When will my damsons be ready to harvest?
Damsons are produced on trees and ready to harvest from August to October in the UK. They will come true from a saved stone, but you could be waiting many years for the tree to mature and bear fruit.
Are Damons easy to grow?
They are easy to grow and look after and the fruits are a delicious ingredient for jams, puddings and gin, with recipes often passed down from generation to generation! Damsons are produced on trees and ready to harvest from August to October in the UK.
What is a damson Blossom?
Damsons are the purple gems of top fruit, not dissimilar to plums, but with smaller and more oval-shaped fruits. The damson trees upon which the fruit is grown produce a wonderful blossom in the spring, with the fruits being ready to harvest late summer to early autumn.
What is the origin of the damson fruit?
The origin of the damson is unknown. It was originally thought that they came from Damascus, Syria and introduce to Western Europe by the Romans. Another school of thought is that the damson originated as a cross in Asia Minor between a sloe and cherry plum, or even directly from the sloe.
Are damsons in season?
An autumn fruit, damsons are at their best in September.
How do you know when damsons are ripe?
How Do You Know When Damsons Are Ripe? The firmness and flavor of plum fruit are the most reliable indicators of when the time is right to pick them. The plums will become softer to the touch, with a sweet and juicy flavor. Hopefully, you've eaten a ripe plum before and can use that memory as a barometer.
What Colour are ripe damsons?
deep blueThe fruit is deep blue, large, and noticeably sweet when ripe, although having genuine damson astringency.
How long do damsons take to ripen?
Depending on the firmness at purchase, this can take up to four days. You can also use a paper bag to speed up the process (plastic will not work) if you are in a hurry. Place the plums in the bag and loosely close it. As they ripen, the fruit gives off ethylene gas.
Do damson trees fruit every year?
It flowers well and the tree looks fine each year; however, no fruit ever appears. Following the flowering, the tree looks a bit sad and the leaves curl in places but no sign of pests. My other plum trees in the garden (different types) do well for fruit each year. Douglas.
Will damson plums ripen after picking?
If you're picking plums before they're ripe, you can ripen them, but they have the best flavor if they ripen on trees. If you picked or bought unripe plums, you can ripen them on the countertop. To make your plums ripen indoors more quickly, keep the plums at temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees F.
Can you get yellow damsons?
Yellow Damsons are a small wild plum variety approximately the size of a large cherry. They have a somewhat thick, chewy skin that can range from pale greenish-yellow to a rich golden color. The translucent yellow pulp surrounds a single oblong pit that clings tightly to the flesh.
Can you eat damsons straight from the tree?
It's true that, because of their tartness, you're unlikely to want to eat damsons straight off the tree, but we get a good harvest every August unless the blossom was damaged by a particularly bad late frost, the trees survive with barely any maintenance and, as well as making delicious preserves and pies, damsons can ...
Can I freeze fresh damsons?
Yes, you can freeze damsons. Damsons can be frozen for around 3 months. Damsons, like many other fruits, freeze really well. Make sure they're nice and fresh and wash them thoroughly before placing them in a freezer-safe bag.
What month are plums ready to pick UK?
Harvesting Victoria Plums Victoria plums ripen between late August and early September but this can vary year to year depending on the local growing conditions. The tree produces heavy crops of sweet, yellow fleshed fruit that can be eaten fresh, straight from the branches.
How long do damson trees last?
Damson trees are good 'doers' and can fruit for 50 years. They don't take much maintenance, but when you do prune, stick to early summer to avoid the risk of silver leaf fungi.
How long do damsons take to fruit?
Damsons are not difficult to grow. They will come true from a stone and will produce fruit within 15 years. Alternatively, you can buy a tree grafted on to a rootstock that will control the amount of growth.
When do damson trees produce fruit?
The damson trees upon which the fruit is grown produce a wonderful blossom in the spring, with the fruits being ready to harvest late summer to early autumn. Damson trees take a long time to mature and produce a harvest, but when they do it is so worth it.
What do damsons make?
They make delicious jams, crumbles, cheese, vodka and gin, prized by those who grow them as they are rarely available in shops.
What are the aphids that are attracted to damson trees?
There are 2 types of aphids that are attracted to damson trees. The leaf curling aphid affects the foliage during spring leading to leaf distortion and the mealy plum aphid which although does not distort the foliage, leaves a sticky honey dew allowing sooty mould to grow.
What causes caterpillars to eat damson fruit?
The plum moth can affect damson trees and can lead to caterpillars eating the damson fruit. The caterpillars are pale pink in colour and are small, only 1cm long. Usually only the first fruits are affected and ideally should be tolerated as only a small proportion of the crop are afflicted. Non pesticidal approaches can include encouraging predators, such as hedgehogs and birds. Pheromone traps that entice the males can be hung in the tree in May, these do not control the numbers but can give a good indication if further action is needed. Organic insecticides with natural pyrethrin as the main ingredient can give effective, but short lived control. For more persistent infections an insecticide such as deltamethrin or cypermethrin may be applied.
