Cranberry

Growing, storing and recipes use cranberry

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Botanical characteristics of cranberry

Cranberry is a perennial and evergreen shrub with creeping shoots, the length of which reaches 80 cm cranberry Leaves are on short petioles, and are egg-shaped, they are shiny and leathery. At the ends of shoots since last year, appear the flowers, which are solitary, and there are two-four pieces on the stalks. The fruit of cranberries – pink or red berries having a glaucous bloom and juicy pulp. Cranberry blooms in late spring – early summer, the flowering period lasts for three weeks. Ripening occurs in early autumn. Cranberries are found in bogs, boggy pine forests and peat bog. This plant is widespread in the CIS, Siberia and the far East.

The cultivation of cranberries

For cranberry suitable permeable, acidic, light soil. But in poor soil the plant can also be grown. Cranberry likes a light place, but would not mind to grow in partial shade.

Cranberries are propagated by adventitious roots, seeds and softwood cuttings. Cuttings prepared in the period when the shoots will grow rapidly. The cuttings should be planted in the substrate with peat, where they take root. After rooting they are planted in the ground.

If you choose a method of seed propagation, before sowing the seeds must undergo stratification. For 5 months, keep seeds at low temperature. 2 months after vysielanie seeds in the soil the seedlings will appear.

Before planting cranberries need plenty of water in the substrate. Fossa do at 10 cm depth. Seedlings are best planted in 2 pieces.

Care cranberry

Cranberries can endure even heavy frosts, so it is considered a hardy plant. It does not require special conditions and soil composition. Fertilizing cranberries is needed very rarely and in small quantities. For example, fertilizers are applied during planting, and then the number of feedings decreases with each season.

Regular watering is the least that needs cranberries. In order to avoid drying the plants around his shrubs include bog moss. In the autumn, the moss should be removed, and the ground pour on top of coarse river sand (this is to the sharp drop in temperature didn't hurt the plant).

During the period of active growth, you can shape the Bush cranberry. For the best development of the plant should be cut off all shoots growing vertically. To get high Bush cranberries, you need to constantly trim the horizontalshoots of the plant, thereby giving the opportunity to grow vertical shoots.

Useful properties of cranberries

Cranberries contain a complete set of beneficial to human body substances. It contains vitamins, organic acids and pectin. The berries of the plant are catechins, anthocyanins, trace minerals, betaine and leucoanthocyanins. Cranberries contain a lot of iron, copper, manganese and molybdenum.

Cranberry increases appetite, improves digestion. Berry cranberry has a diuretic effect and protects the genitourinary system from various infections. Cranberry – plants used as a means of cancer prevention as it contains quercetin – a substance that prevents cancer of the colon and breast cancer.

Cranberry reduces cholesterol and does not form plaques in blood vessels and the blood clots. In cranberry contains ursolic acid, thanks to which dilate the venous heart vessels that nourish the heart muscle.

Cranberry has analgesic effect, improves elasticity of capillaries and makes them stronger.

The use of cranberry

Cranberry has a toning and refreshing properties, while improving the function of intestines and stomach. Preparations of cranberry have antipyretic effects, so they are used for colds and flu. In addition, the cranberry quenches thirst.

The syrup from the cranberries is used as a remedy against fever, inflammation and vitamin deficiency. Cranberries with honey helps with rheumatism, flu and respiratory diseases. Cranberry juice has antibacterial, cleansing and healing effect.

A decoction of cranberry with indigestion. For its preparation take 2 tablespoons of cranberries and pour 500 ml of boiling water. Put the composition on the fire for 10 minutes. After straining the broth, you can take 100 ml 4 times a day.

Mix cranberries, boosting the immune system. Take 500 grams of cranberries, as many apples and 1 Cup of crushed walnuts. Stir and pour 100 ml of water with 250 grams of sugar. Boil this mixture for about 30 minutes on low heat. After cooling the mixture in the jar shift. Take this medicine in the morning and 1 tablespoon, with water.

Tincture of cranberries. Take 1 Cup of cranberries and pour half a liter of vodka. The contents of the tank need to pound into mush, add a teaspoon of sugar and leave for 7 days, tightly closed lid. After this timesqueeze the skins of cranberries and use the tincture as directed.

Storing cranberries

In cranberries contain a lot of benzoic acid, and therefore it is stored for a long time fresh. The nutrients in cranberries hold on to. Cranberry no damage can be stored on the balcony all winter. You can freeze the berries before the cold weather, and you need to put the berries in a container of water and freeze until solid. And already hard and the berries put into a barrel and buried in the basement. Frozen cranberry preserves not only all the nutrients, but the taste also remains the same.

Another way to store cranberries is this: you need to pour the cranberries in cold water and as it evaporates fill the tank with water. This cranberry will continue until the new harvest.

Contraindications to the use of cranberry

Cranberry prohibited people with stomach ulcers, gastritis and duodenal ulcer. And other people who need limits in supplementation of the cranberry there.