Sea Buckthorn - How do you grow it?

[Losos]

Hello everyone - We were just given two 'Rakytnik' plants (English common name 'Sea Buckthorn')which I have never ever heard of in my entire life, & that's a long time I can assure you

I looked it up on Google & it seems if I eat the fruit I'll live forever & never ever be ill again:lol:

Anyway, don't want to disappoint our friends, so can someone say how to cultivate it, is it like a gooseberry or a currant bush

Any replies will be much appreciated, thanks, Harvey

[sally wright]

Dear Losos,
seed is the only way to reproduce sea buckthorn. Some points to remember, don't try and eat the berries raw. They are sour and astringent; with the combination of the two sensations your tastebuds may never be the same again.
The other point is that the bushes come in male and female. So you will need at least one of each. The way to make sure you have some of each is to look at the winter buds (in the abscence of fruit) on the male ones the buds along the stems are larger and noticably copper coloured.
The seeds are sown when the berries are ripe and soft in the Autumn. Sow in a mixture of 1/3 sand and 2/3 of what ever compost you prefer. Then leave the seed tray outside away from mice and wait until the seeds sprout in the spring. Wait until the following winter and sort the plants as mentioned above. If you make three piles of the seedlings as yes/female, no/male and um/no idea you will see the difference. Discard the ums and pot up as many as you think you will need of the rest. The usual ratio is about 3-1 female to male. Time to fruiting may be as much as five years.
Regards Sally Wright.

[Beccy]

You say these people are your friends ? What do they do to their enemies?

[Losos]

Sally - Thanks, lots of stuff to remember there, doesn't seem to be an easy one & keeping things away from mice around here is a major task, they seem to be everywhere, especially in the Autumn. BTW I once used to work & live in Cambridge.
Beccy - From Sallys description I guess it ain't something to give to friends but Czech people are funny that way

[sally wright]

Dear Losos,
I would imagine that the fruit are made into jam, conserves, syrups or cordials. Anything really that contain lots of sugar to make them palatable.
Regards Sally Wright.

[Beccy]

Seriously I have come across them in....now I am going to have problems explaining this, but here goes...a sort of wholefood energy bar. It was one of the German companies I think and they made several varieties including a sea buckthorn one. They were a (I think) dried, fruit and nut paste, perhaps with honey, compressed between sheets of rice paper. Sounds a bit odd, but they were just the thing if you didn't want to stop for a proper meal break, but were flagging a bit on a long walk or cycle ride, like chocolate, but the boost seemed to last for longer. I bought the sea buckthorn one because you have to try new things, don't you, but wasn't wowed. I think the blackberry ones were probably my favourite, it was at least ten years ago, so who remembers?

[sally wright]

Dear Beccy,
I think they might be used in recipies where cranberries are called for; fresh or dried. Food for thought...
Regards Sally Wright.

[Losos]

Sally / Beccy - They are just cuttings so it'll be at least a year 'till they produce any fruit. I'll bear in mind the recipe for the berries & if it's edible maybe I'll post again next year, in the meantime I think blackberries or blackcurrents (my personal favorite) will be a better bet. Thanks again for your comments.