Topic: fruit for free

[terrace max]

It's about this time of year I get over-excited because the wild blackberries and bilberries start to ripen. I've just finished last year's harvest from the freezer...

This year's crop seems a bit patchy: the bilberries are tiny and only a few blackberries so far...

Any other gatherers out there?

[Derekthefox]

Loads of blackberries near us, the problem is just getting a party together to gather them.

Is your avatar a Wainwright sketch by any chance Terracemax?

[Svea]

if someone wants to tell me where the wild berries grow in the southwark area then i am in ;D

[terrace max]

Is your avatar a Wainwright sketch by any chance Terracemax?

The man himself...love his books.

[jennym]

Round near where I live there is LOTS of stuff...
Look out for
Trees in the street: Cherries some small, some large. Also rowan, crab apples, juneberry, walnuts
Elderberry, sloe and hazel in the hedgerows.
Horseradish growing by the side of the road.
Rosehips.
I have used all these for free, people look at you as if you're a bit mad when collecting them but I don't care.

[Mrs Ava]

I love it also!  In Great Baddow, Chelmsford on Friday I noticed a huge scrabble of blackberries all ripe, and wow they are big fruit, but I don't like to pick fruits that are growing close the traffic, so they will stay and feed the birdies.  However, all around my allotment the hedgerows are packed, and along the lanes where we live, so over the next month I shall always have a tuperware tub and carrier bag in the glove box of the motor in preperation for the pickings of.... rosehips, sloes, damsons, bullace, greengages, apples, pears, grapes (yes, grapes!) elderberries, blackberries/brambles and plums!  ;D

[Amazin]

I'm in Camden - what's a hedgerow?

[Mrs Ava]

hahahahaha Amazin!  That thing that scrambles (or used to) along the lock side?

[Amazin]

No, that's a drug dealer!

Think I'll take a trip to Hampstead Heath instead, see what I can find.
I've got rosehips in the garden from some sweet briars, though my sloe bushes are aptly named when it comes to fruiting.    ;D
Hey by the way, what do you use the bullaces for?

[Mrs Ava]

Jam, gin, jelly, crumble (with apple).  Anything I would use a plum/greengage/damson/sloe for.  ;D

[Looby Loo]

EJ - What are bullaces?  And what are they like?

[cheddarpaul]

Isnt it too early to pick the blackberries? I have seen a few out and about looking all ripe and  plump but I wonder would they be too sharp at the moment? I was thinking of leaving them for a few weeks they out n about with the carrier bags

EJ - where do you pick the rest of your fruit from- out of hedgerows too?

[wardy]

I found blackberries in my lotty hedge.  We trimmed the hedge this year as it was absolutely enormous and it probably did it good.  The berries are green at the mo but I have high hopes.  There are quite a few in there but some got cut right back when we cut the hedge but I think they'll be back next year.  I'll have to give them some food  :)     

Being as brambles grow in the hedge do you think I could use the hedge to plant new blackberries, tayberries etc as I have long hedge runs I could make use of.  Could I?  Anyone?

[Robert_Brenchley]

Pick blackberries when they're black and drop off easily. There are numerous variations - it's one of the groups where the classical definition of a species breaks down, and you get continuous variation rather than discrete species - some are veryt sweet and some are always a little sour.

Bullaces are small, sour plums which are picked in autumn and used for cooking.

[daisymay]

Been meaning to ask a similar question - what is everyones opinion on overhanging fruit trees?

We have only been in our house for about 8 months. Our neighbours both sides have fruit trees which overhang our garden (by quite a lot - the trees are right on the boundary). Is it OK to pick the fruit from the overhanging branches or do we have to wait till it falls in our garden (when something else has normally beaten us to them)?

Not sure of the etiquette!

[cheddarpaul]

Hey daisymay

I think the rule is to talk to your neighbours first. They will probably have too much fruit on their trees to use personally. Plus, what would happen if you didnt pick the fruit? Chances are the fruit would only go bad and fall off anyway!

[jennym]

As I understand it the law says you can prune off any overhanging branches and collect any fruit, but you must return it all to your neighbour.
But what the eye doesn't see the heart doesn't grieve for...
As Cheddarpaul says, I'd ask them too, you never know, they might not want what's on their side too and invite you round to pick it off!

[Doris_Pinks]

We have a Bramley that overhangs from the neighbours, I pick up any that fall off, which looks like it might be heaps this year! ;D

[supernan]

EJ get yourself over to Galleywood Common, used to live there, right in the middle. We had a tea/sweet shop.

There used to be loads of wild blackberries. Also Walton on the Naze, on the cliff tops, unless its fallen into the sea!

None of them are ripe round here, but I have a tree full of mini plums to pick. And its on the hedge bordering my lottie!!!

[daveandtara]

jennym is right, you have the right to cut off anything that overhangs your boudary but must return to your neighbour....however, any thing that falls into your garden is yours to keep and if you were to cut branches most of the fruit would fall off in the process!
these things can lead to all out war though so it's probably best to try asking first!
'common' ettiquette has always been that what overhangs is yours and all but the meanest people agree since harvesting for themselves would involve trespass anyway.