mosh
Active Member
this years crop of elder is pretty sparce sum bushes with empty stalks even before ripening anyone got any idea why this is happening if it carries on there wont be any for making wine with
elder berrys or lack off
- Thread starter mosh
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State of the mind
Active Member
I hope not. Was hoping to make a Elderflower wine this year. When I go out searching, I will post back. Fingers crossed. :thumb:
metalmickey
Well-Known Member
theres a fair few around here (West Sussex), just turning black so should be harvesting within the next few weeks.
if you pay the postage ill send ya some!
if you pay the postage ill send ya some!
mosh
Active Member
strange i'll post some picks we have hundreds of bushes they just don't seem to have many on
not good
not good
unclepumble
Landlord.
mosh said:
I think the prolonged cold weather at the beginning of the year has affected crops, sloes are sparse in these parts too, although I know where there are enough to make may usual gallon of sloe gin.
UP
Barkie
Active Member
Could be the local weather at any stage. If its any consolation the elderberries are green here and two forays have only reaped 8 ozs of blackberries. 
Alec
Active Member
I noticed this lack of berries today whilst walking the dog, I reckon several tress had only a 50% berry covering to what I would expect.
metalmickey
Well-Known Member
We had no sloes last year, but are in abundance and ripe on our alotment. Blackberries are in fruit too, many ripe but more underripe.
mosh
Active Member
so jealous we haven't got any sloes never seen any about up ere
dpile1
Well-Known Member
I planned on absolutely pillaging the local bushes and such for berries this year. You guys have got me worried that I might have left it a little late.
Although I have just been and picked a whole load of plums which were ripe today and, taking inspiration from this site, used grape juice in place of some of the water for Plum Wine. I reckon it'll be marvellous!
Although I have just been and picked a whole load of plums which were ripe today and, taking inspiration from this site, used grape juice in place of some of the water for Plum Wine. I reckon it'll be marvellous!
markp
Landlord.
Bit of a sore subject elderberries for me.
There is a huge elderberry bush that is in my neighbours garden that backs on to my rear garden, along with some spindly hawthorne hedge that is far too high as well. I've spoken a few times to neighbour about it (very politely and reasonably), but he either doesn't have time to / can't be arsed to or is just being difficult about it.
Pinches a lot of my light, extends on to my side quite a lot blah blah....have problems with veg bolting in certain parts etc etc.......does my head in.
Also, the birds eat all the berries and then park themselves on my TV aerial.....then proceed to sh1t red **** all over my path/me/swmbo/the dogs.
Grrrrrr :rofl:
Might have to at least get some wine out of it this year :grin:
There is a huge elderberry bush that is in my neighbours garden that backs on to my rear garden, along with some spindly hawthorne hedge that is far too high as well. I've spoken a few times to neighbour about it (very politely and reasonably), but he either doesn't have time to / can't be arsed to or is just being difficult about it.
Pinches a lot of my light, extends on to my side quite a lot blah blah....have problems with veg bolting in certain parts etc etc.......does my head in.
Also, the birds eat all the berries and then park themselves on my TV aerial.....then proceed to sh1t red **** all over my path/me/swmbo/the dogs.
Grrrrrr :rofl:
Might have to at least get some wine out of it this year :grin:
mosh
Active Member
bloody birds steel all the berrys then have the cheek to s**t all over the place
bandit081
Well-Known Member
Well doods there are masses and masses of berries here elders balck and more sloes than you could fill your car with on private picking grounds. If anyone would care to join me after the first frost for the sloes you would be more than welcome :thumb:
mosh said:
Yes, trees are a little thin around here too .. but I've put it down to the goodies being plundered whilst in flower .... can't make elderflower wine and then go back to the same tree expecting to see berries!
We've been out on the boat for a couple of weeks, just chugging the canals, Kiddy to Chester and back, but in 6 years of ditch crawling I've never seen such an abundance of stone fruits. Yellow plums weren't quite ready so we may have to go out for a bimble this coming weekend, but there is going to be a glut of damsons and sloes.
