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Hi, can anyone tell me when's the best time to pick sloe's and crab apple,cheers kev.
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Round here we pick Sloes when they are ripe -used to be September/October, but getting earlier each year at the moment. Sorry, can't comment about Crab Apples, have you tried Googling?
Good luck!
All the best - Glutton 4 Punishment
Freelance shrub butcher and weed removal operative. -
I have just picked 2 bottles worth of sloe's from round the garden for my voddy and gin, I always check for ripeness by squeezing a few. If there appears to be a bit of "give" in the berry then test it by biting. If it doesnt immediately dry your mouth out, then its ok to pick.
Crab apples, I find late August early September, but again, the taste test is the only sure way of knowing.Bob Leponge
Life's disappointments are so much harder to take if you don't know any swear words.Comment
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Crab apples come a bit before sloes (but not much). We tend to pick both on the same expedition.
Sloes are at their best after the first frost, but often they get picked by someone else before then, so we pick them as soon as we notice that others have started.
Most crab-apple trees will 'drop' a lot of windfalls. Once you see a really large amount of fallen fruit, it is time to pick what remains on the tree.Flowers come in too many colours to see the world in black-and-white.Comment
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I have found some sloes across the fields that appear to be ready,i hope theres no frost yet !!!.Comment
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We have 2 bushes/trees, by one of our dog-walking spots, not 100yds apart, one with ripe-looking fruit, the other with green....Originally posted by kevnsue View Post
There may be the odd 'early ripener', but most need a while yet! Appearances are often deceptive. I've picked early before now, only to discover when I get home that they are 'ripe' on one side and green on the other.Flowers come in too many colours to see the world in black-and-white.Comment
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Crab apples are a bit of a puzzle as a lot of them are descended from cultivated varieties that ripen between August and October.
Sloes usually ripen in September and need a frost on them. You can get round this in our now warmer autumns by sticking them in the freezer overnight. HTH"I prefer rogues to imbeciles as they sometimes take a rest" (Alexander Dumas)
"It is neccessary to have wished for death in order to know how good it is to live" (also Alexandre Dumas)
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I pick 'em when they're ripe then store them in the freezer until I have time to use them - it works for me - saves pricking the skins too, as they usually split!Originally posted by kevnsue View Post
All the best - Glutton 4 Punishment
Freelance shrub butcher and weed removal operative.Comment
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Maybe its cos I'm a bit further south, but my sloes are definitely ripe.
I have a crab apple tree in the garden, so will taste one later and let you know.Bob Leponge
Life's disappointments are so much harder to take if you don't know any swear words.Comment
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