Blackberries growing in my garden

[LittleBirdBlu]

Just moved and we have got a big bush at the bottom of the garden growing around and on top of a shed, it's covered in what looks like blackberries. Is it ok to eat these do you think? My 9 year olds are picking them but I've told them not to eat any until I know it's ok, and we've washed them properly of course.

Dont see why not - enjoy!

Pics

Absolutely! Just give them a wash!

Wild blackberries, eat away!

There is also these, could they be blueberries?

God yes. Make jam if you've got lots!

Blackberries are fairly easy to recognise, and there are not many inedible things that could be mistaken for them. DD did end up vomiting after mistaking honeysuckle berries for blackberries - the honeysuckle was tangled all through the brambles, and she was only four at the time and grabbing greedy handfuls!
If you like blackberries, you can buy thornless versions to plant in your garden, so you don’t get scratched to bits picking them.

Your second pics look like blackcurrants - bilberries have tiny leaves and are low growing. Currants have those big leaves.

Thank you everyone!! We're all pretty excited now!! There's so many blackberries!! I have never made jam before, so if you know any good recipes please share if you don't mind 😊

@LittleBirdBlu
Blackberry jam is straightforward.
Collect your fruit and weigh it. Say you have 2lb.
Weigh out the same amount - 2lb - of sugar. Cheapo granulated will do.
Wash and sterilise jamjars. You will need at least 3lb but prepare more than you think you need, to be on the safe side.
Put a saucer or tea-plate in the freezer (yes you did read that right).

Cook the berries in a saucepan over a low heat until mushy. Give it a stir to break up the fruit and to stop it sticking to the pan.
Add the sugar plus 2 tbsp of lemon juice. Give it all a good stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Then boil rapidly (watch out for hot splatters!) until setting point is reached.
'Setting point' is when you know that your jam will go solid when it cools, and won't stay runny. You check to see if you have got to SP by putting a small blob of jam on your freezer-cold saucer. Do the wrinkle test (ignore what she says about keeping the jam in the fridge - the whole point of all that sugar is that it is a preservative!). If it sets within about a minute, fine; if not, keep boiling.
Put jam in jamjars and screw on lids tightly. Label and date it.

Pectin is essential to make jam set. Blackberries are low in it so that is why you need the lemon juice. You could get the effect from pectin-sugar instead but it's more expensive. An alternative trick is to add another fruit which is naturally high in pectin eg apples which is why many people make apple & blackberry jam (again, weight of fruit = weight of sugar).

Blackberry and elderberry is another nice combo.
You could sieve your blackberries to get rid of pips. Do this then measure the pulp. You now want 1 pint pulp + 1 lb sugar + 1 tbsp lemon juice, method as above.

second picture looks like blueberries. a quick taste test will confirm what they are.

You can also freeze blackberries or blueberries (or a mixture) to use for crumbles and pies throughout the winter.

My dd loves picking and eating the blackberries straight from the bushes in our garden, one of life's free pleasures.

Second picture looks like blackcurrants, not blueberries. The leaves are very different.

Thank you this is great! We will collect more tomorrow and have a go

The second picture is a currant, but the berries have a blue bloom on them instead of being shiny black, so they are not blackcurrants. They look like an ornamental Flowering Currant.

No they don’t- check out the leaves. It’s important to look at the whole plant when attempting to identify it

Why would you wash wild blackberries? They're great to eat straight from the bushes.

Because flies and other insects lay eggs on them. Soak the berries in water and watch the larvae crawl out after a minute. If you are happy with eating them feel free.

Sounds totally joyless... It's very hard to beat the pleasure of picking and eating fresh warm blackberries that have been ripening in the sun, and worse to deprive children of that experience.

You can spot most insects when picking, and the odd insect egg or maggot isn't going to do anyone any harm. Worst case just spit it out.

Fair enough. You enjoy your bugs and I will continue to wash my berries.

second picture looks more like flowering current shrub to me. If it's an unkempt hedge blackberries will grow , but don't eat the other berries.

I soak blackberries before turning them into jam or crumble mix or other pudding, but I've never seen any bugs come off them!

Second photo looks like sloes to me - seems early for them though so maybe not- we usually pick them in late Sept or early October where we are. For making sloe gin not for eating - they taste disgusting.

Yes absolutely fine. We've collected a tupperware box full and frozen them.