Good morning all: Our hedges down in Cornwall are bursting with blackberries, and I pick a lot from the lottie. Up to early this year had my own 1-acre field which obviously did not have any traffic on it.
When I was little I was always told not to pick from roads where there was a lot of traffic cos of lead poisoning. Given that the composition of fuel has changed so much is this true? My walk to the lottie is along a main(ish) road, and it absolutely drips with blackberries just begging to be picked. But should I pick 'em?.........Grateful for any info on this as am an inveterate jam maker. -
I still would be unsure about picking them irrespective of lead. Diesel engines for example put out a lot of particulates which will land on the berries.
I think I would avoid the ones near the road, better to be safer than sorry. In London we had plenty on the allotment, picked the ones away from the road as my Italian friend told me to, but they have finished here now. Have plenty of bramble jelly in the fridge.
Top tip from my allotment neighbour, don't pick any below knee height....
... that's the height a dog can pee up to apparently.
Jon
Nice one, but if washed well and boiled probably better than petrol fumes. We only have one dog on our allotments and he is very well trained, never seen him pee. The higher up blackberries may have pigeon poo. I shouldn't worry too much, just eat and enjoy.
My garden produce - toms, aubs, peppers etc are growing in buckets about 6 feet away from a road. On the other side of the road is the Euston - Glasgow railway. We get 'diesel dust' (that black, sooty, greasy dust) on our windowsills. I figure I've ingested enough diesel produce over the last 25 years to power the 6.05 special, so anything landing on my crops is chickenfeed in comparison. A quick wipe and Bob's your firkin.
;D