Blackberry picking. When do you go?

[Woodlandarchitecty]

When does everyone tend to go blackberry picking (from high places away from dog wee) 🤣

I really want to make the most of it this year as the children love it, loving baking crumble and love eating it.

Last year we missed out by a week or two. Today out on a walk I noticed some blackberries were already fat and juicy but there’s obviously a few weeks to wait.

So when do you go?

(And what else can I forage this autumn / winter?)

Usually very early September, I've never seen any black ones this early! All the bushes near us are still sparse with the odd very small red one so far.

Watching with interest. The ones near me aren’t ready but are tempting me. Can’t believe how early they’re out.

Ones in our garden are already out. This is super early though it's usually end of August. I can't wait for apple and blackberry crumble, a friend has an orchard so we end up with loads of apples and pears come autumn!

It varies, we have some ready right outside the house so DD has been gorging on them all week, others are still a few weeks off. Any time from now until mid September you should be able to find some.

Usually early September but I've already spotted a couple of ripe ones that my daughter grabbed.
My plums are ready too which is about 3 weeks early

End of August usually but we've started seeing a few ripe ones in the park nearby which is a treasure trove of huge blackberry bushes. We'll go end of next week and take another look but I think they will all be ready mid -August this year.

I usually freeze a load just as they are, and cook up several batches of compote that can be eaten on ice cream, porridge, custard, extra thick double cream, whipped up in a fool or put in a dish with crumble/pastry case/cobbler dumplings.

Usually early September but only because I usually forget and then the kids going back to school makes me think "oh, I hope we haven't missed the blackberries!"

Thanks everyone! The ones I saw today ended up in my belly and were very sweet and delicious.

I’m in the South West

Oh my goodness!! Sounds absolutely delicious. 💜

I'm in the south east and down lots of the ones round here are ripe already. I picked a load the other day and I'm going to pick more this week.

I picked two huge containers of sweet, ripe blackberries in the last 2 weeks, never seen them ready so early before!

I've picked quite a few already near my house. They're always ripe much earlier than you think.

We go when they are ready for picking, which seems to get earlier each year!

I got a big bagful the other day - there are definitely some ripe for picking.

Early September. But this year they are predicting an early autumn in terms of leaves changing colour and fruit being ready because it has been so hot for the last few weeks-so I think it will be Earlier this year. I've seen a few very nearly
ripe berries on the bushes near us when I've been out walking lately.

Can anyone please share best tips of cleaning them please 😊 I soaked them in water for a few hours last year but they had lots of little white bugs in them still.

East mids here and we picked 2 bagfuls yesterday - blackberry crumble on the menu tonight!

Ours are ready - definitely earlier than normal

We picked loads this morning

Weve had two massive tubfuls from one patch in the last couple of days... Kent.

I’m going to put some bags and old lunch boxes in the car just in case we see any soon. Keeping my eyes out 👀

Is there anything else worth foraging soon?

I usually eat one or two everyday as I walk past a load of bushes on my way to work. They are definitely ready though still lots on there not ripened yet.

I’ve only had one ripe one in my garden so far, and lots are still just in flower. But I’m on the edge of the Scottish highlands.

We pick fruit here

www.fishkillfarms.com

They have blackberries available now.

@Babdoc oooh chilly!