Dry spring brings early crops

Conkers could also arrive early, but with a poor quality crop of the playground favourite if dry weather continues, the Trust warned.

Data collected for the Trust’s Nature’s Calendar scheme, in which members of the public record the timing of natural events, showed that the average date for blackberries ripening over the past 10 years has been the first week in August.

But with brambles already flowering earlier than usual, fruiting will not be far behind. Without significant rainfall as the blackberries ripen, however, it is unlikely they will be as rich a fruit supply as usual.