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Gardening

Plums

(17 Posts)
broomsticks Thu 21-Aug-14 19:51:28

Is anyone having problems with plums rotting on the tree? My daughter in law and I (in different parts of the country) both are.

whenim64 Thu 21-Aug-14 20:02:36

Yes, my crop of Voctiria plums hasn't been as healthy looking this year. Lots of blemishes on the decent plums and more than usual have rotted. I cut out all the damaged fruit and leaves to give the remainder a chance.

MiniMouse Fri 22-Aug-14 10:14:56

Yes, same here. My tree is only three years old and has had a decent crop in terms of numbers, but they don't look very appetising! I've rescued what I can and made jam.

grannyactivist Fri 22-Aug-14 10:17:27

My plum tree hasn't been very productive this year, but once again the damson tree is weighed down with fruit. I find that if I don't thin out the fruit that's close together one piece will get mouldy and affect the damson that's touching it.

jinglbellsfrocks Fri 22-Aug-14 10:26:46

Wind earlier in year blew an adjoining big tree down on my Damson tree. Was so glad to see the back of it. Hated all the little buggers in the grass.

jinglbellsfrocks Fri 22-Aug-14 10:28:04

#lifestooshortforjammaking #churchbazaarsgoodsourceofthedeliciousstuff

jinglbellsfrocks Fri 22-Aug-14 10:28:30

#ortiptree

MiniMouse Fri 22-Aug-14 10:47:34

. . . . and probably tastes better than mine Jingl grin

Mamie Fri 22-Aug-14 11:35:59

Same here in Normandy. Victorias rotting as they ripen (though I am saving what I can and freezing them as puree to make ketchup later on). Huge crop of damsons of which 14 lbs turned into jelly and the rest given to my French neighbours who don't know what they are, but love the taste.
As we are not eating sugar, the jelly will mostly be given away too!

rosesarered Fri 22-Aug-14 15:26:21

We don't have plums, but the apple trees are not as good as usual. Less fruit and more blemishes etc. Perhaps conditions this year were just bad for fruit?I would love to plant a cherry tree next year, so if anyone has a tree, or can give any advice I would be glad to hear.

mollie65 Fri 22-Aug-14 15:44:33

sad to say my plum tree (victoria plums) is heavily laden but they all seem to be infected by plum moth (little grubs and small black bits lurk inside next to the stone ) - apparently I should have done something about it in the spring sad
cooking apples are aplenty (cannot use them all but the birds and rabbits enjoy the windfalls)
sadly I don't have a damson tree ( they make very good wine)

Nelliemoser Fri 22-Aug-14 16:01:54

Jingle Think of all the Damson Gin or Jam you could make. They mostly come free as well! Just add gin and sugar or just sugar.

Granny23 Fri 22-Aug-14 17:13:20

Same here Folks (Central Scotland) We have had one plum that was fit to eat - I gave it to DH and he survived. The rest are mostly rotten and they and the leaves are just falling off the tree with every gust of wind. I am sad but grateful too as I will not have to pick, stone and freeze or make jam & chutney - really do not have the time this year. May make some apricot instead during the winter.

Minimouse ALL homemade jam tastes better than shop bought [yum]

MrsEggy Fri 22-Aug-14 18:13:05

Just picked remains of our victorias, but have been taking off rotten ones for last month - our local nursery says "it's the season" but recommends getting rid of all rotting fruit SAP.

broomsticks Sat 23-Aug-14 10:34:55

I have managed to salvage a few plums and they taste fine. The tree is laden but lots of yucky ones too many to pick off. The gale blew most of the pears down too, poor baby things! Such is gardening I suppose.

Aka Sat 23-Aug-14 20:39:32

I have two plum trees, don't know the species, but one fruits early and is only fit for jam and plum gin, and the other fruits in summer. The early one was fine, in fact it was so laden one branch snapped off. The other tree was as has been described above sad

broomsticks Mon 01-Sep-14 20:47:46

I take it all back. There are millions of plums and cartloads of them are fine!