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PLUM GUIDES
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While all type of plum tree trees will do well in quick and sheltered garden , the yield they expect can diverge significantly in mouthful and function .
Do you like nothing more than acquire a sting of a sweet and succulent plum ?
Plan in advance to achieve the best results
Or perhaps you prefer to whip them up into a sassing - watering conserve ?
Whatever your chosen method of consuming plum , there are pile of variety out there to suit all palates and preferences .
In this guide we partake in some of the dissimilar plum tree varieties to choose from , how to coax the serious functioning from them and the hardheaded condition to take into account .
Here is a selection of some of the most popular types of plum tree that can be grown in the UK , subdivided into cooking , culinary or dual - purpose cultivar :
Culinary Plums (For Jams, Sauces & Preserves)
1)P.domestica‘Belle de Louvain’
The ironic flesh of the ‘ Belle de Louvain ’ reach it an excellent choice for crafting Proto-Indo European fillings , since its want of moisture means the bottom of your pastry dough wo n’t turn into a soggy mickle .
It ’s also recherche when commute into jam , with a rich dark color that catch the middle .
It ’s also a hardier variety of plum tree diagram than many on this list , meaning it ’s more up to of defy colder and windier conditions and will fight back off disease more successfully than others.1Prunus domestica “ Belle de Louvain . ”(n.d . ) . Royal Horticultural Society . think March 23 , 2023 , fromhttps://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/81932/i-prunus-domestica-i-belle-de-louvain-(c)/details
It is partially ego - fertile and though it may take longer to carry fruit than others , this gives the tree time to strengthen its outgrowth and evidence more dependable in the long run .
2)P.domestica‘Czar’
‘ Czar ’ plum tree tree bring about decent character fruits on a remarkably reliable groundwork .
The Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree will raise dazzling blanched flowers in the spring , while the fruit themselves – a devastatingly attractive dark grim – will come along in late August onwards .
Growing to a very maximal of four metres in height ( but usually shorter ) , the ‘ tzar ’ is a thick and ego - pollinating specimen which is ideal for locations where space is at a premium .
Its power to withstand more inclement condition and its unfailing power to succumb fruit mean it ’s substantially suited for northern locations .
3)P.domestica‘Marjorie’s Seedling’
Another hardier strain that is suitable for colder gardens , ‘ Marjorie ’s Seedling ’ produces heavy , blue fruits which can be harvested from September onwards .
However , a fuller , richer taste can be find if they are leave to ripen on the vine , since the yield itself will not be damaged by dropping to the land .
As such , it can be left to mature fully until late October .
To reach the in force results , it ’s crucial to melt off out the fruit in former June to assure that the tree diagram devotes the requisite attention to those remaining on its subdivision .
It is ego - prolific and constantly return a good output when cropping time arrives .
4)P.domestica‘Purple Pershore’
‘ Purple Pershore ’ is a favourite culinary plum for its durability , reliability and resistance to disease .
It ’s one of very few plum cultivar which can fend off silver leaf fungus and the fact that it blossoms later in the year means it normally break away the most serious effects of spring frost.2Purple Pershore . ( 2020 , June 26 ) . Suffolk Fruit and Trees – the Fruit Tree Specialists . Retrieved March 23 , 2023 , fromhttps://realenglishfruit.co.uk/purple-pershore/
It ’s also self - fertile , making it fairly well-off to cultivate .
On the other hand , ‘ Purple Pershore ’ can be particularly susceptible to over - cropping ; if that occurs , the tree diagram is potential to produce no yields at all the following year .
Therefore , it ’s a in effect idea to lose weight it out in summer before glean the fruit in mid - August .
It ’s also quite a large specimen , make it unsuitable for little garden .
Desserts Plums (For Eating Right Away)
5)P.domestica‘Cambridge Gage’
As a greengage plum , ‘ Cambridge Gage ’ develop pocket-sized yield than some other plum cultivars – but what it lacks in size , it makes up for in its delectably gratifying gustatory perception .
With scandalmongering - immature anatomy that come easily aside from the pit , it ’s been a favourite for dessert for centuries .
The tree itself is a slightly sore creature , doing best in warmer and more sheltered climate .
It choose its time to crop and is vulnerable to spring rime , while it ’s self - uncongenial , meaning it will require pollination .
Even in the best conditions , it get only a small-scale yield on a semi - dependable basis – but the fruit itself is well worth the battle .
6)P.domestica‘Jefferson’
The ‘ Jefferson ’ cultivar is about as good as it gets for taste and grain .
With unparalleled sweet and succulence , the robustness of the fruit ’s pelt is helpful in keep most of it in your mouthpiece and not on your chin !
It produces average - sized fruit of a dull greenish - yellow colour and crops over a ten - day period in mid - to - late August .
Its susceptibility to spring frosts make it unsuitable for northerly locations , but anywhere in the Midlands or further in the south will nurture its needs more adequately .
It wo n’t ego - pollinate , so embed it with a partner ( ‘ Czar ’ , ‘ Marjorie ’s Seedling ’ and ‘ Victoria ’ are all advisable ) return the good results .
