Nature is full of mysteries, it brings gifts even where, it would seem, you would not expect them. In the spring, all living things wake up, a period of sap flow begins in the trees. Natural, garden-grown products appear on the tables. Vegetables, first berries - no preservatives or chemicals. In general, this is all familiar, but natural juice straight from the tree, and not from the nearest supermarket, is already a curiosity.

Birch sap is rich in vitamins C and B, minerals, sucrose and nutrients that improve immunity and well-being. Having a birch in the country, do not miss such an opportunity to collect juice. It is excellently produced by European white birch. Such juice is allowed even for diabetics, since birch sugar (xylitol) is easily and quickly absorbed without affecting insulin levels.

When to collect birch sap

Birch sap is harvested in late March-early April, before the swelling of vegetative buds. The end of the collection falls on the period of foliage formation, namely mid-April. Choose the time for collection from 10 am to 6 pm. At night, sap flow is suspended.

An adult, middle-aged tree (15-20 years old) is chosen, preferably in the forest, more often or in its own area, the main thing is away from roads, ecologically dirty places, cities, highways, away from industrial zones. The diameter of the tree should be at least 20-25 cm. A young tree may die from such a procedure.

More than 5 liters of juice cannot be collected from one tree, while no more than 1 liter per day. If you break this rule and immediately pump out a lot of juice from the birch, this will cause tangible harm, depleting its vitality.

How to determine the beginning of sap flow

A puncture is made in the tree trunk with a thick awl. If after a while droplets of sap appear, then it's time to collect birch sap.

How to collect birch sap

In order to start collecting birch sap, an incision is made in the tree trunk or a hole is drilled with a drill at a height of 1.5 m from the soil surface, the depth is no more than 5 cm. The drill diameter is no more than 10 mm. A gutter (glass or plastic tube, new hose) is inserted into the hole, and the container is placed on the ground or fixed on a tree, where the juice will drain. The number of punctures can be several. If you use tubes for a cocktail, then the punctures are made up to 5-6.

There is more birch sap on the north side of the tree than on any other side.

If there is nothing at hand as a gutter, then cut a branch with a diameter slightly smaller than the neck of a plastic bottle. Insert the branch into the bottle and secure. True, it takes more time to collect the juice than in the previous version.

When the amount of birch sap begins to decrease, it means that the tree is overgrowing the wound. No need to try to make new punctures, just change the birch.

After the birch sap has been collected, the gutter is pulled out, and the hole is covered with laundry soap, plasticine, garden moss, or at least a piece of wood is inserted. Covering with garden pitch will allow you to quickly recover, not lose more juice than you need, and harmful microorganisms will not penetrate into the tree.

Such a useful product for humans is dangerous for a pet, therefore, products containing birch sap are strictly prohibited for animals.

It is better to consume birch sap fresh, immediately after collection. You can store it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in a glass container. Then the drink begins the fermentation process and kvass is prepared from it or is placed in barrels and a low-alcohol drink is obtained. If a lot of birch sap has been collected, then it is canned for the winter.

In the spring, drinking birch sap is very important, since it is during this period that vitamin deficiency, depression, stress, weakness and loss of strength occur. This is exactly the product that will fill the gaps in the body and set you up for a positive.

How to make kvass from birch sap

1 liter of juice is heated to a temperature of 35 ° C, 3-5 raisins and 15-20 g of yeast are added. The jar is closed and placed in a dark, cool place for 1-2 weeks. The result is a delicious, invigorating, carbonated drink.

Preservation of birch sap for the winter

In order to also be able to drink birch sap in winter, it is canned.

Banks are washed with baking soda, sterilized. The lids are boiled. For 3 liters. juice take ½ glass of sugar and 1 tsp. citric acid. Boil for 5 minutes, pour into jars and roll up.

Besides the fact that birch sap tastes good, it is also full of substances necessary for the body. Fresh birch sap is able to normalize the microflora in the intestines, break down kidney stones, and help the immune system in the fight against lung diseases. It is also used for cosmetic purposes. The healthiest sap is sap you pick directly from the tree. The simple rules of this procedure will help you easily and without consequences for the birch to get this delicious and healing drink.

