The dark purple drupes are rich in vitamins and minerals. They taste delicious and put you in a good mood. When summer is in full swing, plums strive towards full ripeness. They love the sun just like many nature lovers and hobby gardeners.
Plums can be harvested from mid-July
Ready for harvest
Between mid-July and mid-September the fruit trees are full of juicy fruit. If you don't have plum trees in your own garden, you can pick the fruit yourself from numerous facilities. In the end, a price per kilogram is billed, which differs depending on the provider.
What you need:
- vessel for collecting
- possibly ladder or fruit picker with telescopic handle
- ladder hook if required
Tips for correct picking
The fruits of a tree ripen at different speeds because the sun does not shine evenly on the entire crown. The upper plums ripen earlier than the fruit on the lower branches. If they give way slightly under pressure and the stalk can be detached from the branch without much effort, the stone fruits are ready to be harvested.
You should touch the shell as little as possible because it is protected by a whitish layer of wax. It prevents excessive water loss and keeps germs away. When washing or rubbing, the protective layer known as the scent is lost. You can also eat this one.
Good to know: reference variety
The "Bühler Frühzwetschge" is a variety that was discovered by chance in 1840. In the decades that followed, this random variety spread throughout Europe. It became the symbol of the Baden plum and to this day it serves as a reference object for the ripening period of all plums and damsons. All breeds that ripen in Germany before the early ones from the Bühler Valley are considered to be early plums. All of the following are referred to as late varieties.
The difference between plums and damsons
While the plum has a firm and crunchy flesh, the aromatic and plump plum is softer and juicier. The latter is ideal for making mush, chutneys and jams. The rather elongated plums are an ideal ingredient for cakes because they keep their shape during baking and do not leak. These usually ripen a little later than plums.