Topic: Chuffed to bits

[non-stick]

Just got back from the allotment where we picked about another 3lb of blackberries from the bush I "trained" at the bottom of the plot. Rather than dig up all the brambles when we cleared that end I left a few in and pruned em a bit. Starting picking last Monday and we've had about 9lb with loads still to come. When you consider our local supermarket is selling them at around £1.50-2.00 a lb.

I'm so chuffed at how this has worked out, lovely big juicy berries to boot.

I've had failures with some veg this year - beet taking an age to get going, broad beans not amounting to much, early spuds yielding low but at least the soft fruit has done well. Autumn Raspberries now ripening a treat as well.

[Squash64]

Mmm, lovely!
What are you going to do with them?

[pigeonseed]

They are a gorgeous fruit, aren't they? Can't believe something so delicious can grow wild (and with such vigour!)

[macmac]

We've done well with blackberries this year like you non-stick our crop comes from a "nuiciance"that we didn't dig out ,just taught it some manners :).Unlike you our raspberries are awful.Both summer and autumn varieties have given very little.I'm usually giving them away by now after freezing loads, but this year there'll be just about enough for the freezer.
p.s I've made 3 gallon of blackberry wine with our surplus hic ;)

[non-stick]

Mmm, lovely!
What are you going to do with them?

We've eaten a few (yum). We've stuck a load in the freezer to await the apples for jam, crumbles, pies, etc. I love Blackberry and Apple as a combination. May look to make some cordial with some. One of my absolute favourite fruits

[chriscross1966]

Get a 2-pint milk plastic bottle, put in a pound of fruit, six ounces of sugar and fill it up with brandy...shake occasionally decant at christmas and either drink as a liqueur or put a small slug in with some cava/ pther decent fizzy wine...

...Look into my eyes...not around my eyes.....

chrisc

[Jeannine]

non-stick, well done for training it, they are superb berries I agree XX Jeannine

[Nikita77]

I have read that a couple of you have trained the brambles, i have a new plot and an abundance of brambles, a lady said to me the other evening about keeping some and training them, as they are not showing signs of any fruit i just thought she as a little mad!

Am i able to just train them?  How do i go about it?

Would love to use the fruit for the flavoured vodkas i make for people at Christmas and the jam that i make. 

[gwynleg]

Chriscross. Why would you want to put a slug in such a lovely drink?!

[Flighty]

When I took on the plot just about the only plant I kept was a blackberry and I'm so glad that I did. It's in the right place near the edge and next to the compost bin.
I've been picking big, juicy berries for the past couple of weeks with lots more to come. The only downside are the thorns but that's more than compensated by the taste, and this year the quantity!

Nikita all I do with mine is prune occasionally to keep it tidy and within bounds.

[Nikita77]

When I took on the plot just about the only plant I kept was a blackberry and I'm so glad that I did. It's in the right place near the edge and next to the compost bin.
I've been picking big, juicy berries for the past couple of weeks with lots more to come. The only downside are the thorns but that's more than compensated by the taste, and this year the quantity!

Nikita all I do with mine is prune occasionally to keep it tidy and within bounds.

So if i give them a good trim, and keep them tame they should produce some blackberries next year?


Actually went blackberry picking this evening with my son when i finished work.  We picked 2.5lb blackberries and he ate about half a lb was covered in a gorgeous purple colour!

Blackberry vodka here i come!!! ;)

[non-stick]

All i did was let a couple of stems grow to a reasonable length and then trimmed the ends to keep them in bounds. As these stems naturally arched they produced loads of side shoots and flowers (bit like roses do). Then as per Flighty I trimmed them to keep them in bounds. I've now got a "bush" about 6'x6' and about 3' high.  So far we've had 9lb or so of lovely, juicy berries and loads more to come. I'm tempted by Chriscross's recipe to use some of them up I must say

Training was probably overegging the description but it's been worth it.

[Digeroo]

I have one 'trained' but it is a real pest and very difficult to keep under control.  Fruit lovely at the moment.

[Nikita77]

Thankyou everyone i am now going to start teaching my brambles some manners, lets hope they listen!  Then this time next year hopefully i won't be standing in a random bramble patch picking i'll be in my own patch  ;)