Choosing the time to collect the juice. Immediately after the spring equinox on March 20, you can start monitoring the sap flow in the trees. To make sure that the juice has flowed, find a young birch that is no more than 10 cm in diameter. Make a thin puncture and watch. A droplet of liquid that comes out will tell you to start collecting juice. And don't be confused if there is still snow around the tree. Birches "come to life" very early by spring, as soon as the first sun appears. Choosing a birch. Do not look for sap in thin birches, as punctures only injure her. And the sap in young trees will not taste familiar to you. Also, do not focus on one tree, but rather select several trunks for your purposes. The birch will give you about a liter of juice without consequences for its life. Therefore, it is better to collect 5 liters from five trees than the same amount from one. Remember that urban birches do not have even some of the beneficial properties that you will find in forest trunks. Trees perfectly accumulate dirt, dust, exhaust gases, fumes from factories and plants. Their juice will be completely harmful to you.

We make a puncture. To avoid damaging the wood, avoid cutting holes with an ax. Use a drill with a fine drill bit. Birch sap circulates in the surface layer of the wood, closer to the bark. Therefore, it is not necessary to make a hole that is too deep.

We collect the juice. Choose a container with a narrow neck to collect juice. So you will protect the juice from getting into it grass, dirt, debris. A plastic bottle is best, and it can be easily tied to the barrel just below the opening. Now you need to build a conductor for the juice. A well-washed bunch of grass or gauze flagellum will perfectly collect the juice from the trunk and capillary will bring it into the bottle. Insert the "conductor" into the hole in the barrel and lower it into the neck of the container. We control the collection of juice. Check the filling of the containers several times a day. If the juice slows down, do not try to deepen the hole or speed up its collection in other ways. Better move on to the next barrel. By not draining birch trees completely, you will keep them alive.

We treat birch. When you're done collecting the juice, don't forget to plug the hole you made. Drive a block of wood into the hole and cover with moss or wax. So the juice will no longer flow out and will begin to flow to the branches. The birch itself will quickly heal the wound. Next year you won't find a puncture mark.

Observing simple norms, you can both enjoy a healthy drink and save the birch tree from death.

Many people love birch sap. The taste of the drink often evokes a lot of pleasant childhood memories. Birch sap is recommended for everyone to use in spring, because it contains a huge amount of minerals, and also cleanses the blood and removes kidney and liver stones. How and when to collect birch sap this year? How to do it correctly so as not to damage the tree?

The time for collecting birch sap falls on the end of March, April

Birch sap: how and when to harvest correctly?

Scientists have long noticed that the biological substances that make up a natural drink not only improve brain function, but also have antiseptic properties, strengthen immunity, and have a positive effect on the functioning of the endocrine glands. In Russia, birch sap has always been appreciated, and every spring they actively collected and used it as a health drink.

How and when to collect birch sap so that the human body gets the most benefit? The time for collecting a valuable drink falls on the end of March, April. In regions with cold climates, it is harvested in May. Each locality has its own terms and the air temperature should reach +5 degrees. The tree itself helps to determine the exact time. When the buds of the birch have swollen, it's time to go for juice.

It is in the middle of spring that all vegetation awakens after winter, and a period of active sap flow begins. The roots of the tree absorb nutrients from the soil. Through the vessels in the tree trunk, they are delivered to all parts of the plant, saturating it with biologically active components.

It is in April that birch sap contains the greatest amount of moisture, glucose, fructose, and other bioactive components, and their concentration is simply ideal. Birch sap in April is not only healthy, but also tasty. How to properly collect liquid? Here are some tips:

1. The most valuable is the juice obtained from perennial birches with a thick trunk. The root system of young trees is too weak and did not have time to grow enough, so it absorbs not so many components from the soil. In a young birch, the chemical composition of the sap differs from that of an old tree and contains more water than valuable substances. However, old trees don't fit either.
2. It is worth choosing those trees that grow in ecologically safe areas, away from highways, factories, factories and other potentially dangerous sources of pollution. The ideal option is to go to the countryside, into the woods.
3. To collect enough sap, you need to go to a birch grove. According to reviews, about 1-2 liters of liquid can be collected from one tree per day. This amount is only enough for one person. To collect more birch sap, it is necessary to simultaneously install containers for collecting the drink on several trees.

