Down on the Allotment

Matron grows vegetables and fruit in a Hampshire garden. I've been growing veggies since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Some traditional varieties and old favourites as well as new ideas. I share my garden with my allotment assistant Daisy the Labrador. On Twitter as @MatronsVeggies

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Yellow Mirabelles?

There is a dense thicket at the end of my patch. This year one tree has been overloaded with these yellow plum-like fruit. They are sweet, oval shaped and in all respects they are a small yellow plum. I have looked up on Google images and I think they are either a Bullace, or more probably a Mirabelle. Does anyone have an idea what they are? Meanwhile elsewhere on the patch, I have been pruning and clearing up my soft fruit bushes. It is much easier to prune redcurrants and harvest the berries whilst sitting comfortably at a table!
Finally, this activity takes me back to my childhood...
Just for a laugh, get a sharp needle and gently trace a pattern in your tiny pumpkins or squashes. As the pumpkin grows bigger and bigger, so will your shape. My fondest memory down on the allotment with my Father when I was a small girl, was to secretly deface his marrows in this way. I remember one such occasion when I had written "Silly old Daddy!" on one of his prize marrows! Happy memories!

14 Comments:

At 8:25 PM, Blogger The Mom said...

I love the pumpkin! I'm going to have to go and do that.

 
At 10:33 PM, Anonymous AnneTanne said...

Mirabelles, that meant summer, and my grandfather shaking the tree so we could gather those small yellow plums...
I love them... and I'm so glad our 'Mirabelle de Nancy' is promising a good harvest this summer!

 
At 2:07 AM, Blogger kitsapFG said...

I may have to slip out to the pumpkin patch and leave a secret message/picture on one of mine little ones! Fun idea.

 
At 7:52 AM, Blogger Celia Hart said...

The plum trees are laden this year - something to do with the longer dormancy during the colder winter, followed by a warm sunny spring.

As for ID, it's always tricky as the variation from tree to tree is subtle. There's a good ID page on the RHS site:
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0707/plumtypes.asp

BTW my hens are good at tracing patterns on tiny squash! Don't let Tikka and Korma see this!!!

Celia

 
At 9:24 AM, Blogger Midmarsh John said...

You are certainly getting a lovely harvest of fruit and veg this year Matron. The yellow plums look delicious. Love the idea of a growing smiley!

 
At 10:49 AM, Blogger Kath said...

Bullaces are dark little plums - a size bugger than sloes but rounder than the oval shaped damsons. Very good but quite astringent.

We get wild cherry plums here - some red and some yellow when ripe. They make an excellent 'free' jam or chutney!

 
At 11:45 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Your fruit makes me want to dive into the computer, such colors! I don't think I've had Mirabelle plums, what do they taste like?

 
At 11:05 PM, Blogger Hazel said...

How wonderful! I'll be drawing on my squash when I'm next at the Hill.

That's assuming it EVER stops raining...

 
At 12:38 PM, Blogger Carrie said...

What a fab harvest of yummy fruit. I am so jealous of the redcurrants, I think we got about 12 on the whole bush this year, which was 10 more than last year, so it's great in a way. I'm in love with the pumpkin needling, I'm all for bring more art and laughter into the plot so thanks for that tip. I think you've started up a trend again.

 
At 1:56 PM, Blogger Kath said...

Whoo! I meant bigger, honest!

 
At 4:01 PM, Blogger Heidi said...

THey have these yellow fruit in Spain and they call them Nispa's, and when I asked they told me they were yellow prunes...?

 
At 10:55 PM, Blogger Greenmantle said...

Having done quite a bit of fruit picking as a lad, in some very old and "ecletic" (read scruffy) orchards, I'd suggest the yellow fruit are Golden Gages. A less common but rather choice member of the greengage set.

They are my Dad's favourite fruit, and make terrific jam.

 
At 5:06 PM, Blogger Sylvana said...

That pumpkin scarring idea is so great! I think I will do that on one of mine and see what happens.

 
At 12:41 PM, Blogger Livy said...

bullace have spiny branches, like sloes, where as mirabelle are on plum tree branches. bullace are about the size of a marble but more oval, mirabelle are half the size of a plum. hope this helps!

 

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