Stonefruit Season Is Short—Make The Most Of It With Our 15 Plum Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the season for plums? ›

If you're looking to enjoy this fruit at its most flavorful, you should know that plum season is May through October, and seasonality matters with this juicy little number. Their blend of sweet and sour hits best within that late summer/early fall window, which is also when you'll see sales surging and prices peaking.

Plums go great with apples, but they also pair really well with other stone fruits such as peaches, nectarines and apricots. Berries are also good with plums including cherries, raspberries and strawberries.

The taste of the plum fruit ranges from sweet to tart; the skin itself may be particularly tart. It is juicy and can be eaten fresh or used in jam-making or other recipes.

Plum trees thrive in regions with temperate climates, specifically in hardiness zones 4 to 9 (USDA zones). They require full sun exposure and well-drained, loamy soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0-7.0).

🌡️ The Goldilocks Zone for Plum Trees

The sweet spot for active growth is typically between 65°F and 85°F (18°C to 29°C). Beyond providing warmth, these temperatures encourage flowering and fruit development. Too far below or above this range, and you may notice less-than-stellar blooms and fruit set.

Store ripe plums in the refrigerator.

This will keep them in top shape and prevent fast deterioration. Place them in an open plastic bag - not a sealed one. Plums stored in the refrigerator will last two to four weeks.

Freezing plums

Wash and dry the plums gently, then cut them in half to remove the stones. From here you can freeze them whole or slice them first, which makes them easier to use.

All you need to do is wash the plums and place the whole fruits in a plastic bag in the freezer. Bite into these whole frozen plums for an instantly refreshing burst of cool juice. It's like an all-natural popsicle. Your frozen plums will be good for up to six months, providing a much-welcome treat come wintertime.

Plum and green are opposites on the color wheel making them perfect complements of one another. Try pairing plum with sage greens and slate grays for a lush yet understated color palette. Plum also works well with it's two halves, purple and red, for a beautiful berry look.

Can you eat a plum like an apple? ›

Dry the plums completely before eating or cooking them. Eat it like an apple for a healthy snack. Be careful not to eat the pit. The skin of the plum is safe to eat and provides a sharper flavor than the flesh.

Walnuts, plums and honey are a match made in heaven. We always get so excited for plum season. We love every plum related dessert and my mum makes the best plum marmalade ever, truly.

The sweet and juicy flesh of the following varieties make them particularly good to eat raw: yellowy-red skinned Victoria plums, the bright red Santa Rosa and Burbank, the green/red Denniston's Superb and the yellow-skinned Black Amber.

Generally speaking, plums are safe for dogs to eat in moderation as an occasional treat. But there are some risks. Namely, always make sure to remove the pit of the plum. Plum pits are toxic to dogs and can also cause your pooch to choke or create an intestinal blockage.

There are many different varieties of plums and they come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. In California and the Bay Area, plums ripen between the end of May through August depending on the specific variety, weather, and microclimate.

In the cold months of winter, there's nothing we crave more than a bite of juicy fresh fruit. That's why we're planning ahead and freezing our extra farmers' market produce now. Plums are in season from May through October.

When buying plums, select fruits that are, firm, fleshy and bright-colored but not too ripe. Avoid plums that are too soft as they may be spoiled. You can keep plums at room temperature to ripen. Once ripened, keep them in the refrigerator for a few days.