Kitchen Garden Forum

Has anyone eaten ripe raspberry's yet, is this a first, I had a handful tonight, they are grown on open ground and not under cover of any type.......

I think this is very early but I could be wrong?

Compo

Evening Compo - yes, I picked a punnet full yesterday evening. They weren't doing very much earlier in the week, but with all the warm weather they burst into readiness. I filled a deep strawberry punnet with them and still haven't used them as we're scoffing the last of the strawbs (the edible ones, anyway), but I can hear my breakfast cereal calling for some livening up. Everything does seem to be really early this year - my red alert toms that I grew from seed & took a chance with planting out early will probably have their first toms ready in about 2-3 weeks with no protection or poly tunnel, my first cherries on my 3 year old Stella are ripening, I've picked the first couple of courgettes, etc. I realise that it's milder here on the south coast but even by our standards things seem remarkably early. Including the sunburn I got today!

weve had a few rasberries for the last week or so.

they are actually off a few canes of autumn bliss that didnt get cut down during the winter!! the summer fruiting ones are still green.

ive had summer varieties fruiting in the autumn before by cutting everything back to ground level in early spring.

Yup,
had our first raspberries, Glen Cova, a few tayberries, a few Loganberries, and a few redcurrants this weekend (10th June) in the first fruit salad of the year for us, all a little on the sharp side, but full of promise as we get more summer sun to sweeten them. I reckon this is at least 2 weeks ahead of schedule. Most of the fruits are still green, or only thinking of ripening, but there was just enough for one helping each.

Our first starwberries are just ripening - 3 weeks ahead of 2006.
Raspberries are July at earliest here:-(

Yes, I am picking Glen Magna and the yellow one - (forgotten the name) is just ripening too.

Beryl.

Well it looks as if it is all ahead of schedule this year then, we had a bumper crop of strawberries tonight at least 2kg from a patch 12' x 6'. and there is more to come!!

Compo

My raspberries are still hard and green, but I think it depends which variety you have doesn't it?
At least I'll have a crop this year. Last year's spring drought put paid to my raspberry crop.

I'm still waiting too........

I picked my last strawberries (polytunnel) this morning. Just a little earlier finishing than last year. Spurred on by this thread I went to check on raspberries - outside, bottom of field. Picked the first ones; so no red fruit gap, or overlap. First raspberries were 30 June last year - so others' estimates of a fortnight earlier this year sound about right.

Alan

Have been picking strawberries for two weeks now, and the first fruits are ripening on my new solitary loganberry bush. What on earth motivated me to buy just one bush (apart from space limitations?) Seem to remember I'd just been given a delicious jar of loganberry jam. So, any suggestions as to what I can do with about 14 loganberries ?

Just looking at the addresses of posters with strawberries/rasps explains it all imo..

Primrose
Don't worry - you can have loads of Loganberry bushes for next year - it propagates beautifully. Also, it'll thicken up wonderfully for next year.

It's probably sending out new Green branches now, for next year's fruiting. Take one of these, and pin it down into the ground, under a handful of earth. In a few weeks it'll start putting out roots at this point, then you can dig up this clump, and cut off any "umbilical" branch which goes back to the main plant. Plant this new root ball and it'll grow steadily over winter and next spring, and WILL fruit next year.

I take lots of cuttings this way ("Layering" is probably the better word), and give away loads of plants. I only have a few bushes, but they are fantastically productive.

For your 12 fruits, you could cut them in half along their length, and put them on top of a cheesecake or other cake, or just lob them in a bowl of Muesli.

Next year, you can go into full-time Jam production!