Blackthorn bushes

Alun

As an avid maker (and drinker!) of sloe gin, I was wondering whether it's possible to grow your own blackthorn bushes in a normal (small) domestic garden? And if so, where would I get the plants from .. an ordinary garden centre? And when would be the time to go looking for them, and to plant them?

Irish Gardener

Hello there Alun.
Blackthorn plants are available now (bareroot) from all good garden centres and nurseries.
Ask for our native, Prunus spinosa.
I wrote an entry on my site about the sloe bush recently..... Irish native Blackthorn tree / Prunus spinosa / Draigean

Alun

Irish Gardener wrote: »

Hello there Alun.
Blackthorn plants are available now (bareroot) from all good garden centres and nurseries.
Ask for our native, Prunus spinosa.
I wrote an entry on my site about the sloe bush recently..... Irish native Blackthorn tree / Prunus spinosa / Draigean

Great! And I assume that if they're available in the garden centres that I can plant them out now? Do they need much light?

Irish Gardener

You can plant them out provided the ground is not frozen or waterlogged.
A good degree of sunlight is required for a reasonable crop of fruit.

Alun

Just happened to be in Lidl this afternoon and they were selling hedging plants, including Blackthorn (Prunus Spinosa) for €2.99 for 3, so bought a couple of packs and have just planted them out. Fingers crossed

ircoha

Alun wrote: »

As an avid maker (and drinker!) of sloe gin, I was wondering whether it's possible to grow your own blackthorn bushes in a normal (small) domestic garden? And if so, where would I get the plants from .. an ordinary garden centre? And when would be the time to go looking for them, and to plant them?

Is it a slow process?

Alun

ircoha wrote: »

Is it a slow process?

OK, I was asking for that one, I suppose.

But for those that might be interested, about 2-3 months minimum, 6 months if you've got the time. It's pretty simple really ... 500g sloes, 250g sugar, 1 bottle gin. Prick the sloes, mix everything up in a big jar, shake now and then, and then after 2 or 3 (or preferably 6) months, filter, bottle and then drink. It tastes absolutely nothing like gin, by the way, in case you're wondering.

magicbastarder

anyone know where there might be nurseries near ashbourne?
there are a couple of garden centres in the area, but the stuff i'd be looking for (birch, among others) isn't usually available bare root there.

also, a colleague who lives near gorey would like to know if there are any down his direction.

10-10-20

Alun wrote: »

OK, I was asking for that one, I suppose.

But for those that might be interested, about 2-3 months minimum, 6 months if you've got the time. It's pretty simple really ... 500g sloes, 250g sugar, 1 bottle gin. Prick the sloes, mix everything up in a big jar, shake now and then, and then after 2 or 3 (or preferably 6) months, filter, bottle and then drink. It tastes absolutely nothing like gin, by the way, in case you're wondering.

And the most important question... what's the alcohol content when completely brewed?

Alun

10-10-20 wrote: »

And the most important question... what's the alcohol content when completely brewed?

Exactly the same as when you started! There's actually no fermentation taking place, only what is called 'maceration' ... the gin takes on the flavours and the colour of the sloe berries, which is why you use so much sugar (sloes on their own are so sour, they will make your tongue and lips shrivel up if you eat one!) However, it tastes nothing like gin (or sloes, thankfully) when ready, and slips down much easier than you could drink the same quantity of neat gin, so in that regard it's more 'dangerous' Very nice on a cold winters day.

ifconfig

I've never had any trouble identifying hawthorn/whitethorn bushes but
I've rarely seen blackthorns along roadside hedges (I'm living in Connacht).

When are the sloes in abundence ? I think I've seen bushes which have
the sort of small elongated leaves which I've seen in photos of
blackthorn but I've never spotted the sloes or the flowers. Maybe my
eyes are not wide open at the right time of year ...

Where might I find an abundence of blackthorn bushes ?

-ifc

Alun

The flowers appear in the spring, march-april or so, and the sloes appear in the autumn. They're ready top pick anywhere between mid september to mid october depending on the weather. By now, they're pretty much all shrivelled up and have fallen off the bushes.

As to where you'd find them in Connacht, I've no idea, sorry As you say, the way to spot them is by the leaves (very different to the hawthorn), and the spiky thorns, and of course the sloe berries later on in the season. It's important to remember that they're really a bush rather than a tree as such, but they can grow quite tall, 2 or 3 metres easily. They can often be found in the same area as brambles too, if that's any help.

djmc

see www.sloe.biz
You probably just missed this years sloes
blackthorn is planted wild all over ireland often near whitethorn it was the best thing before the electric fence for stock staying where they should.
blackthorn has ovel leaves google blackthorn whitethorn to see difference.