Monday 5 October — Sloes Darken on the Blackthorn

The hedgerows are turning dark with sloes. These small blue-black berries cling to blackthorn branches through autumn, often appearing almost dusty with their pale bloom. They are bitter and mouth-puckering when picked too early, but soften as the season advances.

Traditionally, people waited for the first frost before gathering sloes. The cold breaks down some of the fruit's bitterness and leaves it softer and sweeter. This year you may have to stick them in the freezer instead.

Sloes have long been gathered for preserves, syrups and drinks, most famously sloe gin.

For Today

There is an old saying that a haw year is a breagh year, and a sloe year is a woe year. A plentiful crop of sloes supposedly foretold a hard winter, while abundant hawthorn berries foretold a good year.

This year's hot, dry summer has brought an unusually early and variable autumn across England, so the timing and abundance of sloes varies from hedge to hedge. Some bushes may already be dark with ripe fruit while others have much less to offer.