a depth of at least 50 centimeters on it. At the bottom lay polyethylene with several holes to drain excess moisture. The upper part of the soil, taken during the excavation of trenches, must be mixed with acid peat, after which the resulting substrate is poured into the pits. Top soil must be well watered. Under natural conditions, cloudberry grows on land with an acidity level of pH 4.5-5. A faithful companion of the plant is mycorrhiza. This is nothing more than a fungus on the root system that helps the culture develop even on poor soils. To grow plants in the garden, you can buy a mycorrhizal preparation in flower shops that will help take root in the bushes.
Breeding methods
Planting and caring for cloudberries will require some effort from gardeners. First of all, you need to find bushes of culture. The easiest way to dig them in the forest and transplant to your site. This option is possible if you live in the region where the culture grows.
You can get seedlings from seeds extracted from ripe berries. Seeds are immediately planted in boxes with fertile soil mixed with acid peat. In the open ground, seedlings can be planted only after wintering.
The most difficult way to breed cloudberries is cuttings. To obtain the material, it is necessary to cut the cuttings on the plantations of the culture. Then they are placed in a nutrient substrate and well watered, covered with a film. For rooting, a high level of humidity must be maintained. Cuttings take root closer to the fall. They can be transplanted into the open ground immediately or wait until the next season.
Landing and care
You have already learned about what kind of berry it is, read about the beneficial properties of cloudberries and contraindications. Planting and caring for the crop is the next issue that needs to be considered in the framework of this article.
Cloudberry bushes are planted in a prepared area with very moist soil. In the future, you will have to regularly check how wet the soil is on the site, because cloudberries grow in natural conditions in swamps. We have already mentioned that plants need a high level of soil acidity. Watering with tap or well water can cause the appearance of chlorosis. In order to avoid problems, it is necessary to introduce ground sulfur into the soil. In addition, you can slightly acidify the water with citric acid before watering. The basic rule of cloudberry cultivation is regular soil moisture.
Experimental cultivation
It is worth noting that little is known about caring for cloudberries at home. You rarely see culture in vegetable gardens. Perhaps in the future will be established industrial cultivation of crops. The first attempts have already been made in Finland, where the greenhouse cultivation of valuable berries was established for the first time in the world. The essence of the technique is to artificially create the necessary conditions for growing crops.
With proper care, an optimal level of humidity and light, you can get berries throughout the year. Under the conditions of the greenhouse, it is possible to collect up to 8 kilograms of the crop from 100 sq.
Dosage Forms
To prepare medicines, roots, leaves and berries are used. In the cosmetology industry, oil from the seeds of the culture is actively used. It is added to masks and creams. Oil acts as a very powerful antioxidant, prevents the appearance of age spots and wrinkles.
Fresh berries are good in the fight against scurvy and vitamin deficiency. Fresh cloudberries have a long shelf life (up to three months). To increase the shelf life, the berries are soaked. Soaked cloudberries have almost the same properties as fresh ones. A decoction of the leaves and roots of the plant has a pronounced diuretic effect. But tinctures are used for metabolic disorders and bleeding.
Top dressing
When growing crops several times a season, fertilizers must be applied. With the advent of spring, you can feed the plants with mineral solutions, organic mixtures or manure. Immediately before fruiting, biostimulants of growth can be used.
Diseases and Pests
Despite the fact that the culture grows in the wild, when grown in a garden, gardeners may encounter plants that are affected by raspberry pests: aphids, spider mites, stem flies, strawberry raspberry weevils, etc. Insecticides will help cope with insects: "Karbofos", "Actellik", "Metaphos".
To prevent the appearance of fungal ailments in the spring, it is recommended to treat the plants with a 3% solution of Bordeaux fluid. Frequent use of chemicals negatively affects the quality of the fruit, so if possible it is worth using alternative methods to combat pests and fungi.
In general, cloudberries are unpretentious, but require a high level of humidity. This is precisely the difficulty of growing it on personal plots.