How to harvest and store mulberries at home

When and how to collect

The mulberry tree is grown not only for its delicious fruit. The plant is used as food for silkworms, which produce silk thread. Furthermore, the leaves, bark, and berries are often used in folk remedies designed to treat a wide range of ailments. Therefore, drying the fruit of this tree is done not only to preserve the harvest but also for medicinal purposes.

To prepare mulberries, you need to know how to harvest ripe mulberries. The quality of the dried berries directly depends on how correctly this procedure is performed. Both dark and light-colored varieties are suitable for drying.

Mulberries bear fruit unevenly. Therefore, harvesting is done in several stages. The berries can be picked over the course of a couple of weeks. Ripened mulberries can be harvested starting in July. Fruiting for this species usually ends in August.

This process is best carried out early in the morning, after the dew has melted. The day of harvesting should be sunny and not rainy. To minimize losses, a blanket or a large piece of cloth is laid on the ground under the tree. Afterwards, tap the branches with a stick to encourage the fruit to fall. The fruit can be harvested from the lower branches by hand. As you can see, no special equipment is required for harvesting.

When the work is finished, the berries that fell on the cloth are collected in a separate container. They should be separated from any debris (leaves, branches, unripe berries, etc.). If necessary, rinse the mulberries in cold water. After washing, dry the berries thoroughly. However, washing the harvest is not recommended, as this can damage the delicate skin.

As for the tree's branches and leaves, which are often used in folk remedies, they should be collected in early summer. Choose the youngest, most tender shoots and leaves. The selected leaves should be smooth and free of any signs of insect activity (such as cobwebs, holes, sticky spots, etc.).

The bark can be removed from the mulberry tree at any time, regardless of the season. It's cut off with a sharp knife. You need to take small fragments, picking them off from different parts of the plant.

Video: "Beneficial Properties of Mulberry"

In this video, an expert will explain the beneficial properties of mulberries.

How to dry properly

Now that we've cleared up how to harvest the berries, we need to figure out how to dry the mulberries.

To dry mulberries well, the following steps are taken after harvesting:

• garbage removal;
• sorting to remove damaged berries;
• Next, you can wash them. Rinse the berries with cool water and let them dry on paper (paper towels are best). Let them dry for a couple of hours at room temperature. The mulberries' seeds are not removed during the preparation process.

As for the leaves, they are also washed with cool water and laid out on paper before drying. However, the bark does not undergo any pre-drying.

Today, there are several ways to dry the harvest of this tree:

• in the air;
• in the oven;
• in an electric dryer.

Let's take a closer look at how to dry any mulberry in each individual case.

In the air

To dehydrate the berries, they are often air-dried. This involves spreading the fruit in a single layer in a sieve or on racks and exposing it to the sun. The key to this type of drying is ensuring optimal ventilation around the mulberries. For this reason, this process is not performed on trays.

If you don't have a suitable trellis, you can use a clean cloth. However, in this case, you'll need to turn the crop frequently to ensure even drying. There's no need to remove the seeds.

In the evening, the containers are brought indoors. Otherwise, they will become damp from the dew. In the morning, the grates are returned to a sunny spot.

Drying the harvest this way can take 2–3 weeks, but only if the weather conditions are optimal.

The leaves should be dried in a shaded, ventilated, and reasonably dry area. They should be turned three times a day. To preserve the bark, simply dry it for 10 days at room temperature.

In the oven

At home, many people dry mulberries in the oven. This method is used when the weather outside is not sunny. Before placing the berries in the oven, they should be pre-dried. Drying takes place for two days at a standard temperature. After this, the harvest is spread on trays, previously lined with baking paper, and placed in the oven (40°C). To ensure good ventilation, the oven door is slightly ajar. The berries dry for 18-20 hours, stirring them every two hours. The leaves are also dried.

In an electric dryer

In addition to the oven, you can dry mulberries in an electric dehydrator. The temperature is set to 35°C (95°F). It is increased to 50°C (122°F) after 6–10 hours. Drying time is 20–25 hours. Leaves are dried for 3–4 hours at 40°C (104°F).

Now it remains to find out how to store dried mulberries.

How to store

After drying, store the berries in a glass jar with a lid, and the leaves in canvas bags or cardboard boxes. Grind the bark into a powder and place it in airtight containers. The harvest will keep this way for up to one year.

Knowing how to dry mulberries at home allows you to enjoy their fruits throughout the cold season. To obtain dried berries, simply choose one of the drying methods and follow it correctly.