Cedar seeds or, as they are popularly called, nuts are a tasty, nutritious and healthy product. They contain a large number of vitamins, minerals, organic acids, and they also produce valuable oil. They are formed in the cones of the Siberian cedar pine, or Siberian cedar. When the fruits of this coniferous plant ripen and in what terms they can be harvested, the article will tell.
How often does the cedar cone picking season come
Cedar pine seeds are widely used in cooking and for oil extraction. Grinded meal, which remains after processing, is used as a food additive. The shell is added to medicinal and cosmetic products. Seeds are extracted from the cones of Siberian cedar. One cone fruit contains from 30 to 150 nuts. From one tree in one year you can collect up to 12 kg of seeds.
Did you know? Siberian cedar pine is ranked as long-lived plants. She can live up to 800-850 years.
Fruit ripening occurs during three vegetative seasons - in cedar pine, one vegetation lasts 40–45 days. Thus, the time for collecting cones from plants growing in cultivated areas begins every 2-3 years. Coniferous plants growing in uncultivated areas begin fruiting in 5–8 years. Cedar pine trees do not differ in regular productivity. Typically, productivity peaks occur every 4–8 years.
What affects yield
Not every fruiting season in Siberian cedar can be fruitful. Many factors influence fertility.Among them are:
- climatic and weather conditions;
- the number of sunny days per vegetation period;
- forest composition;
- plant age;
- relief features;
- soil composition.
Cedars growing in swamps can produce up to 20 kg of seeds per hectare. Up to 280 kg / ha can be harvested from those trees that grow in the most optimal climatic conditions - in Altai. In cultivated areas located near villages, productivity is 3-5 times higher than in taiga.
Fruit ripening
Cedar pine cones ripen for 14–16 months. The beginnings of microstrobils (modified shoots) are laid in August, and the macrostrobil in September. Pollination of the plant occurs in June of the next year, fertilization - a year after pollination. Seed ripening occurs in August - September. When the cones reach full maturity, they fall to the ground.
Trees enter fruiting at the age of 20. They reach maximum productivity by 160 years. Siberian cedars can bear fruit up to 280-300 years.
From what date is it allowed to collect
Cones are most often collected using a special fishing device called a chisel, or canoe. To the fruit fell to the ground, with this tool, reminiscent of a huge hammer, beat on the trunk of a coniferous plant to cause its vibrations.
This method is barbaric, since it does great harm to the tree, damaging its bark and leading to the formation of dead spots, traumatic growths around the wound.
Such actions become the cause of the gradual destruction of cedar forests, which have enormous biosphere and environmental significance: they perform soil-protective, moisture-retaining, and air-purifying functions. For these reasons, in Russia it is impossible to collect cones when a desire arises. There are clear deadlines in which you can engage in such activities with minimal harm to the cedar stands. In each region they are different. They are established by forestry experts, taking into account the ripening time of the cones.
Important! Cedar seeds are an important food source for many animals and birds. For this reason, the massive collection of cones and the negative impact on the development of cedar forests lead to irreparable consequences that relate to the Siberian fauna.
In order to find out when it is possible to go for pine nuts, you should inquire about the information in the local department of the forest complex. The earliest dates begin in mid-August. The latest ones are from the beginning of October.
When is it better to go to the camp
To get the most useful seeds and collect well-ripened cones that are already lying on the ground, you should go to the forest from late August to late September.
The following equipment should be taken with you to the forest:
- a stick with a hook (long pole) in order to bring down pine fruits;
- nylon cable in order to remove cones;
- special stab.
There are several ways to clean:
- Knocking down.
- Collection from the ground.
- Remove from a tree, climbing on it with the help of claws.
It is possible to determine that a bump is ripe by its color (it should be light brown), solid structure, light weight.
The impact of the region on the timing
The Russian Federation today is the largest center where pine nuts are mined. In second place is Mongolia, in third - Kazakhstan. In different regions of Russia, collection periods differ. This is because the ripening of cones occurs at different times.
Important! If a person collects cones at an unspecified time, then they can be fined. The size of the fine depends on the region and ranges from 500 to 1000 rubles, for officials - 1000–2000 rubles, for legal entities - 10000–20000 rubles.
Siberia
In Siberia, the ripening process begins in the middle of the last summer month, and ends in September. In areas located in the mountains, cones reach maturity a couple of weeks later. In the Kemerovo region, collection is allowed from August 20, in the Tomsk region - from August 25 and September 1.
Ural
In this area, cedar pine is able to bear fruit for only 100 years. In the future, its ability to bear fruit is gradually reduced. Good yields in the Urals are observed once every 5 years. At this time, you can expect to receive 450-600 kg per hectare of forest, 80-300 cones from one plant. In other years, 150–250 kg are removed from this forest area, 70 kg in wetlands, and 20 kg in swamps. They begin to collect from the end of August.
Middle lane
In this area, cedar pine is cultivated at home, in nurseries. The tree begins to bear fruit early. The beginning of the fruiting period in the middle lane is in July. The fruits ripen until September.
Did you know? The oldest coniferous plant is called Metusela. He was 4842 years old.
Altai
In the Altai Territory, pine nuts become ripe in September. To collect it, as a rule, no tools are required. Usually a gusty wind picks ripe fruits from tree branches, and they fall down, generously covering the forest litter, so people can only remove them from the ground. Moreover, cones slide into hollows and are collected in heaps, which also simplifies the collection process.
Surgut
In the Tyumen region, and in particular in Surgut, pine nuts reach maturity in the middle - end of August. The best time to collect them is considered to be the period starting from the 29th day of the specified month or after the Nut Savior. In this region, seed walnut harvesting is a business for many families and the main activity of local forestry. Commercial firms have put the collection of cedar pine on an industrial stream.
When season ends
ABOUTthe end of the collection season falls on the period when the first snow falls. At this time, hunting time is already beginning. However, collectors often visit forests after snow falls. For example, if its layer is still not high enough and the weather is fine, then there is a chance to find a fairly large number of fruits that fall. The collection can continue in April - May. At this time, the padanka is removed. At the legislative level, the end of cone collection is not established.
So, cedar cones are harvested to produce healthy seeds. Their collection must be carried out at specified times, prescribed in regulatory enactments at the regional level. The penalty for breaking the rules is a fine.
