[Scribbler]

Are sloes aka blackthorn or prunus spinosa in flower now? If so I'll nip off and find some and get some cuttings. But don't tell anyone...

[poultrygeist]

Ours is...just opened this weekend.

Rob

[Ice]

Nice idea.  What's the best way to take cuttings?

[Scribbler]

Not so much cuttings as pullings.

Don't want to encourage mass hedgerow vandalism, but I think you take side shoots about 6" long. These should be pulled downward off the main stem so there is a 'heel' at the bottom. These should take if put in some good potting compost.

[Ice]

Thank you, that sounds easy enough.

[poultrygeist]

Ours is one that my Dad found growing in his garden presumably self seeded from a bird.
It's a lovely tree about 5' tall and must be about 6 or 7 years old.

Any idea how many years before they fruit ?

Rob

[David.]

Are sloes aka blackthorn or prunus spinosa in flower now?

Yes, but how will you know (unless from a mauture bush that fruited last year) whether it is sloe, damson, bullace, cherry plum, etc.?

[poultrygeist]

Cos they're spelt differently  :?

[gobs]

Ours is one that my Dad found growing in his garden presumably self seeded from a bird.
It's a lovely tree about 5' tall and must be about 6 or 7 years old.

Any idea how many years before they fruit ?

Rob

You just said they are flowering, so, pollination problems.

[poultrygeist]

Could be. We have a fair bit of natural hedging around and about but no idea if there's any blackthorn in any of it.

Could it be self-fertile ? I know nothing about them really.

Rob

[gobs]

I don't know much about them, either, Rob, just common sense, if you get flowers, you should get fruit, unless they never got fertilised. (Ignoring the issue of infertile hybrids here)

[poultrygeist]

Oh well. It looks nice in flower anyway !  

And it's a nice shape where it is. Could just be that we only planted it in the border last late Winter so needed to establish a bit. It had been in a tub for a couple of years.

I'll see what I can find out.

ROb