Free sloes (to be collected)

daigo75 · Rank attained: Hawthorn Tree Joined: 23 Feb 2009 Posts: 63

Hi all,
My blackthorn trees (about six of them) have produced a fair quantity of fruits, and I'd be happy to give it to anyone who'd like to take them to make some sloe wine (I can help collecting them too).
In exchange, I'd be happy to get one or two bottles of the wine, as I'm curious to taste it, but I don't have the time, knowledge or equipment to make it myself. Smile

Note: I'd recommend to pay a preliminary visit to check if the fruits are ready for collection.

Location is Enniskerry, send me a PM if interested. Thanks.

Gautama · Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 12:58 pm Post subject:

Sloes shouldn't be picked 'til after the first frost.

Sive · Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:15 pm Post subject:

After a lot of research online I made my sloe gin ( not wine ) on Sept 20th.....the sloes were fully ripe then, some were already starting to "go over". I doubt I would have had any sloes to use if I waited till " the first frost ".
I think the first frost was probably a saying to show people how late the sloes ripen....and maybe the first autumn frosts occurred a good deal earlier centuries ago.

Gautama · Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 1:41 pm Post subject:

The sap of the blackthorn is poisonous, and blood poisoning is not uncommon from the thorns, and can be quite serious.

By the time the first frosts come around the blackthorn is fully dormant and the sap has receded from the extremities of the plant. At which point, it is safe to pick and get pricked.

Sive · Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 4:17 pm Post subject:

That is really interesting, Gautama and could indeed be the origin of the saying...I think we have lost a lot of the common sense that was passed down from generation to generation.
I must go and have another look at my blackthorns as I don't remember seeing many thorns as I collected the sloes.

john32c · Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2014 12:45 pm Post subject:

Made sloe gin 2 years ago from my local collection of sloes, im not a gin drinker so was sceptical, however much to my surprise the "sloe gin" tastes more like a very expensive port or liquer and has a great alcholic kick!!

medieval knievel · Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2014 8:17 am Post subject:

yep, we made some last year and started drinking it recently; very nice indeed.

tagwex · Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2014 11:03 am Post subject:

I started a thread about a month ago saying that I had approx. 120 blackthorn bushes that I wanted rid of, they are in the way of the soon to be done ploughing. 112 views and not one comment. Anyone want them?

tippben · Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2014 11:54 am Post subject:

Tagwex, from what I remember, they were extremely large bushes to consider moving, a massive expensive job,when metre high whips are cheap as chips. That's probably why you didn't get any takers. It's now past the season for moving them with any success, so unless you want to wait until next autumn, you'll probably end up having to "rehome" them the locality yourself and cross your fingers, or chuck them.

tagwex · Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2014 1:36 pm Post subject:

No not large at all, more like the whips as you call them, 1-5m at most in height. Will be digging them out shortly to make room for potato drills.

Sive · Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2014 1:50 pm Post subject:

Can you add them to existing hedgerows around you ?

tagwex · Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2014 2:13 pm Post subject:

I suppose I could Sive but no real benefit to be had from doing it and I definitely wont be thanked for doing it either seeing as we rent this place. Fianna Fail lost me my own house!!!

Sive · Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:10 pm Post subject:

Just a thought, rather than throwing plants away............I never think of planting things as being for my benefit....I just hope that wildlife ( and people ) will enjoy some of my efforts for many years to come....I won't be around much longer ! Sure don't we all get enormous pleasure from trees and landscapes that were planted decades and centuries ago. Everything I plant is like an apology to our poor planet for all the destruction humans have done.
And I'm truly sorry you lost your house...... don't get me started about the various criminals and fools that have got us in this mess.

tagwex · Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2014 8:23 am Post subject:

Sive · Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2014 12:02 pm Post subject:

Aaaaah, that's wonderful, tagwex......think of the beautiful blossom and sloes that will enhance the countryside.....all thanks to you.
I have just seen the very first shoot coming through the compost , where I planted dozens of acorns in the autumn. I will be nurturing every single little oak, growing it on and then will find safe ( I hope ) homes for them all. You know, just one of my many oaks may last many hundreds of years......