Blackberries (fruit)- some effort required.

orchid_lady

No blackberries ready in my neck of the woods, yet. (Gloucestershire).

Went out looking for them tonight, and would imagine that it will be about two weeks till any are ready for picking.
Looks like there will be a very good crop, though - masses of small unripe ones in the hedgerows.

Barneysmom

Ours are nearly ready, maybe by Saturday we can get some in.

A very kind man on freegle just gave me a load of demijohns so I can make some elderberry wine :cool:

cabco22

Millions of wild plums again this year and ready now!! Make the best Jam in the world!!

kimineycricket

Hi all,

I noticed some Blackberries growing on the side of the road when I went for a run yesterday. They looked really yummy and they are so expensive in the supermarkets!

My questions are...Are these safe to eat? Are they usually sprayed and will a quick wash in water be all thats needed? Do I need to ask the owners if I can pick them (they dont look like they're grown commercially)?

Thanks

Sequeena

I've got loads growing in my garden and around the mountain. I have them for breakfast every morning

redagila

kimineycricket wrote: »

Hi all,

I noticed some Blackberries growing on the side of the road when I went for a run yesterday. They looked really yummy and they are so expensive in the supermarkets!

My questions are...Are these safe to eat? Are they usually sprayed and will a quick wash in water be all thats needed? Do I need to ask the owners if I can pick them (they dont look like they're grown commercially)?

Thanks

Usually not advised to pick near a road because of the traffic fumes, etc. Perhaps you could find a better route!

If the bushes are outside anyone's garden, I don't think there is any problem in picking the fruit. I do this on a footpath near us - in fact one year I was joined by the owner who was quite happy that I was also picking them as it was such a large crop.

aarrgghh

redagila wrote: »

Usually not advised to pick near a road because of the traffic fumes, etc. Perhaps you could find a better route!

Can you be more specific please. Exactly what will traffic fumes do to the fruit apart from make them dirty, which would be true in any urban environment. Are there toxins from traffic fumes which can be absorbed by the berries? If so, which ones?

TravellingAbuela

I have been non-stop picking bilberries on the moors this last week or two and have 25 lb stashed away in the freezer, ready for jam and pies. Now the blackberries are coming on nicely I will be picking those next. Then it will be the elderberries, rowanberries and sloes. It's a hard life!! But how nice will it be eating the fruits of my labours throughout the winter months and the Sloe Gin to look forward to - should just be ready by Xmas!

SwissToni_2

Same goes for blackberries and other wild fruit near railway tracks, avoid if the line is heavily used. Another thing to monitor is council workers using weedkiller and other chemicals near or on the plants, specially by public paths. Best pickings, hardly used country lanes, parks, woods and overgrown common land.

Optimisticpair

We got a few handfuls from a well frequented spot on a sunny hillside the other day but by the coast bushes still had flowers on. Looks to be a decent crop to be had this year.