Unfortunately for most of you, the richest pickings are on the wrong side of the canals and only accessible by boat, but there's still plenty to be had along the towpaths.
So far this year I have only picked blackberries from 2 locations, and only for a few minutes each time, collecting 5.5lbs. One of those locations was open to any towpath walker, the other was a case of âstop engine, back up a bit and get the stern into that bankâ. That can occasionally be amusing if another boat comes around a bend and slows to ask if we've run aground or need to throw them a rope - âNo thanks, no problem, just picking blackberriesâ.
If working a flight of locks I frequently cycle ahead to the next, and may then have to wait a little while if another boat is approaching from the opposite direction and the lock is set in their favour. So there I was on another occasion, sat on a lock gate on the Stratford flight, waited for a âdownhillâ boat to enter the lock, close the top gate behind them and start to draw the bottom paddles, and the bloke off that boat looks down the canal and spots an âuphillâ boat (ours) almost diagonally blocking the canal, pointy end towards the towpath, blunt end stuck in the bushes. Not realising it was my boat, or that I'd previously signalled back âboat coming down, just float around for a whileâ this other bloke says to me âWhat IS that woman playing at?â
I says to him âThat's my wife and she's just picking plums while she's waiting for you to quit fannying around and get down this lockâ. Sure enough, by the time he'd opened the bottom gates she was out of the bushes and lined up perfectly to take our turn.
Unfortunately for most of you, the richest pickings are on the wrong side of the canals and only accessible by boat, but there's still plenty to be had along the towpaths.
So far this year I have only picked blackberries from 2 locations, and only for a few minutes each time, collecting 5.5lbs. One of those locations was open to any towpath walker, the other was a case of âstop engine, back up a bit and get the stern into that bankâ. That can occasionally be amusing if another boat comes around a bend and slows to ask if we've run aground or need to throw them a rope - âNo thanks, no problem, just picking blackberriesâ.
If working a flight of locks I frequently cycle ahead to the next, and may then have to wait a little while if another boat is approaching from the opposite direction and the lock is set in their favour. So there I was on another occasion, sat on a lock gate on the Stratford flight, waited for a âdownhillâ boat to enter the lock, close the top gate behind them and start to draw the bottom paddles, and the bloke off that boat looks down the canal and spots an âuphillâ boat (ours) almost diagonally blocking the canal, pointy end towards the towpath, blunt end stuck in the bushes. Not realising it was my boat, or that I'd previously signalled back âboat coming down, just float around for a whileâ this other bloke says to me âWhat IS that woman playing at?â
I says to him âThat's my wife and she's just picking plums while she's waiting for you to quit fannying around and get down this lockâ. Sure enough, by the time he'd opened the bottom gates she was out of the bushes and lined up perfectly to take our turn.
Having never been on the canals... none of that made sense to me Moley. But ... for some odd reason, it has made me want to give it a go .. or maybe it's the possibility of sailing (?) - barging (?) - whatever to all those good pubs!
It may be (however) the fact that I've spent the last few hours in wetherspoons with a few outstanding ten fifty beers http://www.grainstorebrewery.com/product-beers.asp - if you see this beer, buy it!
It may be (however) the fact that I've spent the last few hours in wetherspoons with a few outstanding ten fifty beers http://www.grainstorebrewery.com/product-beers.asp - if you see this beer, buy it!
Barkie
Active Member
Plum like things - if a tree has part fallen will they still ripen enough to use?
Moley....... glad you enjoyed.
Markp ..........why not ask him if you can harvest his berries and offer him a bottle of the wine and prune it for him (for yourself) at the same time
bandit .....Sloes we got, I'm going to have some when they are ripe and put them in the freezer instead of waiting for frost.
Moley....... glad you enjoyed.
Markp ..........why not ask him if you can harvest his berries and offer him a bottle of the wine and prune it for him (for yourself) at the same time
bandit .....Sloes we got, I'm going to have some when they are ripe and put them in the freezer instead of waiting for frost.
