Now Forage

Apple (Malus): Background skin colour shifts from green toward yellow; seeds turn brown when ripe. Fruit separates from the spur with a gentle upward twist. Aroma develops near the base. Wild Malus fruit is often small and tart — excellent for cider and jelly.

Blackberry: Fully black (not red or dark red) and comes off the stem with no resistance — zero pull. Dull rather than shiny; a shiny black berry is still slightly underripe and tart. Eat the same day for best flavour.

Currant: Red: translucent, jewel-like clusters. White: pale cream. Both are ripe when fully coloured and hang as a bunch. Tart and high in pectin — best for jelly and summer pudding. Harvest the whole strig.

Lavender: Harvest flower spikes when about half the flowers on the spike have opened — maximum oil content. Cut stems long, in the morning. Dry in small bunches upside down in a warm, airy space. Use in baking, tea, and herbal remedies.

Mint: Harvest leaves just before flowering for peak flavour. Cut stems back by a third regularly to encourage bushy growth. Flavour declines after flowering — cut flower spikes off to extend harvest.

Raspberry: Deep red (or gold/yellow for golden varieties) and slides off the receptacle — the hollow centre is the tell. Does not pull: a ripe raspberry separates at a touch. Extremely fragile; use within hours of picking.

Rosemary: Evergreen herb — harvest sprigs year-round. Young, bright green shoot tips have the most flavour. Harvest in the morning after dew dries. Flowers (blue-purple) appear spring through early summer and are edible as a garnish.

Sage: Harvest young, grey-green leaves before or during flowering for best flavour. Woody older leaves are less aromatic. Dry well for year-round use. Flowers are edible as a garnish.