When should I harvest?

[Road Hog]

I am in Scotland, how do I know when to harvest my Blackberries, I just tried some and they are well coloured but taste very bitter? Any help or advice?

They are totally organic!

My other fruits are fab so probs there!

Cheers,

RH

[sewer rat]

I assume that you are growing a cultivated variety, or do you have a wild patch ?
Not normally ready for another month or so in the wild, so I'd be tempted just to leave them for the moment and just enjoy the other berries you have that are ready just now.

[valmarg]

As daft as it may sound, I think the thing they are really lacking is sunshine.

valmarg

[Alice]

Hello Roadhog, and welcome to the Vine. I see your question is about Blackberries. I'm not sure what they are. I'm thinking it could be what I would call Brambles, but maybe I'm wrong. Whatever kind of berries they are, they should be harvested, not just when they are coloured, but when they are soft and ripe and plump and juicy - but not too far gone that they are overipe and squishy. A fine judgement called for. We're just in the beginning of July, in a wet, miserable summer. I wouldn't usually expect these berries to be ready until August. I would keep an eye on them , taste them regularly, and pick when delicious.

[JennieAtkinson]

Welcome Roadhog - another Scottish member!!

[Flummery]

We always called them Blackberries in Manchester Alice. Here they call them brambles too. As a kid we used to harvest them in the Cheshire lanes (you could bike out there without getting squashed by traffic in those days!) in the last week or so of the summer hols - which would be mid-late August. As people have said, it's the sunshine and ripeness that produces the sugar which turns them from pippy horrors into succulent treats. Bit more sunshine called for.

[Two_Sheds]

Bramble is a wild blackberry, ain't it? An autumn fruit I always thought. My spineless blackberry has fruits forming, which all dropped off in last year's drought

[Road Hog]

Hi Chaps and Chappesses,

Thanks for the kind responses and welcomes. I know what you mean about brambles and as far as I am aware these are not the same thing. All I can think is it may be a local thing...ie the same fruits with different names colloquially.

In my area, North Ayrshire, Brambles are wild and are more akin to the raspberry except that they are black or red in colour. Blackberries are a singular berry growing in a group on a bush or vine. This depends on the variety. This year has been miserable with the weather, not a lot of rain here but very little sunshine too.

One consolation is that the raspberries are fantastic! I am going to add a few more Raspberry bushes to the garden for next year.

I will try to upload a picture of the two bushes I mentioned above to show you the difference in what we here call a bramble and also a blackberry.

Cheers,

RH

[Birdie Wife]

Hi Road hog,

Welcome to the Vine, I'm also based in Scotland, it's great to have a new Scottish Grape!

I think you're thinking blackcurrants - these are single fruits - blackberries and brambles are the same plant, but more often called blackberry if a cultivated variety. Blackcurrants are ready now, mine are ripening nicely, they are ready when they're a bit squishy and they will taste quite tart even when ripe, but make fanstastic jams and tarts.

[mandyballantyne]

Hi Road Hog,

I can't answer about your berries, just wanted to say hi to another scottish grape.

Have fun and enjoy, Mandy