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Sloe picking

KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
in Fruit & veg
The Sloes at the allotment are a lovely silvery blue, soft and starting to fall from the trees.  Normally we wait for the first frost.  Is it too early to pick them now?

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Posts

  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307
    You can simulate the effect of frost on them by putting them in the Freezer for a week or so. Supposed to sweeten them up a little.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I would do exactly what @Palustris suggests. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    Thanks, so you’re saying pick now?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Yes 😊 🍷 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307
    I would.
  • Ferdinand2000Ferdinand2000 Posts: 537
    edited September 2020
    Can I ask a question?

    I see that these can be made into a prickly hedge.
    https://www.victoriananursery.co.uk/Sloe-Bush/

    If these (Blackthorn) are made into a hedge, does that seriously inhibit the crop?

    That's not a concept I had considered before - a sloe hedge. Tempting.
    “Rivers know this ... we will get there in the end.”
  • rachelQrtJHBjbrachelQrtJHBjb Posts: 819
    We have a significant amount of mixed native hedging around our farm. We love harvesting the sloes and rather than wait for the first frosts often put them in the freezer as Palustris :) suggests. We don't prick with a pin either - too labour intensive. I just smack them a bit with one of those meat tenderiser wooden hammers, a technique recommended by someone making sloe gin commercially. Sometimes, you don't even need to do that bit as the freezer softens the skins for you.

    As for having a sloe hedge beware, blackthorn suckers terribly and what started as a hedge may slowly creep into your garden and/or other land. It's a devil to get out, as I am finding with my wildflower meadow with native hedging on the boundary.
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    Thanks all for the confirmation.  There will be a run on gin stocks at my local supermarket later today.  We have a bumper harvest of Sloes this year.  Might try and experiment with different ingredients added to it.  Do you add any other botanicals when making yours?
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    If you're making sloe gin then spend the time from now to the first frost looking for damsons instead and if you don't find any then resort to the sloes. Blackberry whisky is my favourite but minimum alcohol pricing as put me off bothering this year  :|
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • Ferdinand2000Ferdinand2000 Posts: 537
    edited September 2020
    rachelQrtJHBjb said:
    We have a significant amount of mixed native hedging around our farm. We love harvesting the sloes and rather than wait for the first frosts often put them in the freezer as Palustris :) suggests. We don't prick with a pin either - too labour intensive. I just smack them a bit with one of those meat tenderiser wooden hammers, a technique recommended by someone making sloe gin commercially. 
    Or a potato masher, as happens here to eggshells destined to be anti-slug surface treatment around hostas.

    Very therapeutic.
    “Rivers know this ... we will get there in the end.”
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