Garden Wildlife UK

It is that time of year again and my Victoria Plum tree is well loaded with fruit . In common with most years a certain amount of the plums ripen ahead of all the others and in common with previous years they all have something inside. Namely a grub which has been munching inside for several weeks.
I picked 20 plums today( the first of the season) and all but one were not fit for consumption.

That is a pretty sad picking.

Sympathise with your disappointment, Jacksparrow . However, in our Golden Age of super-abundant alternative foods there is always a different course of action.
Have you considered purchasing a packet of prunes ?

Placido wrote:Sympathise with your disappointment, Jacksparrow . However, in our Golden Age of super-abundant alternative foods there is always a different course of action.
Have you considered purchasing a packet of prunes ?

I acknowledge your suggestion but for the time being I shall wait patiently for the edible Vics to ripen.
PS I picked about 30 today. All but one had a lodger.

The hit rate on finding an eatable plum has now risen to 1 in 3 in the latest batch.

Well, firty-free percent isn't a bad ratio, now is it ?? Enough to make a modest plum cake .
We'll all be round later .......

The first thing to report is that the 2018 harvest will be very poor After the last few seasons where supply exceeded demand this year only about 20(twenty) plums have made it. I have already thrown 4 away with brown rot and I picked a further 6 today all ruined by grubs. How many of the remaining plums will be edible remains to be seen but I will not be posting any photos of big bowls brimming with fruit as in years past.

One is lost for words . This is so unexpected; plans had been made.
All hopes are now pinned on the grape harvest for new HB flavours

The plum harvest is nearly upon us and I have to report that this years crop seems to be going to be good. I have not seen many plums with brown rot so far although I expect the usual number will have grubs in residence. They are all still green at the moment but some are just showing the first signs of going to the pale yellow which precedes the full ripening.