Sloes...where are they?

[treadlightly]

Went sloe hunting last weekend and my favourite spots were almost devoid of them. I'm sure they were plentiful in the same area this time last year. Anyone noticed how quickly they've gone over? And you're supposed to
wait for the first frosts, ha!

 

[Joonsy]

loads of them here, only a couple of days ago walked a hedgerow dripping with them.

 

[British Red]

And you're supposed to wait for the first frosts, ha!

I've never believed in that old wives tale myself.

So I picked this lot six weeks ago

Picked SLoes by British Red, on Flickr

 

[Clouston98]

You can't walk three feet without seeing a sloe or bullace or other fruit around here! They've been on the way out for a while and I did pick mine a while back but some are still useable and not too far gone .

 

[ozzy1977]

Naff all around here this year

 

[Kerne]

Only ones round here are nestling in a jar full of gin. Picked them back in mid-September. They were early this year in this part of the world.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Naff all around here this year

There were loads at the permission in Suffolk, when we did the DBC at the end of September. My Sloe gin is well on the way.

 

[lou1661]

I left it late this year, however i picked a kilo in about 30 mins happy days.

 

[treadlightly]

I did see lots in the Berwyn hills a couple of weeks ago. Maybe they've gone in the warmer parts of the country.

 

[oldtimer]

I thought the reason for waiting until the frost had been on them was to soften them up. In these days of home freezers, this is no longer necessary. Early here this year.

 

[Countryman]

I remember years ago waiting for the first frost only to find the birds hadn't.

I harvested start of September this year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[treadlightly]

The frost is supposed to make them less bitter. Yes, freezers will do the job.

I got enough for my needs - just!

 

[JamesYorkshire00]

I've never believed in that old wives tale myself.

So I picked this lot six weeks ago

Picked SLoes by British Red, on Flickr

I heard that instead of waiting until the first frost, freezing them causes the same effect (the skin to soften and releases the berries juices easier). Although, I'm no expert, and I don't believe there is any confirmation.

 

[Robson Valley]

It is entirely possible that a late spring frost has locally killed off the flowers = no fruit now.

We had a hard "frost strike" in the valley bottom, 3 nights of -7C/20F back on June 4,5,6.
75% loss of grapes for me, my neighbor to the one side found 1 pear, not dozens.
The neighbor to the other side got 3 apples. All my apples had frost scab bands around the middles.

 

[EatWeeds]

I can confirm that freezing fruits like sloes, bullace, rowan, rosehips etc. works similar to the first frost. The freezing breaks down the cell walls, which means more juice, as well as sweetening them. Try a non frozen sloe and one that has been frozen and you'll see what I mean. Bullace was extraordinary after freezing. I never use these fruits unless I have frozen them first.