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I live just to the south of Oxford and was wondering if anyone knew where I might be able to buy some Sloes.
I'd really like the idea of having a go at making some sloe gin. Never done it before, mind you I've never grown anything either so I'm completely new to all of this.

Don't think you can, you need to pick them. You can identify by the blossom in Spring , mark your spot and collect them in the late autumn.XX Jeannine

There should be plenty tound the hedgerows. I never collected sloes, but I remember getting masses of crab apples round Oxford to make jelly.

sloes come from the blackthorn shrub which flowers in spring, with the sloes ready to pick in autumn / winter.

Might be a tad late for these now as the birds will have had last years.

I picked some in autumn last year from a low hedge in north essex and made some superb sloe gin! ;D

Quote from: laurie on April 02, 2007, 11:09:02
I live just to the south of Oxford and was wondering if anyone knew where I might be able to buy some Sloes.
I'd really like the idea of having a go at making some sloe gin. Never done it before, mind you I've never grown anything either so I'm completely new to all of this.

Where abouts are you, i'm about 17 miles south of oxford - me and Greyhound have a secret stash near us that always has loads of sloes' even in bad years elsewhere round here- whats it worth ?

There are quite lot near north / south morten near didcot (not our secret stash though), there's a foot path from south morten to wallingford that follows the mill brook used to be loads along there - and a nice walk too.

Edit : forgot to say if you do go out looking for blosom, it's worth noting the bushes you can get to that face south west / west as these have the best fruit normally.

That's interesting. I'd never thought about that, but the sloes on our source (and I'm not divulging it's location) are mainly on the south/south westerly side.

I guess I am lucky no body but the birds seems interested here.XX Jeannine