How to properly collect birch sap so as not to damage the tree?

Lovers of birch sap return every year to the collection sites for the healing drink. For this reason, when collecting liquid, it is important not to damage the tree. It is a gross mistake to remove the bark, inflict deep damage on the birch using an ax. The tree will suffer from such wounds, for many years, or even die.

We suggest using a safe method of collecting birch sap:

• to extract valuable content, it is worth using a brace with a drill or a screwdriver with a self-tapping screw, the diameter of which is equal to the diameter of the drain tube. The optimum diameter is 5 mm, but not more than 10 mm;
• it is recommended to collect no more than 1-1.5 liters of juice per day from one birch. It is very important to leave enough liquid for the plant, which will become very weak and may die;
• after getting enough drink, it is important to close the hole made in the barrel. To do this, use garden pitch, resin or wooden cork.

According to the observation of experienced collectors of birch nectar, the most active sap flow is observed during the day, from about 10-11 to 17-18 hours.

How and when to collect birch sap, video:

Do you like natural drinks that are good for your health and want to know how and when to collect birch sap? There is nothing complicated in this matter, but some of the nuances should still be taken into account. The main thing when collecting liquid is to think not only about the amount of collected matter, but also about nature. You don't need to use barbaric methods to extract juice. After all, you will have to return to the grove again and it will be good if by that time the tree remains intact.

In spring, nature comes to life, and at this time of year, sap flows along the trunk of a birch. The taste is not sweet at all. It resembles water from a spring. But this is a storehouse of useful substances. To get the most out of it, you need to know when to harvest birch sap.

What time of year do they collect

Nobody knows the exact number of when the juice can be collected. It depends on the climate, weather conditions. If the buds begin to swell on the birch, you can try to collect the drink. If the kidneys are dry, there is no need to rush.

The sap is usually harvested after the vernal equinox. To find out if he has appeared, you need to come to the forest at the end of March, make a cut with a thin awl. This should be done on the southern side of the tree - this side is more warmed up by the sun. It is better to choose a thick tree. If a drop appears at the incision site, then sap flow begins, you can collect it.

What month is the juice collected? The liquid runs from the end of March to the end of April. First, it appears on birches heated by the sun (at the edge of the forest). Then the sun moves deeper into the thicket, distant birches warm up, and you can collect juice from them. Speaking about whether it is possible to collect in the city, it should be remembered that the air is polluted, therefore, the juice may not be useful, but, on the contrary, cause harm or cause allergies. Therefore, the city does not collect liquid from birch.

Important! The air temperature should warm up to 5 degrees. The best time to collect is from 11.00 to 16.00.

If, after warm days, frosts or rains began, then it is better to postpone the hike for a drink. Many people wonder if it is possible to collect juice in May? It is possible, but the taste becomes bitter. Nevertheless, it retains its useful properties. Therefore, we can say that the taste depends on the time of collection, and not only on weather conditions and terrain.

How to collect juice correctly - ways

You need to collect birch sap without harming trees. The rules should be followed:

1. Do not make deep cuts with an ax, since the liquid is between the bark and the wood. It is better to take a drill with a drill no more than 1 cm (the bark grows better).
2. Do not take all the juice from the tree. It is better to collect no more than 1 liter per day from one tree (it is recommended to collect no more than 10 liters from one tree in just a season).
3. Do not collect liquid from young trees. It is believed that the sap is sweeter from mature birches. You need to choose trees with a diameter of more than 25 cm.
4. After collecting the juice, drive a wooden plug into the hole. The tree will heal faster.

So, in order to collect correctly, you need to choose a tree with a slight slope (it will be more convenient to install the bottle this way). Three times a day (morning, afternoon and evening) you need to come and pick up the drink. If it can be seen that birch gives little product, you should not drill other holes in it, expand what has been done. You just need to change the tree. Usually birch gives 2-3 liters per day.

When it becomes clear that no more liquid can be collected from the tree, you need to help him heal the wound. In order not to damage the tree, you should find an old dry twig with a diameter slightly larger than the drill, plug the hole with it. So the juice will not pour out, but flow along the branches. Next year, there will be no trace of the hole.

