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Morning Folks

Does anyone grow them?

Mrs B surprised me with one as a present

Blackthorn is on my list of things for the new garden.
Not made any sloe gin for year. They are very few & far between up here.

My method of growing will be plant it. let it do it’s own thing. Cut bits off if it get unruly   .

There are loads in the hedgerows. Most are a closely guarded secret though!

Too thorny for me to want to grow in the garden. No point actually, because they're growing in the hedgerows locally - across the road actually, but don't tell anyone.

Loads locally here too, especially in the older pars of town, along with Pyracantha probably the best natrual burglary protection

Pain in the ...
We have blackthorn hedges on three sides (mixed with loads of other self-sown natives) and they do run like mad straight into the borders, despite having a mown path between! But we get lots & lots of sloes and the flowers are pretty much the first of spring so lovely to see.
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Interestingly, sloes are one of the few wild foods that the French don't seem to forage for, and our arch-forager neighbour, who is also a chef, didin't know what they were!

Sloe, sloe,quince quince sloe.

Off to hide now.

I planted them in my native hedge!! I did wonder if I was doing the right thing because I know they send out spiny suckers and was wondering whether they would puncture the lawnmower tyres but I wanted the same hedge as we find in the fields around us - and I've done it now!