Are they Sloes?

[Ruined]

Out walking yesterday I noticedsome small plum like fruits on a bush in the hedgerow. I wondered if they could be sloes? It was a good 8'-10' tall bush and it was literally covered in them.

I remember someone once telling me sloes were always better after a frost, and we're a long way from our first frosts (hopefully) here, so is it too early?

And have in the back of my mind that you shouldn't eat things that you don't know what they are! So could I be confusing them with something else?

[zazen999]

Probably - was the bush really really thorny? Sloes are usually about 1cm diameter-ish - much smaller than damsons or plums.

[taff]

on the advice of someone, bite into them, if it's mouth-dryingly gagging, it's a sloe. Take something with you to eat after though

[Two_Sheds]

I wouldn't describe them as plum-like, they're more like blue marbles. They have long sharp thorns (the shrub is the blackthorn) as Zaz says, and are very bitter as Taff describes.

They're ready to pick when they get this bluish blush on the berries.

[Jeanied]

Sloes aren't so bitter after a frost - I froze some (unlabelled) and thought they were blueberries 'till I jarred my tooth on a stone! (Root canal work needed now )

[northepaul]

You dont need to wait until after the frost (if we did that, we would never get any, as everyone picks them) but you can put them in the freezer for a week or so, and it has the same sweetening effect.

[ginger ninger]

I froze some last year and thawed them out this June...very sweet they were as well.

[Ruined]

Thanks for the responses so far.

I think a walk back to test them is called for...I'll let you know how I get on.

[bearded bloke]

They are early this year,I picked some in Tonbridge a fortnight ago

[Shadylane]

This is all very interesting, never knew they sweetened after a frost/freezing. Spotted a well loaded bush recently, but didn't realise you could pick them this early. I was waiting till first frost last year and missed the boat on some as people were picking them early October. Still managed to get a kilo or so though. Sloe gin/vodka is bliss in a glass.

[Ruined]

Ok, so I went back and tried one...and they were mini plums!

Same colour as sloes, but more oval than round, with a big stone in. And they were sweet too.

Might pick myself a bowlful anyway.

I'll keep waiting for the sloes.

Thanks everyone.

[taff]

damsons then good find

[larfinboy]

Ok, so I went back and tried one...and they were mini plums!

Same colour as sloes, but more oval than round, with a big stone in. And they were sweet too.

Might pick myself a bowlful anyway.

I'll keep waiting for the sloes.

Thanks everyone.

Any chance in sharing there location so I can pick some too?!!

[Two_Sheds]

No chance at all. They could tell you, but then they'd have to kill you