What to Forage in September: Autumn Berries & Mushrooms
September is when summer turns to autumn. The hedgerows are heavy with fruit, the woodland floors are dotted with mushrooms, and the air has that first hint of coolness that says the seasons are changing. This is the UK's most iconic foraging month—the month our grandparents would have been busiest, preserving and pickling and storing for winter.
The abundance is overwhelming. Blackberries are still plentiful, elderberries are at their peak, sloes are ready for gin, and the first autumn mushrooms are pushing through the leaf litter. Everywhere you look, there's something ripe and ready.
This is the month when foraging feels less like a hobby and more like a harvest. The countryside is offering up its bounty, and it's time to gather, preserve, and prepare for the colder months ahead.
What to Forage in September
1. Blackberries (Rubus fruticosus) – Still Going Strong
Where to find them: Hedgerows, woodland edges, waste ground, scrubland. Still abundant everywhere.
Why September is good: Blackberries are still plentiful in September, though they're starting to wind down. The folklore says you shouldn't pick them after Michaelmas (29th September) because the devil spits on them—but the real reason is they start to get mushy and moldy.
What to make: Blackberry crumble, blackberry jam, blackberry cordial, freeze for winter baking, or make blackberry gin.
Foraging tip: Pick early in the month for the best berries. By late September, they're past their prime.
2. Elderberries (Sambucus nigra) – Peak Season
Where to find them: Hedgerows, woodland edges, riverbanks, waste ground.
How to identify them: Large, flat clusters (umbels) of tiny dark purple-black berries hanging from elder trees.
Why September is perfect: Elderberries are at their absolute peak in September. The whole clusters are dark purple-black, heavy, and ready to pick.
Why they're brilliant: Elderberries are packed with vitamins and antioxidants. They're traditionally used to make immune-boosting syrup for winter colds and flu—and September is the perfect time to make it, just before cold season starts.
What to make: Elderberry syrup (the classic immune booster), elderberry wine, elderberry jam, elderberry cordial, or elderberry rob (a traditional thick syrup).
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE: Never eat elderberries raw—they contain compounds that can cause nausea. Always cook them first.
Foraging tip: Cut the whole cluster with scissors, then strip the berries off the stems at home (use a fork to make it easier). Discard the stems—they're toxic. A larger basket like
3. Sloes (Prunus spinosa) – Perfect Timing
Where to find them: Hedgerows, scrubland, woodland edges. Blackthorn bushes are common throughout the UK.
How to identify them: Small, dark blue berries with a dusty bloom, growing on thorny blackthorn bushes.
Why September is perfect: Sloes are traditionally picked after the first frost (which usually happens in October or November), but September sloes are perfect if you freeze them overnight to mimic the frost.
Why they're brilliant: Sloes make the most delicious sloe gin—a British hedgerow classic that's ready just in time for Christmas.
What to make: Sloe gin (the classic), sloe vodka, sloe whisky, sloe jelly, or sloe wine.
Foraging tip: Pick sloes when they're dark blue with a dusty bloom. Prick each berry with a fork (or freeze them overnight) to help release the flavor. Start your sloe gin in September, and it'll be ready by Christmas.
4. Rosehips (Rosa canina) – Peak Season
Where to find them: Hedgerows, woodland edges, scrubland.
How to identify them: Bright red, oval-shaped fruits (hips) growing where the rose flowers were. They're about 1-2cm long and feel firm when ripe.
Why September is perfect: Rosehips are at their peak in September and October—bright red, firm, and packed with vitamin C.
Why they're brilliant: Rosehips contain more vitamin C than oranges. During WWII, rosehip syrup was given to children as a vitamin supplement when citrus fruits were scarce.
What to make: Rosehip syrup (the classic), rosehip tea, rosehip jelly, rosehip wine, or rosehip vinegar.
Foraging tip: The hairs inside rosehips can irritate your skin and throat, so always strain rosehip syrup through muslin to remove them. Pick rosehips when they're bright red and firm—avoid any that are soft or shriveled.
