California is the number 1 producer of plums in the United States. The skin will undoubtedly look ripe. The plums often fall off the branches as you reach for them. Morgantown, PA 19543 | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy. Filed Under: When are Fruits & Vegetables in Season? The ideal storage spot is humid and cool, from 32-40°F. A ripe plum is still firm, but not hard. They ship plums all over the country, so there is a good chance you are finding California plums in your grocery store. Eating what’s in season is my jam (I also make it! » When Does Plum Season Begin (and End)? It’s also handy for those making a foray into growing their own seasonal fruit in the garden! Some varieties usually ripen altogether before you can gather them. Stanley plums are available right around the start of apple season in September. Learn how your comment data is processed. When they approach maturity, they should be heavy. She enthusiastically pursues creative and community interests, including gardening, home improvement and social issues. Place them in perforated plastic freezer bags and keep them in any cool place. When to Harvest Plums. Other plums are ready for the harvesting time when their skin hue changes to yellow, and they begin to soften. Keep a few things in consideration as you reap the fruits of your labor: the best time to pick the fruit from your tree, and how to store the fruit. All you need to do is to put them in a brown paper bag and store them at room temperature. We love to keep in touch with our customers and talk about what's happening each season at Stark Bro's. Picking Tips: Look for mostly red plums to pick. When to pick: between August and November. Plums are generally in season somewhere in the United States from the end of May all the way into October. Some are sweet, some tart. If you have a single plum tree, you may not get a good harvest of fruit, no matter how well you care for the tree. Plums should be stored in the refrigerator. Sterilize the fruit in a hot oven or food dehydrator before storage. You may still be reaping the benefits of your summer harvest and have not yet thought about what to plant next. We have gathered some step-by-step instructions and tips to help ensure your fruit tastes as fresh as the day picked. You do not want these fruits to go to waste, especially a red plum. Depending on the weather and elevation, wild plums are usually ripe between late May and midsummer. From apples to strawberries, here's when the fruits in your garden will be ready to pick. When it comes to eating fruit, I love my stone fruit. Other plums are ready for the harvesting time when their skin hue changes to yellow, and they begin to soften. When you set them in low or high temperatures, they may undergo internal damage. This is because these fruits do not keep for more than a few days, and therefore either need to be eaten, or preserved by cooking or freezing. Harvest season begins July thru September depending on the variety and location. A welcome sight to hungry and weary travelers in the 1800s, the native wild plums of the West are concentrated along the Oregon and California coastal mountains and the Sierra foothills. Damage to blossoms in spring can wipe-out fruit production for the season. How Do You Know If Your Red Plum is Ready For Harvest? For over 200 years, Stark Bro's has helped people around America provide delicious home-grown food for their families. They tend to stay unripe on the tree all at the same time. How and When Do You Know the Right Time to Pick Your Red Plum? Japanese varieties of plum ripen after picking, but don’t pick them too early. European varieties of plum for fresh eating or jam are best when picked dead ripe from the tree. Birds use the thickets for nesting, feeding, and resting areas. You may keep them up to two weeks. Before you pick them from their trees, you need to look at their characteristics. Season: Sugar Plums-Finished for the Season; August for Yellow and Red Plums Pricing: Pick-your-own plums are finished for the 2020 season. Pick them into a container no more than 10-inches deep, to avoid crushing the fruit. The California plums start to ripen usually in late May. Plum, pluot and plumcot trees will start bearing fruit in 3-6 years under normal growing conditions with proper maintenance and care. Plum trees produce better if they are planted in a good location, watered regularly in summer, fertilized annually, and pruned each year. We are super thankful for our staff who stuck it out through many changes and challenges through the season and thankful to all of you who came out and picked and had patience with us as we navigated the challenges we faced this year. Some varieties ripen from November through January and some from mid-December to April. My friend told me that the plum season varies depending on the country and climate in which they are grown, but can take in a distance anywhere from mid-May to early October, but I am not sure. The location, local conditions, and variety of tree affect when fruit gets ripe – and even whether or not there is any fruit at all. When they remain on the plum trees, they follow a chemical reaction. Once you see fruit on the tree, the question is, “when do you pick kumquats?” Kumquat Harvest Season. Handle them carefully to avoid bruises that could develop into spoilage. Here are a few other ways to test for ripeness: Observe the texture of the skin. Plum trees grow well in almost all areas of the United States with a variety suited to just about any location in USDA planting zones 3 through 10. How Long Does It Take for a Granny Smith Apple Tree to Produce Fruit? If it doesn't fall off into your hands or requires a good tug to pluck it from the tree, the fruit isn't ripe yet. A guy named Chip Brantley wrote a fascinating read on pluots called The Perfect Fruit. Flesh firmness and color are good clues to determine when they're ripe enough to … If you want to make prunes, European varieties are best. One of the three fruits I mentioned plums are the most unique. Since stone fruit is typically only good when it’s in season. Don’t forget our Market is still open all winter with plenty of delicious fruits and much more! A refrigerator is the idea storage spot but any cool area in your house, the basement or an unheated porch might also be fine for a while. However, they should still maintain their firmness. Plums are ready to be harvested from late summer into fall, depending on your area. When Does Orange (and Mandarin) Season Begin (and End)? Give plums sandy, loamy soil with a pH between 5.5-6.5. If you are fortunate enough to have grown a plum tree in your backyard, then you can harvest these yummy fruits. You can still ripen them along the process. Plus, they are also soft to touch. You must be aware that these fruits usually ripen two days after the process. The hands down surest way to ensure the time is right for picking plum fruit is by its firmness and flavor. Hence, your red plums will become brown and will taste awful. An unripe plum may have turned red, but until it softens, it is not ready to pick. Handbook of Fruit and Vegetable Flavors; E. Gomez-Plaza, et al. How Long Does It Take for Tangerines to Ripen? You need to collect them and let them dry naturally. However, picking the ripe plum fruits can be quite challenging. Common plum varieties grown in the U.S. come in three major groups: Japanese varieties of plum ripen after picking, but don’t pick them too early. When you want to make a tart or cake out of this fruit, you need it sweet and juicy. I’m a reformed picky eater finding a new way to not conform. A growing legacy since 1816. To choose a ripe plum, you need to hold it in the palm of your hand. Harvest is the time to enjoy the results of your hard work. You can harvest a few types of plum days before they completely ripen. Weaver's Orchard
And sadly, plum fruits are no exception to these guidelines of harvesting. Because we import a lot of fruit in this country, you can find plums in the store year round. And it boasts one of the highest food values 20% carbohydrate content of any other fruit. Wow I also like plums! Whether you’re wondering about what fruit to plant in your garden or impatiently awaiting the appearance and ripening of the trees and bushes that are already growing, this handy guide – whose creators, Bramley & Teal, have also put it into a pretty graphic – offers all you need to know. When you fail to select the ripe fruits, you may ruin the sweetness and juiciness of the fruits. They ship plums all over the country, so there is a good chance you are finding California plums in your grocery store. Please see our COVID-19 Policies for 2020 listed in the green box. Thanks for posting this! Tagged With: California Farms, California plums, Michigan Farms, Michigan plums, Plums. They should not be picked when firm.