Collection methods:

1. With a groove. Drill a small hole about 30 cm from the ground. Clean the top layer of bark around the hole so that no dirt gets into the juice. Position the V-groove with an ax at a 45 degree angle. Substitute a bottle (bag, bucket).
2. Collection without tools. Find a level place on the birch, make a v-shaped incision. Bend the incised bark slightly (to make a hook). Attach a container for a drink.
3. In packages. Select a thick branch. It should move away from another thick branch (not from the trunk) to the side, not up. Cut off its end. Attach the container. You can just put the bottles on the branches.
4. With a dropper. Drill a hole in the birch, clean it. Remove the needle from the dropper, insert the spout. Put a needle on the other end of the dropper, pierce the bottle with it. The dropper will flow into the bottle.

Anyone can choose the collection method that suits them best.

How to store birch sap

Of course, it is best to drink fresh birch sap. You need to drink at least 0.5 liters per day to feel the benefits. In the refrigerator or cellar, it is stored for no more than a month. It is best to store it by freezing it: this way it will retain more nutrients.

Storage methods:

1. Pasteurization. For 1 liter of liquid, take 150 g of sugar, a pinch of citric acid. Stir everything thoroughly, filter through cheesecloth, pour into jars and boil for 10 minutes. Roll up the lids, put in the pantry. The disadvantage of this method is that sugar and citric acid will change the taste of the juice.
2. Fermentation. Strain the juice, pour it into a container. Cover with lids and a cloth. Put in a place where the optimal fermentation temperature will be 10-15 degrees for 3 days. The drink may become cloudy. You can store it until mid-summer.
3. Freezing. Pour the drink into glass bottles and freeze.
4. A healthy drink. Mix the juice with mint and rose hips. Pasteurize.
5. Evaporation. Evaporate 5 liters of liquid in an open saucepan. You should get 0.5 liters of syrup with a sugar concentration of 70% (like honey).
6. Leaven. Add sugar, yeast and raisins to the juice. When it begins to ferment, pour into containers, close tightly with lids, put in a dark, cool place (cellar). Stored for at least three months.
7. Birch kvass. Take 1 tsp for 0.5 liters of juice. sugar, three raisins, a little lemon zest. Ferment the drink in glass bottles, attach the lid tightly. This is a folk recipe patented by the Academy of Medical Sciences.
8. Birch-coniferous drink. For 50 liters of juice, take 3 kg of pine needles (scalded), heat to 80 degrees, leave for 6-7 hours. Then strain, add sugar, citric acid. Pour into glass jars, pasteurize for 30 minutes at 95 degrees.
9. Storage in cans. Pour the drink into stainless steel cans. Insert a tube into the lid, plug it with a wooden stopper. Pour well-fried young barley into a gauze knot and place in a can (so that the juice does not turn sour). The juice will change its color and taste (to bread), but it will be tasty and healthy for the liver.

There are a lot of recipes, all of them do not require much effort to prepare.

Birch drink has a positive effect on the body:

• normalizes digestion: relieves cramps and colic, improves appetite;
• stabilizes the acidity of gastric juice: a lower acidity level increases, an increased level decreases;
• dissolves kidney stones, has a diuretic effect;
• helps with atherosclerosis - cleans blood vessels from cholesterol plaques;
• has expectorant properties, it can be used for bronchitis;
• restores metabolism, being a low-calorie drink;
• treats anemia, increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood;
• helps with colds: increases sweating, lowers the temperature;
• treats a runny nose;
• brings pressure back to normal;
• fights vitamin deficiency and spring blues;
• relieves age spots (juice is used externally in the form of a lotion);
• stimulates hair growth and reduces oiliness;
• fortifying agent, increases immunity.

The benefits are due to the fact that it contains the following substances:

• organic acids;
• tannins;
• fructose;
• enzymes;
• a large amount of vitamin C;
• mineral elements.

Contraindications:

• exacerbation of stomach ulcers;
• exacerbation of urolithiasis;
• individual intolerance.

Birch sap is used in folk medicine. It helps to get rid of many diseases, improving the general condition of the body:

1. In case of anemia, they drink it, mixing it with carrot or apple. Taking 50 ml 15 minutes before meals can increase the hemoglobin level.
2. To increase immunity, birch drink is mixed with milk in equal proportions and consumed internally.
3. In case of diseases of the digestive system, they drink 50 ml of pure juice.
4. Skin diseases are treated with birch lotions and compresses.
5. To cleanse the body of toxins and toxins, drink 200 ml in the morning before breakfast for 6 weeks.

