Topic: Elderberries

[Mrs Ava]

Have an old scruffy elderberry tree right on the edge of my plot which I wish to tidy and maybe perk up.  If I prune it hard...will that be the end of it?  Any pruning and care advise please.  ;D

[Hugh_Jones]

I`ve never succeeded in killing one yet by simply cutting them down to the ground. They`re almost as bad as laurels for surviving ill treatment.

[derbex]

I've read that you can coppice them, and the ones in my hedge survive as much hacking about as buddleias. Go for it -and send me the berries -pretty please  ;D

Jeremy

[Macca]

whens the best time to prune?

[Mrs Ava]

Good to hear, I shall start hacking it back then.  Sorry Jeremy, would love to send you the berries, but they are mostly in my freezer awaiting a large jelly/jam making session.

[cleo]

The bushes will take any amount of hacking back.  Just a tip for new pickers-the berries go black well before they are truly ripe-it`s a fine balance between leaving them and losing them to the birds.

Stephan

[derbex]

Will you berries on the new growth in the first year? I'd like to try and get more berries off the ones in our hedge, but although it's only pruned once a year -in the autumn or later, we don't seem to get berries on the new stuff.

Jeremy

[Mrs Ava]

I know mine are ripe as when I head into the bush I am bombarded by birds who are less than pleased to see me picking!

[Debs]

Dear EJ

Do you have a recipe for Elderberry jam, as it is one I have never made before...

Thanks,

Debs :D

[Doris_Pinks]

How spooky is that, just come upstairs to locate my jam book as I have a 1lb of elderberries over from my wine making! Elderberry jelly is delish! If EJ doesn't mind I can post mine in the recipes section for you! ;D  DP

[Debs]

Dear DP that would be great!

I have identified a few elder trees in my area and shall plunder the berries ;D

Are they at there best now, as I have never used elderberries before.

Debs

[Doris_Pinks]

They should be perfect right about now! Mr Pinks came home with half a bucketload of blackberries today!! Lotsa jam making manyana!

[Hot_Potato]

If I'm lucky enough to get a few elderberries - I enjoy them sometimes in their raw state scattered on top of porridge with a sprinkling of raw cane sugar to give a 'crunch' & sweeten a bit.

They also cook nicely (very quickly) and mix with apple as a stewed fruit with yogurt/ice cream etc.

Maggie

[Mrs Ava]

Post away DP.  I was going to treat them pretty much as I do with any fruit if making a jelly...stew down then strain through a muslin, then for every pint of liquid, a pound of sugar.  Any variations gratefully received.

Never ever thought of eating them in their raw state...will try tomorrow (oops, I notice it is today already) when on the plot.