Harvest sloes - you need to know that

Depending on when you harvest the sloes, the fruits are sour or have a sweeter taste. It is important to wait until the blue berries are ripe before picking them.

Schlehen: The right time to harvest

Sloes are quite acidic at harvest time and leave an unpleasantly furry feeling on the tongue. It is optimal if the fruits get frost before harvesting.

• If you pick the sloes after the first night frost in November / December, you will get milder fruit. The cold ensures that the starch is converted into sugar.
• Of course, you don't have to wait until the temperatures drop below zero. You can also harvest the fruit earlier.
• The sloes are ripe as soon as the entire shell has turned blue-black.
• Sloes have pointed thorns. Wear gardening gloves and long-sleeved clothing when picking to avoid injury.

Storage of sloe fruits and other tips

You should process sloes after harvesting within a few days, as they quickly become bad. For example, you can make jam yourself from the fruit.

• It is best to keep the fruits in a wicker basket. It is important that the air circulates.
• For this reason, do not use plastic to temporarily store the sloes.
• The kernels contain hydrocyanic acid, which emerges as soon as the kernels are chewed. Even if you would have to consume large amounts before poisoning occurs, it is better to remove the seeds.
• Tip: The kernels can best be removed after the fruits have been cooked by straining the pulp through a sieve.