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It's Rubus fruticosus (bramble) Season!

August, it's one of my favourite times of the year, a month where we can enjoy the summer sun and long evenings in the garden, but we also start to see the year's crop ready to harvest. 

A highlight for me is always the brambles!  Wild brambles are one of nature's delights, that populate our hedgerows across the UK and there is always joy in picking a few for a crumble or to add to a G&T! 

But it is also possible to grow your own, which are formerly known as blackberries, rather than the native bramble. 



Growing Blackberries 

Brambles that we see across the UK are a largely invasive species that rapidly spread, however cultivated varieties of blackberry are far more civilised and tend to be slower growing, better suited for those who want to grow them, without the fear of them taking over. 

Blackberry plants can be bought as bare-root plants in the winter (called stools). It is recommend they are soaked before planting and then buried in soil to the depth they were previously planted at. Spacing is recommended at 1.5m and once planted, ensure it is well soaked. 

Note: Bare-root is a term used to describe a plant that is dormant or not actively growing. 

Rubus fruticosus plants are not fussy, but thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. On average they can reach up to 2.5mx2.5m, depending on the variety. 

Plants can also be purchased here as a 3-litre container grown plants. 

https://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.blackberry-/sort.0/


Harvesting Brambles & Blackberries 

Fruits are usually ready to harvest around mid-late summer, once they have ripened and darkened in colour. They are best picked as soon as they are ripe, deeply coloured and plump! Once picked they don't last long so they are best enjoyed straight away or frozen for when you need a little pick me up in the winter months.  


Fun Fact: There are over 330 species of bramble in the UK, which explains why they all taste slightly different! 

Source: Natural Histories 

I hope you enjoyed this little insight into bramble/ blackberries and be sure to enjoy the harvest this year! 

Emma :-) 

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