5. Hawthorn Berries / Haws (Crataegus monogyna)
Where to find them: Hedgerows, woodland edges, scrubland. The same hawthorn trees that gave you blossom in May now offer berries in September.
How to identify them: Small, dark red berries (about 1cm) growing in clusters on thorny hawthorn trees. Each berry contains a large stone.
Why September is perfect: Haws ripen in September and October.
Why they're brilliant: Haws have a mild, slightly apple-like flavor and are traditionally used for heart health. They make beautiful jelly and ketchup.
What to make: Hawthorn jelly, hawthorn ketchup (delicious with cheese), hawthorn fruit leather, or hawthorn wine.
Foraging tip: Haws are mostly stone with very little flesh, so you'll need quite a few to make anything. But the flavor is worth it.
6. Crab Apples (Malus sylvestris)
Where to find them: Hedgerows, woodland edges, parks, old orchards.
Why September is perfect: Crab apples are at their peak in September—firm, ripe, and ready to pick.
What to make: Crab apple jelly (the classic—clear, amber, and delicious with roast pork or cheese), crab apple chutney, or add to blackberry jam for extra pectin.
Foraging tip: Pick crab apples when they're firm and just starting to soften. Avoid any that are bruised or have worm holes.
7. Hazelnuts (Corylus avellana)
Where to find them: Hedgerows, woodland edges, hazel coppices.
Why September is perfect: Hazelnuts are fully ripe in September—the husks have turned brown and the nuts are ready to fall.
What to make: Roast hazelnuts, make hazelnut butter, add to baking, or eat them fresh.
Foraging tip: You're competing with squirrels for hazelnuts. Pick them as soon as they're ripe, or the squirrels will get there first.
8. Sweet Chestnuts (Castanea sativa)
Where to find them: Parks, woodland, old estates. Sweet chestnut trees are common in southern England.
How to identify them: Large, spiky green cases that split open to reveal glossy brown chestnuts inside. The cases are very spiky—wear gloves.
Why September is good: Sweet chestnuts start falling in late September and continue through October.
Why they're brilliant: Sweet chestnuts are delicious roasted, and they're a traditional autumn treat.
What to make: Roast chestnuts (the classic), chestnut soup, chestnut stuffing, or candied chestnuts.
Foraging tip: Don't confuse sweet chestnuts with horse chestnuts (conkers)—horse chestnuts are toxic. Sweet chestnut cases have many fine spikes; horse chestnut cases have fewer, larger spikes.
9. Autumn Mushrooms
Where to find them: Woodland, grassland, parks, pastures.
Why September is perfect: September is the start of the main mushroom season. After the first autumn rains, mushrooms appear everywhere.
Common edible mushrooms in September:
- Field Mushrooms (Agaricus campestris) – White caps, pink gills that turn brown, growing in grassland
- Parasol Mushrooms (Macrolepiota procera) – Large, scaly caps on tall stems, growing in grassland and woodland edges
- Chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius) – Golden yellow, trumpet-shaped, growing in woodland (especially under beech and oak)
- Ceps / Porcini (Boletus edulis) – Brown caps, thick white stems, growing in woodland (especially under oak and birch)
- Giant Puffballs (Calvatia gigantea) – Huge white balls (can be football-sized), growing in grassland
CRITICAL SAFETY WARNING: Only pick mushrooms if you are 100% certain of identification. Some edible mushrooms have deadly lookalikes. If you're new to mushroom foraging, go with an experienced forager or join a local foraging group. When in doubt, leave it out.
What to make: Sauté in butter, add to risotto, make mushroom soup, dry for winter, or pickle.
Foraging tip: Take a field guide, take photos, and cross-reference multiple sources before eating any mushroom. Never rely on a single identification feature.
10. Damsons (Prunus insititia)
Where to find them: Hedgerows, old orchards, woodland edges.
Why September is perfect: Damsons ripen in September—small, dark purple, and tart.
What to make: Damson jam (the classic), damson gin, damson cheese (a thick preserve), or damson crumble.
Foraging tip: Damsons are very tart—they're not great for eating fresh, but they make incredible preserves.
