Help: I'm dealing with hundreds of ripe plums

Last fall I moved into an apartment with a plum tree in the front yard. I don't know anything about plants or trees or fruit, and now that summer is here there are hundreds of plums dangling off this tree. They're attracting millions of ants, as well as raccoons, possums, rats, and a few bold humans who I've caught plucking from the tree.

I guess I like plums? But there's around a week left until they all fall to the ground and become a horrifying slurry, and I'd rather avoid that.

Any suggestions?

TLDR: Have plum tree, it's bursting with plums, no idea what to do in order to avoid ant apocalypse

Steinsprut,
@Steinsprut@szmer.info avatar

Pick them all, seed them and make a shitton of plum jam

tymon,

Having never made a jam or a jelly of any kind, I'm hesitant to try this, but it might be a good option. Do you have a favorite plum jam recipe?

alex,

Well the good news if that with the literal hundred plums you have, you can afford to "waste" plums until you figure out how to make proper jam! :)

barsoap,

Plums contain enough pectin to turn into jam with only sugar and maybe some lemon juice (for acidity) added, though if you're doing this the first time you probably want to add extra pectin. Over here that's generally done by buying sugar that's laden with pectin, in other places you buy the stuff without included sugar, I recommend to search for recipes on your local internet. If you have a plum tree in front of your window someone in your country will know how to turn supermarket ingredients into jam.

Gelatine in jam is, IMNSHO, a travesty. You're not making jello.

AnarchistArtificer,

What does IMNSHO mean? I'm guessing it's "In my [something something] honest/humble opinion, but I can't figure out what would go in those gaps

barsoap,

In my not so humble opinion. As in "IMNSHO, cream in carbonara is a hate crime" as opposed to "IMHO, Nutella and cheese is an underrated combination you should try it".

Evkob,
@Evkob@lemmy.ca avatar

If you want to use them up, this website has a bunch of suggestions.

If you just want to get rid of them, why not encourage the bold humans who’ve been plucking? Put up a sign saying “Free plums!”, I bet it would be picked clean within a day or two.

Morovan,

I’ve heard horror stories of people who do this, like, cutting down branches and trampling yards

tymon,

It never even occurred to me to put a sign up advertising the bounty of the tree. This might be simplest. But on the off chance no one takes me up on that, I'll still have almost 300 plums. I'll check out that webzone, thanks

argentcorvid,
@argentcorvid@midwest.social avatar

Wine.

tymon,

Holy shit. This might be the winner

argentcorvid,
@argentcorvid@midwest.social avatar

It can be difficult to make it clear due to the pectins, but it doesn’t affect the flavor at all.

argentcorvid,
@argentcorvid@midwest.social avatar

It can be difficult to make it clear due to the pectins, but it doesn’t affect the flavor at all.

CoolRhino,

Tell all the neighbors they can have free plums if they pick their own on a certain day

Jfqs6m,
@Jfqs6m@lemmy.ml avatar

If avoiding the ant-ageddon is your main goal, pick them and give them away. Free plums sign like others have said? Idk if I’d expect someone to pick them though, I’d pick them and bag them myself.

If it’s like what do you DO with a million plums after they’re picked, I’m plum out of ideas besides give them away. The jam and wine suggestions sounds interesting. Plum pudding mayhaps?

tymon,

I probably should have planned for this weeks ago. Things are gonna get sticky

lunarshot,
@lunarshot@beehaw.org avatar

I’m sorry but this response is cracking me up.

Thurgo,

The fairy should come dancing by soon, right?

tymon,

I swear If i'm about to be sucked into some looking-glass or magical shoe I'm gonna be pissed

lvxferre,
@lvxferre@lemmy.ml avatar

I’d be making jelly or wine like there was no tomorrow. Plum wine in special is delicious.

There’s a recipe here, if you want; it works for fruits in general, not just grapes. Note: most equipment can be improvised with some redneck engineering, for example my water lock is simply a piece of flexible tube forced into a U shape with an old hair rubber band, and filled with water.

You could also share the plums with neighbours. Bonus points if you manage to barter them for something else.

saba, (edited )

search for tkemali sauce recipes. It’s a Georgian plum sauce that is great with meats and vegetables. I’ve used it on pork, chicken, fried potatoes. In Georgia, it is about as common as ketchup is in the USA. There is red tkemali made from ripe plums and green made from unripened. Green is my favorite, but both are really good. I think the plums used in Georgia are a wild plum, but I made some last month with red plums I bought at Kroger. You might have to visit an international market to get some of the spices.

edit: recipe that i used, minus a couple spices i didn’t find in time, but it still turned out good.

fossilesque,
@fossilesque@mander.xyz avatar

Cordial!! You use a pound of fruit at least each time. It’s great to gift as well. :) It’s just sugar and fruit, very easy to make.

TheBananaKing,

Jam, seriously. Plum jam is amazing.

SuperIce,

Make plum liquor

Bwaz,

Plum liqueur (soak in vodka, with Cinnamon, ginger, simple syrup – lots of recipes online). Delightful stuff, we went though last year’s supply by February.

108beads,

You probably have food banks in your area which would be delighted to get some!

brezhnervous,

Attract some parrots and you will rapidly have a garden full of drunk parrots lol

mim,

Pálinka

vodnik,
@vodnik@lemmy.world avatar

We call it rakija

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