Where have all the billberries gone?

[Harmonica]

Hi,

I have been out looking for billberries to make jam from and they have all disapeared - there are almost none this year where there were loads last autumn!! Has anyone else noticed this, could it be all the rain, more slugs, greedier birds or has someone been and picked all the woods clean?

 

[sallyinwales]

Its the same up here, its been a very odd year for all sorts of things. I still have St Johns Wort in full midsummer style bloom, and virtually no fruit.

 

[tommy the cat]

Due no I thought it was me!!!!
Went out a couple of days ago to a place I dont walk very often thought check out the bilberries as there are masses of plants there....nowt!!!
Dave v. dissapointed blackberries very small too (compared to Reds on here.

 

[Toddy]

I'm working in Inverness just now and a week ago out by Cromarty the schoolkids brought me masses of blaeberries and they were the size of grapes; there's no shortage up here, and at home in Lanarkshire I've had a real glut of fruit. The strawberries and rasps are still producing. Middle of September and we still have masses of flowers too.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[JonnyP]

No shortage in Sweden, I can honestly say I have never seen so many berrys before, they ground was covered in berrys....

 

[rancid badger]

Hi,

I have been out looking for billberries to make jam from and they have all disapeared - there are almost none this year where there were loads last autumn!! Has anyone else noticed this, could it be all the rain, more slugs, greedier birds or has someone been and picked all the woods clean?

It's a bit better at Chopwell, although I spent 3 hours scratting along the top of my beloved crags above the Derwent for a total of about a pint and they are mostly no bigger than currants!. last year everything was bursting all over,we even had sweet chestnuts big enough to roast,something I haven't seen in 12 years or so here. Along with massive wild apples, rasps( in the summer) loads of hazels and beech mast actually worth collecting to boil down for oil! -this year, next to nothing, although we are doing okay for blackberries and sloes! ( clink clink)

Can you imagine what it must have been like for our stone age forbears(is that right?) in a year like this? I suppose they might have had an idea from other signs and symptoms and moved on to better pickings.

anyway good luck!
kind regards
R.B.

 

[xylaria]

Aren't bilberries a lunasa fruit? We picked ours in july. They did fruit three weeks before the begining of august but they did fruit quite well. Big and juicy where as last year it was like picking raisins. I far as I know they glut about the first of august.

 

[Harmonica]

Well at least its not just me going mad! Bit of a pity though as i do like Billberry jam - i'm going to Scotland next week though so might see a few up there and grab enough for a jar or three! Must be the daft climate this year - ice on the cars this morning in the North East apparently! Now where is my Swanndri for Scotland....