sh plum season has launched in Waitrose this week with Opal plums now on sale. The seasonal summer stonefruits are grown on selected farms for Waitrose including Bentleys Castle Fruit Farm in Newent, Gloucestershire. Growers Michael & Chrissie Bentley have owned the farm since 2002 and grow Plums exclusively for Waitrose.
The early Plum season this year is in contrast to the very late season last year. Plum ripening favours the differential between warm daytime and cool evening temperatures, and recent weather conditions have been ideal growing conditions. Orchards in Gloucestershire and Kent are heavily laden with plums with a superb crop expected.
The varieties of English Plum sold in Waitrose change through the limited season and include Opal which are an early variety with red mottled skin and sweet flavour, Reeves Seedling with beautiful yellow flesh and a reddish purple finish, the traditional yellow/ pink blushed Victoria plums available in August & September, before the summer season ends with the darker purple Marjorie Seedling variety. Late varieties of English plums have been planted by our growers in both Gloucester and Kent to extend the limited UK season.
Michael Bentley of Bentleys Castle Fruit Farm is excited that the season looks very promising. Orchards were heavily thinned by hand in June and the result is a great looking, quality crop. Michael is proud to work with Waitrose, and support the Waitrose Way of Championing British.
