Blackberry watch

[Yamadori]

I found some ripe blackberries two days ago on the 2nd on a walk near the Chiltern hills. I've never known them to ripen so early.

Anyone else seen some yet, and whereabouts in the country are you?

South coast and I had a few this morning, bit tart mind you!

I might pop down the field and have a look in the morning.

Derbyshire here and they're still all hard little green bullets. Found some lovely wild raspberries on a walk this week though!

I saw some turning pink up here in County Durham already which is unprecedented. And in the bramble I’ve trained along my garden fence it looks like it’s going to be a strong year!!

NW coast. We have the odd outlier ripe one, but most still small and green. The number of them is phenomenal though. Bumper crop!

We picked a handful of ripe ones on Monday in Sheffield.
There's so many wild raspberries this year.

I'm in Gloucestershire, and I did see a ripe one at the end of June. I haven't actually tried to eat any of the blackberries yet because although they are black, I'm pretty sure they're quite hard still.

I've seen a few black ones this weekend but they are in someone's garden so I couldn't try them. They are in full sun, most around me are in shadier spots and a bit further behind, I agree it looks like a bumper year though. My autumn fruiting raspberries have started fruiting earlier than I've ever known them too as well, often they wait till into August. Not huge quantities yet but enough for a handful every time I go to the allotment.

Agree, it is going to be a seriously bumper blackberry year if the brambles near us are anything to go by. I just went for a walk and picked about a dozen. All the ripe ones I could find and reach, I picked. There are thousands of green ones to come.

I might have to think about learning how to make jam this year.😁

I’m on the edge of london, had a few tasty ones yesterday. They often ripen in July here…

I remember picking them in June during lock-down (2020). There are a few earlier ones out, but really not ready yet.
Agree with PPs, looks like a bumper crop this year, same for sloes.

Weird how some sites even in the same town have hard green bullets and others are much riper and even have a few squishy black ones. Had some delicious wild plums too, the trees are absolutely loaded.

Monmouthshire. First few seen today.

My son found a few ripe ones in the next village on to us in Yorkshire. The ones bordering our garden are nowhere near ready though.

They still look very green in South London, but there are tonnes of them. Can’t wait!!

Got a ripe few blackberries in my London ( north facing) garden. We're usually a few weeks behind more sunny spots.

Not ripe here yet, but looks like there are going to be lots of them this year. Sloes too. Might try making some Sloe gin this year.

This is what I picked this evening from the back-alley behind my house. Not a lot (could be more if I picked those in the dog-zone), but enough to make a crumble if I scrump a few apples.

Very nice!

Definitely avoid the dog zone. My idiot lab managed to poo on lower ones the other week (he was aiming for the nettles underneath)! 🙈🤣

I can confirm that it is indeed a bumper blackberry year this year. DH went out yesterday to pick some, and came home with over 1lb of them. He said he literally just stood still in one place and picked the ones in reach.

We had some of them in an apple & blackberry crumble today, and I can also confirm that they are definitely sweeter than usual - I had to use far less sugar than I was expecting when I stewed the fruit.

Ours are ripening well now. Still loads to come though.

I'm getting a bottle of vodka in this week's shop, so will pick some next weekend to infuse in the vodka until Christmas.

First big tubful picked today! Monmouthshire.