Important! When treating a cough, birch sap is heated.

Birch sap can be found on store shelves. But assembling it yourself will not be difficult. The main thing is to choose a method convenient for yourself that will not harm the tree. Birch sap collected in spring is a very valuable and healthy product.

When to harvest birch sap this year, learn from our article, as well as the most efficient methods of building it.

Birch juice usually harvested in mid-March. The end of the collection of sap in the last days of April - the appearance of the first leaves on the trees.

You should be guided by the swollen kidneys. Experienced pickers come to the forest after the 20th of March, make an injection on a birch, the thickness of which is more than 20 cm. If juice comes out in the area of ​​the puncture, then you can collect it.

The strong flow of juice begins from 10 to 18 hours.

Birch sap is on the surface between bark and wood, therefore, the hole should be shallow.

Basically, they use from 5 to 10 trees, from each of which they take 1 liter of liquid per day. If you take all the sap from the birch, it will destroy the tree.

You need to help the tree heal the wound (so that bacteria do not get into it) using one of the following options:

• close up the wound with garden pitch;
• hammer a cork made of wood or moss into the hole.

To collect the sap, use a birch tree with a diameter of 20-30 cm and a well-developed crown. These birches have sweet sap. Drill a hole in the birch trunk. The distance from the surface of the earth is 20 cm. A groove is hung in the hole or under it so that the juice flows into the container.

The birch trunk thickness determines the number of holes drilled:

• from 20 to 25 cm - 1 hole;
• from 25 to 35 cm - 2;
• from 35 to 40 cm - 3;
• more than 40 cm - 4 holes.

Please note that as soon as you drill it, it will begin to heal the wound, and the trickle of juice will decrease. You cannot deepen the hole or drill a new one, it is better to find another tree.

How birch sap is harvested and when

How to store birch sap

Birch sap is consumed fresh. It cannot be stored for more than 2 days even chilled, it is stored only in a frozen state.

What is birch sap made of?

• enzymes, biological substances that strengthen the immune system;
• calcium, potassium, magnesium are needed for cardiac activity;
• tanning components with anti-inflammatory power;
• fructose and glucose for the brain.

Birch sap is good for everyone, especially in spring. The drink does not contain allergens - it can be used by pregnant and lactating women to strengthen the immune system, relieve puffiness (the juice has diuretic properties).

Birch sap is effective in the treatment of kidney failure and kidney inflammation, however, with kidney stones, it should be drunk with care, as it can provoke the movement of stones and renal colic. Birch sap cleanses the blood, eliminates toxins, helps from poisoning, and is useful for infectious diseases.

The juice is recommended for use with low stomach acidity. Doctors advise drinking birch sap 3 times a day before meals for 1 glass. This improves the formation of fluid in the body for the digestion of food. Also, birch sap is used to treat skin problems, against dandruff and to strengthen hair.

The juice tones and strengthens the body. It relieves fatigue, improves immunity. The drink stimulates metabolic processes, it is recommended during a diet. An important property of the juice is to improve bowel function, normalize blood formation.

Birch sap is an excellent dietary preparation with tonic properties. Drink a glass every day, this will give you vigor, drowsiness and lethargy will go away.

Birch sap strengthens the body, acts as a diuretic, improves kidney function. The drink favors the excretion of uric acid, promotes increased urine output. It is useful to drink it for kidney disease and diseases of the urinary system. The juice helps to restore strength in case of lung diseases, bronchitis, arthritis. Those who suffer from stomach ulcers and urolithiasis should consult a doctor before consuming this drink.

The benefits of birch sap

Birch sap helps with skin problems such as lichen, eczema, furunculosis. The drink is used to gargle during a sore throat. The juice is useful in the complex therapy of cough, headaches, joint diseases. Also, the drink cleanses the blood and removes toxins, helps during intoxication, with infectious ailments.

Birch sap is harmful if it is collected from trees located near the motorway, in an environmentally unfavorable place, and also when there is an allergic reaction to birch pollen. Now you know birch sap when to harvest this year.