Mushroom Foraging Safety
September is the start of mushroom season, and it's important to approach mushroom foraging with caution and respect.
The Golden Rules:
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Be 100% certain of identification. If you're not absolutely sure, don't eat it.
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Use multiple sources. Cross-reference at least two field guides and online resources.
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Learn the deadly ones first. Know what Death Cap, Destroying Angel, and Funeral Bell look like—these are the UK's most dangerous mushrooms.
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Start with easy-to-identify species. Giant puffballs, chanterelles, and field mushrooms are good beginner mushrooms.
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Go with an expert. Join a local foraging group or go on a guided mushroom walk.
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Cook all wild mushrooms. Even edible mushrooms can cause stomach upset if eaten raw.
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Try a small amount first. Even if you've correctly identified a mushroom, some people have sensitivities. Eat a small portion first and wait 24 hours.
When in doubt, leave it out.
Choosing the Right Basket for September Foraging
September is the busiest foraging month of the year. You'll be collecting berries, mushrooms, nuts, and fruits—all at the same time.
For berries and smaller finds (sloes, rosehips, hazelnuts):
A compact basket is easier to carry and won't crush delicate finds.
For larger harvests (elderberries, crab apples, mushrooms):
You'll need something more substantial.
What You'll Need for September Foraging
A Good Basket (or Two)
September is the month when you'll wish you had multiple baskets. You'll be collecting berries, mushrooms, nuts, and fruits—and they all need different handling.
A Mushroom Knife
If you're foraging mushrooms, a knife with a brush is essential for cleaning them in the field.
A Field Guide
Especially for mushrooms. Don't rely on apps alone—bring a physical field guide.
Scissors or Secateurs
For cutting elderberry clusters and fruit stems.
Gloves
For handling spiky sweet chestnut cases and thorny sloes.
Paper Bags
For mushrooms (they need to breathe—plastic bags make them sweat and spoil).
A Foraging Basket
For everything else.
Recipe: Elderberry Immune Syrup
The classic September recipe. Make this now, and you'll have immune support all winter.
Ingredients:
- 500g elderberries (stripped from stems)
- 250ml water
- 250g honey (or sugar if you prefer)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 1 small piece of fresh ginger (optional)
Method:
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Put the elderberries, water, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger in a pan.
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Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and mashing the berries with a spoon.
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Strain through muslin or a fine sieve, squeezing to extract all the juice. Discard the solids.
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Return the liquid to the pan and add the honey. Stir over low heat until the honey dissolves.
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Pour into sterilized bottles and store in the fridge.
Dosage: Take 1 tablespoon daily during cold season, or 1 tablespoon every 2-3 hours if you feel a cold coming on.
Storage: Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 months.
The result: Dark purple, slightly spicy, and packed with immune-boosting goodness. This is traditional hedgerow medicine at its best.
The Joy of September Foraging
September foraging feels different from any other month. This is when the hedgerows offer up their final abundance before winter—when you can fill basket after basket with berries, nuts, and mushrooms, when the countryside feels generous and giving.
There's a sense of urgency to September foraging. You know winter is coming. You know the hedgerows will soon be bare. So you gather, preserve, and store—making jam, freezing berries, drying mushrooms, and steeping sloes in gin.
It's the month when foraging connects us to something older and deeper—to the rhythms of the seasons, to the knowledge of our grandparents, to the satisfaction of putting food by for winter.
And perhaps most of all, September reminds us that abundance doesn't last forever. The hedgerows are generous now, but they won't be in a few weeks. So we gather while the gathering is good, and we're grateful for what the land provides.
So this September, take a walk. Fill your basket with elderberries. Make sloe gin. Gather mushrooms. And see what the autumn hedgerows have to offer.
Next month: What to Forage in October: Sloes, Mushrooms & Autumn Nuts (coming 1 October 2026)
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Disclaimer: This guide is for educational purposes. Always be 100% certain of plant identification before consuming wild food. Never eat wild mushrooms unless you are 100% certain of identification—some mushrooms are deadly. The Timeless Trading Co. is not responsible for misidentification or adverse reactions. When in doubt, consult an expert forager or field guide.