Favourite plum varieties?

[Bumblingbroccoli]

I have decided to grow a plum fan trained against one of my fences. What sort would you recommend? I would like something that's good for jam but can also be eaten as a desert. We live in Berkshire

[nickdub]

Coe's Golden Drop is v high quality, but not a heavy cropper. President will crop more heavily, its a large purplish one and the flavor is good.

[cheops]

The answers will be subjective so you are gonna get quite differing responses. My vote would be Czar. Hey if you have the room - plant two different varieties.

[Hereford fruit grower]

IMO Jefferson's Gage is a fairly good combination of delicious to eat and not too difficult to grow. So is Cambridge Gage. However, all plums benefit from cross-pollination and some probably won't set fruit without it. Coe's Golden Drop certainly won't and probably not these other two. At least you seem to be in the right part of the country to grow plums, i.e. the SE, with relatively hot summers.

FWIW I think Czar is only worth growing in a place where no other plums will ripen and only if you like cooked plums. If I lived in a difficult location, I'd still try River's Early Prolific which is very tasty raw when ripe.

[devonuk]

Don't discount Victoria, it is popular for a reason.

[TrixC]

I vote for Blue tit. Healthy tree, self fertile, lovely flavour for both fresh eating and jam.

[Kirk]

Favourite is Kirk's Blue.
Just doubt it is an option for your purpose.

[It never rains..it pours]

Anybody growing Hyganta and if so how does it perform/taste ?

[Mark_Riga]

I bought a Victoria plum years ago, probably from Aldi, but maybe Woolworths. It has a massive crop every year without fail. This year was the best ever with lbs that taste delicious. It stands in a field leaning on a fence (its branches would drop off in summer if it didn't). If you don't mind eating them after the wasps have had a nibble, they are the sweetest. However this year they were fairly untroubled by wasps for some reason. I also bought a czar from a garden centre about 6 years ago that I planted a few feet down from it and have had very few plums off it. I think the birds like it though, or may be squirrels as something must be eating them. I bought an Opal from B&M 2 years ago for £1 and had to coax it back to life last year as it had very little root but it was on its own this year and came through the dry summer. It may be a couple of years before it flowers.