7)P.domestica‘Mirabelle de Nancy’
Hailing from the Lorraine region in France , ‘ Mirabelle de Nancy ’ tree produce such bountiful crop of cherry - sized yellow plums that they were traditionally harvested by laying a large tabloid under the offshoot , then shaking them for all they are worth.3Prunus d. “ Mirabelle de Nancy . ”(n.d . ) . Majestic Trees . Retrieved March 23 , 2023 , fromhttps://majestictrees.co.uk/fruit-nut/1608-prunus-d-mirabelle-de-nancy
The yield is tasty but drier than many other dessert variety show , meaning it can figure out as a misrepresent plum tree , too .
With an former inflorescence rule , the ‘ Mirabelle de Nancy ’ produces its takings in mid - to - late August and requires minimal upkeep due to its ego - pollenate capableness .
However , its French inheritance intend that it does n’t wish insensate temperatures and can be eliminate by previous spring Frost , while its abundant issue also mean that overcropping can be a problem .
8)P.domestica‘Opal’
The ‘ Opal ’ is a commixture between a plum tree and a Mary Jane , meaning it has inherited the best of both world .
On the one hand , it has the delicious sweet of the gage family unit , but with the more or less big dimension of a plum .
When mature in late July and former August , its outside is a very appetising yellow embellish with whirl of bolshy and purple .
Due to the fact that the ‘ Opal ’ crop earlier in the yr than some of its similitude , it is a minuscule susceptible to spring icing and therefore does undecomposed in full sunlight in warmer division of the res publica .
On the other hand , it is self - prolific , resists disease fairly well and produces generous yields – so much so that overcropping can become a problem on occasion .
Dual-Purpose (For Cooking & Eating)
9)P.domestica‘Avalon’
A relatively novel cultivar , ‘ Avalon ’ was in the first place multiply to offer a more attractive choice than the Victoria mixture .
If picked when the tegument is a pink bolshy , it ’s idealistic for making mess or other preserves .
However , it ’s possible to leave the fruit on the tree until it turns a darker purplish red , at which point it becomes an first-class alternative as a dessert plum tree .
‘ Avalon ’ might take a little longer ( a class or more ) than other cultivar to bear its first yield , but once it has done so , it ’s a fairly true selection .
It ’s partially ego - fertile , meaning it will benefit from another plum motley in its vicinity , while it does have a tendency to overcrop – which can not only impact upon the character of this twelvemonth ’s yield , but also endanger the emergence of any fruits whatsoever the following year .
Appropriate pruning can forbid such an eventuality .
10)P.domestica‘Blue Tit’
An offspring of ‘ Old Green Gage ’ and ‘ tsar ’ , the ‘ Blue Tit ’ has inherit the lush taste of the former and the hardiness of the latter .
Its yield will first seem on the branch as light green , but will darken to a deep purple over clock time .
break up a week or so before it ’s fully ripe in purchase order to use for culinary purposes , or wait until it throw to the ground to eat right away .
Plan in advance to achieve the best results
A expert alternative for novice gardeners , the ‘ Blue Tit ’ has strong disease electric resistance and is self - fertile .
Having said that , you may improve the crop return by bring out a 2d similar metal money nearby ( Victoria is a specially apt choice ) .
It handles spring freeze reasonably well and should hold up in all but the most heavy contribution of the state .
11)P.domestica‘Oullins Gage’
‘ Oullins Golden Gage ’ is one of the most reliable gage varieties conk out , produce relatively heavy fruits every summertime .
It serve the dual purposes of culinary and cooking plum , intend you could feed it justly away or whip up a delicious jam with it .
The fruits , ready for picking in mid - August , are a greenish - yellow colouring material .
Due to its later anthesis nature , the ‘ Oullins Golden Gage ’ is suited for almost all location in the country , proving fairly frost- and disease - tolerant .
That include northern spot which get from cold drop in temperature , though it ’s advisable to cultivate it in a sheltered location that is protected from the worst of the wind to accomplish the best outcome .
It is ego - fertile but , once again , will benefit from the presence of a partner cultivar nearby .
12)P.domestica‘Victoria’
Undoubtedly the most democratic assortment of plum tree diagram grown in the UK , ‘ Victoria ’ is one of the oldest species and one of the gentle to grow , to boot .
It ’s equally worthy for cooking or feeding ; simply pluck the fruit when it is an orangey - ruby-red for the former , or hold off until it develops into a violet red to enjoy it via the latter method acting .
‘ Victoria ’ is self - productive and will produce generous output even without the comportment of another plum variety nearby .
On the flipside , it is extremely susceptible to disease and pests , with bacterial canker sore , brown rot , plum moth and silver leafage all notable concerns .
“ I used to have a ‘ Victoria ’ plum tree diagram that raise luscious but declining numbers of yield as it slowly succumbed to canker sore and silver leafage , despite my best endeavour to create the conditions for it to expand , ” shares Colin Skelly , a Master Horticulturist .
“ A duet of years after its remotion I institute ‘ Czar ’ on a dwarf rhizome and this seems to be hefty so far ( fingers cross ) . ”
Its high yields can also guide to overcropping and irreparable damage to the arm , so be certain to thin it out in mid - June .
Planting Considerations
There are several thing that you should ponder before decide which case of plum to acquaint in your garden . These include ( but are not limited to ):
Armed with that foreknowledge , you should now be better aim to take a plum variety that serves your needs and suits your fate best .
