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Posted by Jon and Suzie (U14609562) on Friday, 26th November 2010
What plum varieties does anyone really like? The supermarkets provide varieties from different parts of the world as the season moves on, some of which are ok, some really poor. Want to grow our own at some point.
We had a walled garden with Victoria Plum trees on three walls plus two Williams pears and one cooking pear.
Those Victoria plums ripened on the tree were so sweet and succulent it was unbelievable, I can still taste them now though the garden and trees are long gone.
Any fruit ripened on the tree is far superior and I still wander down the lane to where two Hazel pear trees bear fruit, no one knows they are there so I pick and eat them until the wasps get them.
Victoria for me.
Frank.
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by mister-grow-it-all (U14591945) on Friday, 26th November 2010
Victoria
Like Frank says, the difference is in allowing them to ripen on the tree. (and a good summer, some years are better than others for fruit)
Supermarket fruit is picked unripe, it ripens during shipping.
, in reply to message 4.
Posted by Jon and Suzie (U14609562) on Monday, 29th November 2010
Yes we think it's not just getting the best plum, but eating it at the right time. Never really enjoyed Victorias, but probably always eaten them when they are under-ripe. We had some reddish coloured gage-type plums a couple of years ago, that were absolutely delicious, can't remember what they were, but it was in Northants
Victorias are the only ones.
I've just planted new and hope for a small crop next year; plenty of budding going on.
They are very friendly trees. They do as much as they possibly can for you, and if you talk to them, they talk to you.
Only prune in summer, after picking the crop.
Not saying it is this, but Opal fits the description of a reddish, gage-like, dessert plum
, in reply to message 7.
Posted by Jon and Suzie (U14609562) on Wednesday, 1st December 2010
Trying to remember the name, not an Opal, it was like a larger reddish orange very sweet and tasty gage as far as we can tell. Have to try Victoria plums again, must have always had them under-ripe
Jon and Suzie,
Opal are an early dessert plum and will not have as long to turn the sunlight into sugars, they are also more purple than Victoria's which are a blushing pinky red, like a young maid on her first date.
Victoria or any plum ripened on the tree taste superb but you do have to battle the birds wasps and splitting skins
On the farm there were early middle and late plums for eating fresh in pies or pudding, they were also bottled and made into jam.
Those for jam and bottling would be Damsons dont ask me to name them as they were also early mid and late season.
Most desert plums did not keep well and although they did make jam it was not as solid as greengage or damson.
Leave them on the tree and pick them one warm day with the sun on them then from the first soft bite you will be in heaven.
Frank.
, in reply to message 9.
Posted by Jon and Suzie (U14609562) on Monday, 6th December 2010
Good advice.
We're big fans of greengages
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