Picking Wild Fruit

[Joseph K]

So, I mistakenly thought that there were wild blueberries growing round various parts of Arrow Valley - turns out they are sloes. So my mum wants to use the not inconsiderable number we picking to make gin! (Which I've been told is their only use - they are very bitter).

On the other hand, we have picked some nice blackberries for a sponge pudding and crumble, and some damsons.

[Bryn]

So, I mistakenly thought that there were wild blueberries growing round various parts of Arrow Valley - turns out they are sloes. So my mum wants to use the not inconsiderable number we picking to make gin! (Which I've been told is their only use - they are very bitter).

On the other hand, we have picked some nice blackberries for a sponge pudding and crumble, and some damsons.

When I go blackberrying, they never manage to get much further than a metre or so from the bramble I pick them from before they get eaten.

[oddoneout]

No idea if this is any use...

https://www.edp24.co.uk/features/recipe-for-foraged-sloe-cordial-1-6817801

Putting sloes in the freezer is suggested as an alternative to having to prick them for making sloe gin, and has the added advantage of postponing the need to deal with them.

[Joseph K]

No idea if this is any use...

https://www.edp24.co.uk/features/recipe-for-foraged-sloe-cordial-1-6817801

Putting sloes in the freezer is suggested as an alternative to having to prick them for making sloe gin, and has the added advantage of postponing the need to deal with them.

Thanks for the recipe.

[Serial_Apologist]

When I go blackberrying, they never manage to get much further than a metre or so from the bramble I pick them from before they get eaten.

The annual wild fruiting processes seem to be taking place earlier than usual in a number of places around the country, if reports on a weather site are anything to go by. I noticed this today as I made my way through the wild fringes of the local park: most of the blackberries have shrivelled up. Normally I wait until the end of September before going out "punnetting". However, I remain hopeful, as there is usually a second fruiting.

[french frank]

The annual wild fruiting processes seem to be taking place earlier than usual in a number of places around the country, if reports on a weather site are anything to go by. I noticed this today as I made my way through the wild fringes of the local park: most of the blackberries have shrivelled up. Normally I wait until the end of September before going out "punnetting". However, I remain hopeful, as there is usually a second fruiting.

You're a weatherman, S_A; does a heavy crop of berries reflect what the weather was like earlier in the year, or predict what the winter will be like (i.e. v. cold)?

[oddoneout]

You're a weatherman, S_A; does a heavy crop of berries reflect what the weather was like earlier in the year, or predict what the winter will be like (i.e. v. cold)?

I've always been puzzled by the notion that plants somehow 'know' a year ahead what the weather will be and respond accordingly...

[alywin]

The annual wild fruiting processes seem to be taking place earlier than usual in a number of places around the country, if reports on a weather site are anything to go by. I noticed this today as I made my way through the wild fringes of the local park: most of the blackberries have shrivelled up. Normally I wait until the end of September before going out "punnetting". However, I remain hopeful, as there is usually a second fruiting.

I wouldn't normally expect many blackberries to be left by early September, so am not sure this is particularly abnormal. But this year's "harvest" has been of remarkably small ones, so it's not unlikely that many will have shrivelled to virtually nothing.

[oddoneout]

I wouldn't normally expect many blackberries to be left by early September, so am not sure this is particularly abnormal. But this year's "harvest" has been of remarkably small ones, so it's not unlikely that many will have shrivelled to virtually nothing.

Oddly the extended drought conditions don't seem to have greatly affected the brambles in this neck of the woods. They seem to have bided their time in terms of fruit production/development and since the rains came have suddenly burst into production of ripe fruit, with a good proportion of decent sized berries of good flavour. Damage from insects is more noticeable than usual though, not too much of a problem when cooking but not so good if eating 'in hand' when, apart from the chance of meeting an active inhabitant, there are dry hard patches to be spat out where the individual drupelets have been emptied. One of my routes back from town shopping goes past an area of 'landscape planting' around a small commercial development where brambles have invaded the planted bushes. The maintenance of the area keeps things to a height of about 4 ft so the berries are nicely presented for grazing as one walks past and out of the reach of passing canines; most are of the smaller sorts but one clump has huge succulent(aka messy!) fruit temptingly displayed on great arching canes. Purple hands unpack the shopping once home...
There are a great many variations on the basic blackberry plant, so is it possible that the larger fruited ones in your area didn't, for whatever reason, produce as many fruits as the smaller fruited kinds in the first place?

[gradus]

One notable wild fruit absentee hereabouts have been the cherry plums, so often super-abundant but this year they sent their apologies.

[oddoneout]

One notable wild fruit absentee hereabouts have been the cherry plums, so often super-abundant but this year they sent their apologies.

Yes much missed here as well, but rather expected as we had a succession of weather events during and just after flowering time which not only kept pollinators away but also stripped/killed many that did set. A garden hedge nearby containing three assorted variations on the dark purple kind is currently dropping ripe fruit on the pavement, much to my surprise. I can only think that for some reason (a mistimed hedge trim?) it had a later flowering that missed the earlier problems but I haven't seen it happening before so I don't think it's a naturally later flowering sort.