When Are Plums In Season Uk
So there you are, standing in a UK supermarket, staring at a sad-looking plastic punnet of plums in January. You pick one up, and it's as hard as a cricket ball you'd find at...
So there you are, standing in a UK supermarket, staring at a sad-looking plastic punnet of plums in January. You pick one up, and it's as hard as a cricket ball you'd find at the bottom of a canal. That, my friend, is your first clue that you've arrived at the worst possible time for plum shopping.
The Great Plum Season: July to September
Here's the juicy truth: plums in the UK are at their absolute glorious peak from late July through September. That's when the trees practically beg you to come and eat their fruit. Think of it as nature's way of saying, "Oi, it's summer, treat yourself."
August is arguably the golden month for plums. This is when the British countryside goes absolutely mental with plum production. Orchard workers have been known to lose count of how many they've picked — and honestly, who could blame them?
Must Read
What About Earlier Plums?
Some ambitious varieties, like the confident Mirabelle, try to show up as early as late June. They're like that friend who always arrives at the party before the music starts. Charming, but slightly premature.
Early varieties tend to be smaller and tangier, which is basically nature's way of giving you a little warning slap. They're basically saying, "I'm not quite ready, but the others need competition." Fair enough, honestly.
Top 10 Plum Varieties to Grow Successfully in the UK - TheArches
Types of Plums You'll Find in the UK
The UK grows a surprisingly impressive range of plums. You've got your Damsons, which are actually closer cousins to sloes and alarming amounts of them hide in hedgerows. Then there are the deep purple Victorias, the golden Greengages$, and the red-skinned Bullaces creeping into late September.
Victorias are probably the most famous British variety. They're named after Queen Victoria, who allegedly watched an entire orchard of them from her garden at Osborne. Some royal observers claim this is when she coined the phrase, "We are not amused" — but those observers were clearly eating slightly unripe fruit.
Plum Trees for Sale UK | Plum, Gage & Damson Guide
Why Do Off-Season Plums Taste Like Disappointment?
Outside their season, most plums have travelled from Spain, Chile, or possibly another planet entirely. They're chilled during transport, which suppresses their natural sweetness significantly. It's like eating a rumour about a plum rather than the actual thing.
The flavour difference between a January plum and an August plum is enormous. One tastes like a soggy commitment, the other tastes like nature just hugged your tongue. Only one of those experiences will make you want to write poetry.
Fruit and Veg in Season for August 2024 - New Covent Garden Market
The Verdict
So mark your calendars: late July through mid-September is your window of plum true love. Shop locally, visit a pick-your-own farm if you're feeling adventurous, and stock up when plums are cheap and abundant. Frozen plums also keep reasonably well, which means you can smuggle a bit of summer into your January whenever the supermarket mudball variety tempts you again.
Plums are arguably Britain's most underrated summer fruit. Tomatoes hog the spotlight, strawberries throw parades, but plums just grow quietly and taste phenomenal without needing any attention. They're like the shy kid at school who turned out to be genuinely brilliant — all you had to do was wait for the right time to taste one.
