Best plum tree to buy as present

[john9159]

I'm looking to buy a plum tree to replace a Victoria which now produces poor fruit crops.
I would like something reliable for fruiting, disease resistant (as best as can be expected) and suitable for an allotment or home garden (may get one for me also.

Thank you

[FB.]

Most plums, other than Victoria, aren't too bad for diseases.

Just as important as the variety you choose, is the rootstock and how well it can cope with your soil - and how big (or small) you want it to be when mature.
Not all parts of the UK are blessed with deep fertile soil and plentiful rainfall; in my soil Pixy (dwarf) and St.Julien (semi-vigorous) rootstocks need a lot of feeding and watering just to keep them alive, let alone make them grow - the time and effort not being worth the small crop.

Only Myrobalan and Brompton rootstocks do well here.

[yummersetter]

How about a mirabelle? They are good as dessert plums, better still cooked, make delicious jams and chutney and you can't buy them in the shops. They're small fruits, a bit larger than cherries and very cheery looking, sunshine yellow with red freckles and a slight bloom. The trees aren't too boisterous, the blossom is pretty and they begin to fruit relatively soon after planting - eventually if you're lucky you might get a wheelbarrowful of fruit off a tree, which gives you plenty to swap with other people's plums.

[chris]

Or a gage?

[FB.]

As I hinted earlier:

Step 1: Determine the soil quality and climate.
Step 2: Decide how big you want the tree to get.
Step 3: Determine which rootstock best suits the growing conditions and desired tree size.
Step 4: Find a nursery which offers trees on the most suitable rootstock.
Step 5: Choose from what the nursery has in stock on the chosen rootstock.

Why so much emphasis on rootstock?
Because a tree is nothing without roots; they are the main interface between the tree and its nutrient/water supply.
Dwarf rootstocks are often optimistically over-hyped and over-rated, with many people guided by books into planting dwarfs and expecting them to grow into a medium size tree (which they often don't).
Once the pests and diseases have taken their toll, it's often only the strongest that survive the typical "neglect" which occurs after the initial excitement has worn off.
Lots of MM106 community orchards in this area have failed due to the trees being planted and subsequently neglected, with the trees mostly dying through being out-competed by weeds, pest, diseases or drought stress.

.

[john9159]

Thanks for the replies. I am familiar with dwarf/rootstock but I'm a bit lazy and as there are no nurseries within 15Km from home and I don't drive, I will be buying on the internet.
I don't research but rather go with the catchy advertising.
I live in Manchester where the allotment has clay about 2ft down but doesn't get water logged. Below this is sand.
At home I have good drainage and plenty of space but would only choose a tree on dwarf rootstock in any case.

[FB.]

Thanks for the replies. I am familiar with dwarf/rootstock but I'm a bit lazy and as there are no nurseries within 15Km from home and I don't drive, I will be buying on the internet.
I don't research but rather go with the catchy advertising.
I live in Manchester where the allotment has clay about 2ft down but doesn't get water logged. Below this is sand.
At home I have good drainage and plenty of space but would only choose a tree on dwarf rootstock in any case.

Step 1: Determine the soil quality and climate.
Soil quality: good.
Climate: plentiful rainfall.

Step 2: Decide how big you want the tree to get.
????

[orangepippin]

If you are looking for something similar to Victoria then Jubilee is quite similar and could be regarded almost as an "improved" Victoria. Avalon and Excalibur are also fairly similar in style, Avalon has a particularly good flavour I think (although flavour is a very personal thing).

If you want outright reliability in an eating or dual-purpose plum, in the Manchester area, then consider Blue Tit or Marjories Seedling or Opal.

FB's comments about rootstocks are important. Pixy and St. Julien are the most widely available, and I think the extra vigour of St. Julien usually makes it the better choice unless space really is an issue. Try to improve the soil before planting by mixing in farmyard manure etc.

[carolineholding]

dunno about your pal, (who very lucky to have such good friend) but as someone partial to making the odd chutney or jam I would always go for a darker plum, like a damson -they have a stronger flavor that carries over into preserves. The gages are delish but in a very delicate way. I can only assume that they are pretty disease free as they're natives but I'm really no expert! just thought it might be something to bear in mind.