Has anyone started picking blackberries yet this summer?

[Netcurtainnelly]

Anyone picked blackberries yet?

I picked my first ripe blackberry in the last days of June and they have been loads to pick in our garden ever since. Birmingham, I don't think I've ever seen so many this early before.

Yes I started last week, quite a lot ripe already but still mostly green and red here in Cheshire. I usually pick about 18kg each season to make wine with.

Plenty around our way,, looking ripe and ready but they taste incredibly sour, looks can be deceiving!

Loads in the south west and have been munching them on walks for a few weeks now. 500g in the freezer from one walk but seeing the amount out there and how much others have picked, I'll go back for more!

Mine have grown in my back garden. I have a small crop and made syrup

I've picked and eaten some for my Mum, who sadly recently died. I have an aversion to fruit, so it has been a bit hard for me.

We've lived in the same place for years and in the garden they ripen and then finish by early August. We have so many we are still using the blackberry jam from last year.

Out in the farm and woods they don't ripen until late August.

If they're somewhere you can repeatedly visit, only pick the ones that are very plump and come off easily - they should be sweet, depending on variety. We've got a bramble clump in the garden that I prune when the season ends, and the blackberries on that are massive, despite the lack of rain, because they're in a fairly shaded, sheltered spot for half the day - the other random blackberries in the garden are less impressive.

Yes. Started picking last week. We have loads growing along our hedges and the bushes are absolutely heaving with them. I’ve picked about 5 kilos so far but there’s easily the same again on the bushes. I always make jam and blackberry gin. Something to look forward to in winter.

Started picking them in June here in Somerset. Gets earlier every year

Loads at our local country park. We made a nice apple and blackberry crumble last week.

We need some rain to plump them up a bit

We do @OhBotherSaidPoo 👍

Not brambles but went to my local wild raspberry patch this morning and there were very few. While in Scotland we haven’t had the extreme temps of down south, where I am we haven’t had rain for about a month which is unheard of.

Picked 7lbs this afternoon. They're going to be creme de mure.

Loads in Lewes and Brighton. I bloody hate them but my daughter hoovers them up!

Yes they grow in my driveway we're in Merseyside

Yep, huge bush on my allotment covered in them. None have made it home so far though with the kids eating them straight of the bush.

Yeh - and made a delicious crumble with them!

Yes, loads. The ones in my garden are lovely and plump, and I also fill up tubs when I am out.
I rarely see anyone else picking them, which has always struck me as odd. They are free, and good for you.

Loads here in Hampshire. I have a blackberry & apple crumble in the oven right now!

Lots here in SW Cornwall. Worryingly, the damsons are falling. They look ripe but are hard little bullets. No damson gin this Christmas.

If anyone on the London Surrey border can tell me where they are plentiful I'd be grateful! I'm in SM5, nothing doing in the hedgerows.

I'm about to make jam :)

None in far SW