You say Plum, I say Prune.By Mark Bigej
Strangely enough, prunes are tied to some of my favorite memories. I can still see my Grandma, Ann Bigej, weighing and bagging Brooks Prunes for customers in our store, that was Al’s Fruit Stand at the time. It was a sticky, thankless job, but Grandma always loved doing it. It drove her crazy to see the supply of bagged prunes dwindle on the counters of the store. She would be thrilled to know that this old time favorite is making a comeback.
At Al’s, bare root fruit tree season is upon us, and gaining in popularity for home orchards and gardens is the plum, or is it the prune? A very common question we hear is "what is the difference between a plum and a prune?" I’ve heard a host of answers from within the horticultural industry, the most common being "I’m not really sure." My favorite, and the one I subscribe to, is "all prunes are plums, but not all plums are prunes". In pursuit of the correct answer once and for all, I hit the internet and found the following:
PLUM a. Any of several shrubs or small trees of the genus Prunus, bearing smooth-skinned, fleshy, edible fruit with a single hard-shelled stone that encloses the seed. b. The fruit of any of these trees.
PRUNE a. The partially dried fruit of any of several varieties of the common plum, Prunus domestica. b. Any kind of plum that can be dried without spoiling; a purplish-black partially dried fruit of any of several varieties of plum tree. Source: Freedictionary.com
So it would appear that the adage, all prunes are plums, but not all plums are prunes stands to reason. Prunes are either the plum fruit once it has been dried, or the tree that produces a plum that can be dried without spoiling.
To me, they’re both a great fruit that can be easily grown and fit well into any home orchard or garden. At Al’s this year we are carrying seven varieties of plum trees and two varieties of prunes. There are plums that are good for fresh eating, canning, making jellies and butters, and, of course pruning, which is the act of drying the fruit. If you are unfamiliar with the different types of plums you can grow in your own backyard (or front for that matter), to the right are a few of our favorites, plus five of my favorite varieties.
So you may ask, when’s the best time to plant a fruit tree? Five years ago. When’s the second best time to plant a fruit tree? Right now! All of these fruit trees are available right now in bare root. This is the best time to get them because the selection is prime and they are less expensive as a bare root plant. They also transplant wonderfully and will take right off at this time of year.
Not sure how to go about choosing and planting one? No worries, come into any of our three Al’s Garden Centers and our Purple plant experts will help you select just the right one and equip you with everything you need to get your trees off to a great start.
Freshen up your home orchard with a classic this year. Plant a plum or prune tree and you will enjoy fresh, delicious fruit throughout the harvest season! Make my grandma proud.
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