Plum questions - storage

dixie_dean_2

I have a plum tree laden with plums. What shall I do? There are hundreds, they are snapping the branches but not sure if they are quite ripe. Any suggestions for storage, usage and when to harvest?

Thanks

ps - anyone in Leeds is welcome to a plum if they are passing.

wigginsmum

Make jam, or stew the sliced plums with sugar and freeze for later baking into pies/crumbles etc. Or make wine? How hard are they?

sandieb

I, too, have a tree laden with plums. This year they're much smaller than usual but there seem to be thousands!

I shall be making chutney and jam and giving a lot away.

What about Freecycle?

sandieb

PS

http://www.deliaonline.com/search/?qx=plum

Lots of yummy recipes

dixie_dean_2

We moved in to this house september last year so I can't compare them to previously but ours are quite small (don't know if they will get bigger). They bare not that hard. Fairly sweet. Surely I can't put plums on freecycle? I don't want plum-loving oddballs bowling up for a few free plums! I could do something odd and vaguely artistic with them to try and get in the Guniess bokk of world records. Cheers, will probably go for lots of plums, plum smoothies, plum crumbles and plum tartin. And throw them at kids.

wigginsmum

I don't see why not - I've had poppy seeds off someone local on Freecycle and seen young tomato plants advertised on there.

Pink.

Hi dixie dean,

I don't know anything about harvesting plums, but these older threads might help with storage and uses for them.

What can I do with 2lbs of plums?

Making plum jam

Pink

Testee

If they're small plums and ripe now then they're probably cherry plums. I have 6 trees with cherry plums and they only last a few weeks, if you don't pick them the birds will have them. I made plum jam the first year I picked them but it took me ages, cost me a forturne in sugar and gas and I ended up giving away all except one jar - I love the plums but am not all that keen on the jam. We have since found a better solution - we pick all the plums and give them to a local lady who likes to make jam, she makes lots of jam and gives us one jar back. Perfect! I also pick them and give bags of them to friends and neighbours, take them into work, etc.. They don't last long so just give them away........

betterbargains4u

You lucky thing!!!
I have a plum tree in my new garden, which is heavily laden with lots of really small plums, that are nowhere near ripe!!!
Anyone know when they might be ready??

Debt_Free_Chick

Spiced pickled plums

Think of a plum chutney .....

catkins

Hi, I have been given a massive bag of plums and intend making some jam and some chutney with them. Although I have everything for the jam I don't for the chutney and don't want to go shopping until Saturday. The plums are very ripe and I am not sure if they will be ok until Saturday afternoon. What's the best thing to do with them? Should I put them in the freezer until I am ready to use them or what?

Any answers will be greatly appreciated.