Great Blackberry Crop this year

Bricriu

I have had a great crop of Blackberries this year.

They are wild and haven't had any intervention from me re pruning etc. A lot of the berries are big and of good quality.

The only reason I can think of for the good crop is the heat this year.

Anybody got any ideas?

MacDanger

Dunno, but I noticed the same thing when I was out for a cycle in Leitrim last week

Furze99

You'd think the relative lack of rain would have them smaller.

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119540931#Comment_119540931

Ours down our road are definitely smaller, the up side is the flavour in most of them is much better. I say most because you'll always get the odd plant that produces fruits that have no real flavour.

Graces7

I have been watchng the same out here... A bonanza year and just really starting. Out every other day ans still just the lead berry on each spray,

The blossom was like snow so it was a promise of this harvest

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119540931#Comment_119540931

No, it was wet enough at the right time. Bumper crops all round and tasting great. We're picking at least 5lbs every other day at the moment from the lane into the fields. The weather in late spring was ideal for pollination of all fruits this year.

fryup

fabulous crop in the garden this year no need to go down the fields - but downside to that loads of thorny bramble about the place 😕

Bricriu

The pollination explanation by Jim Hodge above makes sense.

I'm going to cut walkways into my garden's bramble jungle this autumn so I can get into them to pick all the blackberries next year, and am going to fertilise the remaining bushes in the spring.

Worth doing, I think to give them a better chance to produce good fruit.

Nothing like a jar of good Irish Blackberry jam.

standardg60

It's been a great year for berries and fruit full stop, i've even seen Japanese hybrid cherries producing crops, which is very unusual.

Very mild winter is another thing to consider for me, lots of pollinators surviving. Established plants and deep rooters like brambles would have had no issue with the drought and good weather this year. Just good all round.

macraignil

Great blackberry crop here as well and other berries also had a very good year. The thornless blackberry I have has had lots of fruit but the flavour on the wild ones is better and sweeter than I remember tasting before. I remember seeing flowers on the wild ones and thornless variety in greater quantities than other years and the extra sun in the late simmer might explain the higher levels of sugar and sweeter berries than normal.

MayoForSam

Yep, totally agree. Magnificent crop here in Galway, spent an hour yesterday picking about 3kgs of juicy blackberries. One apple and blackberry pie already done as well as 6 jars of jam. If only we could harvest all the blackberries out there, it would solve world hunger.

Graces7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119563113#Comment_119563113

Indeed! I once got told off here for picking them and not leaving them for the birds but this year...Yesterday a 2k jug full and they are super -szed fruit, Their nutritional makeup is a sheer wonder.

sasco

Loving the amount of blackberries this year. Made some jam at the weekend along with a blackberry and apple crumble. I will make some blackberry flavoured gin next week which should hopefully be well infused by Christmas.

CJhaughey

My friend picked 10kg of wild blackberries, I think heat, lack of rain and a mild winter have all combined to give the best BB harvest I have seen.

Good dry spring and terrific summer heat with little rain. Picked a stone of the most luscious and large berries in years. Nothing like a little blackberry jam on your toast in January.

Not a Robot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058260983/great-blackberry-crop-this-year

Great crops this year - and another one ready. The weather suits them.