In article ,
wrnchbndr wrote:

I'm in New Jersey (quite similar climate to parts of the UK) and have
been wanting to cultivate sloes for many years with spurts and false
starts of effort. Sorry to intrude into this UK specific forum but I
believe that the folks here are going to know more about sloes than
anyone else. The plant does apparently exist here in the wild according
to a few government sources but I've never been able to find it. ...

No problem, but be warned that your climate is NOT the same. However,
sloes are not delicate plants ....

The primary information that I can't get here in the US is how to grow
sloes. In the UK, such a thing is hardly worth asking because the stuff
grows naturally and little effort is needed to acquire what is often
considered to be a nuisence plant -- who would want the stuff? I've
tried many different ways to germinate from seed with no success.

I suspect that, like many such plants, the seeds germinate erratically
over many years.

They tend to grow in poor, well-drained soils. A quick look at
distribution maps indicates that they won't like really hot,
dry summers, but that shouldn't be your problem. Like many other
plums, a late frost (i.e. when they are in flower) will destroy
the crop.

They will crop only in an informal hedge, as they fruit on old
wood (again, like other plums), but can be pruned to shape ad lib.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.