Blackberries naturally ripen in early autumn. Depending on your location, the time in which the blackberries ripen will vary. Blackberries will also ripen sooner or later depending on the amount of sun they get. While it's possible to pick blackberries at your local park, etc, many health food stores and even regular grocery stores may have organically grown blackberries in their freezers. So if you want blackberries but are unable to pick them fresh, do look in the freezer section of your favorite grocery and/or health food store.

As with all berries that you can pick straight from the bush, do remember that dogs and other animals like to "water the plants". As a result, to avoid the additional flavorings left by dogs and other animals, pick the berries higher from the ground.

While it is possible to find blackberries bushes near roads, I've always preferred to pick blackberries from blackberry bushes that are not near busy roads. Whether the following thought is accurate or not, I don't know, but my thoughts have always been that blackberry bushes near busy roads will have contaminants from the passing cars.

Picking blackberries is a great family activity. You can eat them as you pick them too! If you have lots of blackberries left over, you can always freeze them.

Properties:

Energy: cool
5 Elements: wood
5 Flavors: sour

General Information:

Nothing to report.

Cautions & Suggestions:

Nothing to report.

Benefits:

Nothing to report.

A photo of a ripe blackberry and unripe blackberries.

Photo by Stephen Ausmus.