Crops › Plum
How to grow Plum
in the UK
Sow November to March, plant out December, harvest August to September. About 160 days from seed to plate.
Plums are proper smashing once they get going, aren't they? There's nothing quite like picking your own sweet fruit straight from the tree on the allotment. It's a bit of a project to get 'em established, mind, but well worth the effort for that taste of summer.
Sowing
Now, when we talk about 'sowing' plums, we're usually talking about planting a bare-root tree, not a tiny seed. You want to get these in the ground when they're dormant, from November right through to March, before the spring growth really kicks off. Dig a good, generous hole, make sure the roots are spread out nicely, and plant it to the same depth it was in the nursery. Choose a spot that's sheltered from the worst of the North East wind, you know, it makes a big difference. They need a good few metres to spread out eventually, so give them plenty of space.
Growing on
Once your plum tree is in, it's about getting it settled. No pricking out or hardening off with these, obviously, it's a tree! Make sure it's got good support, especially for the first few years, with a sturdy stake to help it establish properly. They'll need a good few metres between them if you're planting more than one, or if you've got space for it to grow into a proper standard tree.
Looking after it
Keep an eye on the watering, especially in dry spells when the fruits are swelling up. A good mulch around the base in spring helps keep the moisture in and weeds down. Minimal pruning in summer is key, just to keep silver leaf at bay. Thinning out the fruits if you get a massive crop helps stop the tree getting exhausted and gives you bigger, better plums next year, like I say.
What goes wrong
Wasps can be a right pain when the fruits are ripening, they absolutely love a juicy plum. Silver leaf disease is the big one for plums, which is why we're careful with summer pruning, to be honest. Keep an eye out for aphids on the new growth too; a good blast of water from the hose can often sort them out.
Harvest
You'll be harvesting your plums from August through to September, depending on the variety you've chosen. They're ready when they've got good colour and feel a bit soft to the touch, and they'll come away from the branch easily. Eat them fresh, of course, but if you've got a cracking glut, they're chuffed for bottling, jam, or just freezing them halved and stoned for later.
I always try to get some chives and comfrey planted around the base of my plum trees; it helps keep the baddies away and feeds the soil a bit, you know what I mean.
Dates for your plot
Type the first half of your postcode and the plant-out advice shifts to your area's typical frost dates.
Varieties, and whether the club would grow them again
| Variety | Club verdict |
|---|---|
| Victoria This is a classic, really reliable plum that does well across the UK. It's a brilliant choice for beginners looking for a good, consistent crop. | No club votes yet |
| Opal An earlier ripening plum with a lovely sweet flavour, great for eating fresh. If you're keen to get your hands on plums a bit sooner in the season, this one's a winner. | No club votes yet |
| Czar This hardy variety produces dark, richly flavoured fruit that's good for both eating and cooking. It's quite robust, making it a sound choice for exposed plots. | No club votes yet |
| Marjorie's Seedling A cracking late-season plum that's really versatile for eating, cooking, or making jam. If you want to extend your plum season and get a reliable crop, give this one a go. | No club votes yet |
| Avalon Known for its good sized, sweet fruits, this variety offers a really pleasant eating experience. It's a good all-rounder if you're after plenty of tasty plums. | No club votes yet |
| Jubilee This one gives you large, juicy plums with a lovely flavour, making it a popular dessert choice. You'll get plenty of fruit from this reliable tree, perfect for a good harvest. | No club votes yet |
| Herman An early plum that's quite hardy, which is always a bonus up here in the North East. It ripens nice and early, giving you some of the first plums of the season. | No club votes yet |
| Rivers' Early Prolific As the name suggests, this plum gives an early and abundant crop of smaller, sweet fruits. It's a good one if you're impatient and want plums sooner rather than later. | No club votes yet |
| Oullins Gage This variety produces large, yellow-green fruits that are excellent for both eating and cooking. If you fancy a proper versatile plum that's a bit different, this greengage is worth a look. | No club votes yet |
| Cambridge Gage A true greengage with that intense, rich, honey-sweet flavour that everyone raves about. It's a bit slower to establish but the taste is absolutely worth the wait, to be honest. | No club votes yet |
| Denniston’s Superb This is another reliable greengage, known for its sweet and juicy fruits. It's a good choice if you're after that classic greengage taste with a bit more vigour. | No club votes yet |
| Excalibur A robust variety that gives large, flavoursome plums and boasts good disease resistance. If you're looking for a strong performer on the plot with less worry about problems, this could be it. | No club votes yet |
Votes are members rating varieties in their Seed Tin, one vote per gardener. Tap a variety for the full page and where to buy.
Buy Plum seeds
Partner retailers. If you buy through these links we may earn a small commission. It never costs you more.
Cook the harvest
A richly spiced British chutney in which ripe plums are slow-cooked with fresh and ground ginger, cider vinegar and dark brown sugar until thick, glossy and deeply complex in flavour. It is the kind of versatile preserve that earns its place on every cheeseboard, and makes a superb partner to cold meats, pork pies and strong Cheddar. Better after a month in the jar than the day it is made.
95 min · easyA spectacular summer dessert of crisp meringue piled high with softly whipped cream and topped with plums that have been roasted in red wine and star anise until jammy and intensely flavoured. The tartness of the plums cuts perfectly through the sweetness of the pavlova. This is a show-stopping centrepiece for any celebration.
120 min · challengingRich, fall-apart duck legs braised slowly with star anise and soy until the meat is deeply flavoured and tender, finished with a glossy plum sauce made from fresh British plums. Duck and plum is a classic combination, and this version is easy enough for a weeknight but special enough for a dinner party. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.
120 min · mediumA British country classic: small, ink-dark damsons macerated in gin with sugar to produce a vivid, deeply flavoured sloe gin-style spirit that is utterly addictive and one of the finest uses of the autumn hedgerow harvest. The result is a rich, plummy, warming drink that improves dramatically with age. Damsons are a type of plum, and this recipe showcases their unique tartness at its finest.
15 min · easyWatch for, and grow alongside
Companions: chives, comfrey
Questions people ask
When do you sow Plum in the UK?
Sow Plum from November to March. Plant out December, after the last frost.
How long does Plum take from sowing to harvest?
Roughly 160 days, with the harvest August to September.
Which Plum varieties do gardeners grow again?
Club members rate every variety they grow. This page shows the grow-again votes for Victoria, Opal, Czar, Marjorie's Seedling and more.
Track your Plum from packet to plate
Sowing reminders and harvest forecasts for your own frost dates, the Seed Tin, Scan Centre for any label or packet, and the Potty Mouth Garden Club. Free to start.
Allotment keeper in the North East of England, the voice behind the Tony C Smith YouTube channel, and the gardener who built GrowMore CookMore. Club numbers on this page update as members log their plots. Last updated 3 September 2026.