How to Pick Sweet Juniper

Sweet juniper is a berry found on the evergreen shrub and trees. The berries ripen after maturing for two or three years. During this time, the berries turn from a green nub coated in a white film called bloom, to a bluish-purple berry with a very strong smell and taste. The berries are used to make gin, a popular alcoholic beverage. They are also used to flavor European dishes, to pickle meats and vegetables, and as a herbal remedy.

Canvas or cloth sack larger enough to hold the berries
Basket (in place of the sack, if desired)
Screen or flat surface
Cotton or linen cloth

Instructions

- 1
  Pick juniper berries at the appropriate time. Juniper berries are best picked at the end of the summer when they are ripened, as the berries are at their peak at this time of year.
- 2
  Look for ripe juniper bushes. They are found in Europe and North America in dry, rocky soil and sunny climates. Look for the berries nestled between green foliage, with silvery, grey or blue tints.
- 3
  Locate the berries on the tree or bush. These are bluish-purple berries that have little or no bloom coating on them. Carefully grasp the berries and gently pull them from the juniper bush.
- 4
  Place the berries gently into the sack or basket, to prevent the berries from bursting or bruising.
- 5
  Lay the picked berries on a screen or flat surface that is covered with a cotton or linen cloth. Place the berries on a screen or flat surface in the sun to dry the berries for use. Let them dry until the berries are no longer moist.
- 6
  Store the berries in a tightly sealed container. Place the container in a dry place at room temperature.

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