Plum U-Pick Orchards in Greater London and Surrey, England in 2024, by county
Below are the PYO orchards and farms for plums that we know of in this area. Not all areas have plums orchards or farms that are open to the public. If you know of any others, please tell us using the add a farm form!
Remember to always check with the farm's own website or Facebook page before you go - or call or email them if they don't have a website or Facebook page. Conditions at the farms and crops can change literally overnight, so if you want to avoid a wasted trip out there - check with the farm directly before you go! If I cannot reach them, I DON'T GO!
PLEASE report closed farms, broken links and incorrect info using the "Report Corrections" form below.
Greater London
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Parkside Farm - beetroot, blackberries, broad beans, corn
(sweet), courgettes, cucumbers, currants (red and black), green beans,
onions, plums, raspberries, winter squash, strawberries, tayberries,
tomatoes, other vegetables, Honey from hives on the farm, restrooms,
picnic area
Hadley Road, Enfield, EN2 8LA. Phone: 020 8367 2035. Fax: 020 8367 2035. Open: June to September; Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 5.30pm (last entry 4.30pm), Sunday from 9am-5pm (last entry 4pm) Closed Mondays October; Times May vary Ring 020 8367 2035 to check. Season starts sometime in early June (depending on weather!) with strawberries carrying on until the middle of October with a wide range of soft fruit and vegetable crops. Picking updates: Click here for picking updates. Directions: Junction J24/M25, Take A1005 towards Enfield, Turn right after Royal Chase Hotel into Oak Avenue, Right again at T junction into Hadley Road and Parkside Farm is 1/4 mile on right. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Cheque, Debit cards, Visa/MasterCard. Other Vegetables; Spinach, Swiss Chard. Parkside Farm has just won the FARMA National Pick Your Own of the Year Award for 2009. Most of our strawberries are now grown on "Table-Tops" (ie at waist height) which saves all that bending! We grow nearly 20 different fruits and vegetables which are grown exclusively for Pick-Your-Own between June and October. We pride ourselves on the quality of our produce, which is "as fresh as it gets"! Crops include “table-top” strawberries (no bending required), raspberries, beans and sweetcorn. The farm is set in the beautiful rolling greenbelt countryside just to the north of Enfield, and yet is easily accessible from all the surrounding areas. The 2013 season will inevitably be later than usual, with the first of the strawberries not expected until mid June at the earliest. The good news might be that we are much less likely to suffer from frost damage in late spring, as all the crops are so far behind! Minimum Charge; This will be increasing in 2013 to £3 per adult/child, which just means that everyone entering the field has to spend atleast £3 on PYO fruit/veg. Ample Car Parking, Toilets (including Disabled), Containers Available, Picnic Area, Debit Cards accepted. Typical crop availability is shown in the chart at right. (always phone before you go to check availability).
(UPDATED: 11 July 2020, JBS)(UPDATED: January 19, 2009)
A visitor writes on July 26, 2013: "We went to Parkside and it was brilliant!!!!!! The experience was fantastic! It was my first time and I was absolutely excited. The farm was very nice, the staff explained stuff and gave us the tubs. We picked strawberries, beetroot (really nice sized) courgettes and French beans and broad beans. Three of us went with a toddler & a baby and the min. purchase was 8 pounds (2 each, inc the toddler) . I absolutely loved the experience and will deffo go again(and again), but to a diff farm perhaps. :o) "
Surrey
- Flower Farm PYO
- strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, plums, asparagus, runner beans,
rhubarb, pumpkins and sweet corn
Oxted Road A25, Godstone, Surrey RH9 8DE. Phone: 01883 742288. Email: info@flowerfarmshop.co.uk. Open: daily from 9 am to 5 pm. Directions: 0.5 miles south of J6/M25, situated on A25 0.5 miles east of Godstone 25 acres of PYO. Flower Farm has offered pick your own crops since 1975 and grows a wide range of crops including. The season for English strawberries now extends from mid June until the beginning of August by making use of many different varieties. PYO season: Rhubarb from April to September; Asparagus in May; Strawberries from June to August; Raspberries from June to August; Blackberries from June to August; Runner Beans in September; Corn on the cob in September; Victoria Plums from September to October. The season for English strawberries now extends from mid June until the beginning of August by making use of many different varieties. Flower Farm has offered pick your own crops since 1975 and grows a wide range of crops including strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, plums, asparagus, runner beans, rhubarb and sweet corn. How does the fruit picking work? When you come to the farm, simply enter the shop and inform our team that you would like to go picking, you will then be handed a punnet to place your fruit into, then return to the shop after you have been picking to pay for your produce it’s as simple as that! Click here for a link to our Facebook page. (UPDATED: 11 July 2020, JBS)
A visitor writes on June 21, 2009: "I Picked strawberries today that were very nice. Good, well-stocked farm shop with butcher too. " -
Garson
Farm
- Huge selection
of fruit and vegetables for PYO
West End Lane, Esher, Surrey. Phone: 01372 464389. Alternate Phone: 01372 464778. Email: pyo@garsons.co.uk. Open: June until October; BOOK your Farm Pass today by clicking HERE. The largest ´pick your own´ farm in the UK, which also has an extensive shop/grocery store and a plant centre (nursery) . Easy to reach from the A3 and M25. As well as having the largest and most comprehensive Pick Your Own Farm in the UK, Garsons has a modern Garden Centre with Restaurant and a Farm Shop selling local and speciality foods. Garsons Pick Your Own farm grow 28 crops totaling 76 varieties - ensuring the picking season lasts from June until October. Take your pick from perfectly ripe soft fruits including strawberries and raspberries, fresh vegetables such as courgettes and peas and even beautiful seasonal sunflowers. All crops are easily accessible by car, and there is plenty of free parking on site, so enjoy a great day out in the fresh air with the family. For a full list of our crops and varieties see our Crops & Calendar, and view our Map and Crop Availability to see what's currently picking. We have taken the decision this year to introduce a minimum spend of £4 per adult for our pick-your-own fields, this is the equivalent of around 800g of Strawberries for example.
Rhubarb April - September;
Asparagus (ready picked) May;
Strawberries June - July;
Raspberries July - August;
Blackberries July - August;
Victoria plums July - August:
Corn on the cob August - September;
Runner Beans September.
(UPDATED: 20 October 2020 JBS)
Notes: I used to live just down the street (West End Lane). This is one I used to visit quite often! Blake -
Secretts Farm - asparagus, beetroot, blackberries, broad beans,
carrots, corn (sweet), courgettes, currants (red and black), flowers,
gooseberries, green beans, loganberries, other berries, peas, plums,
pumpkins, raspberries (red), raspberries (Spring, red), rhubarb,
strawberries, other vegetables, gift shop, concessions / refreshment stand,
restrooms, picnic area (bring your own food)
Chapel Lane, Milford, GU8 5HU. Phone: 01483 520500. Email: greg@secretts.co.uk. Open: Always call before you come to check availability; May to September for the summer season from 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and from 10am to 4pm on Sunday. Our on site cafe is also open selling hot and cold drinks, light meals and ‘pick n mix’ kids lunchboxes. Directions: Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Debit cards, Visa/MasterCard. Click here for our Facebook page. Our farm shop has won the Muddy Surrey award for best farm shop 4 yrs in a row. Our 150 acre farm was established in 1938 and is still producing a wide range of heritage vegetables such as carrots and beetroot. Known as top growers of vegetables and salad crops in the county, we are also suppliers of award winning fresh produce to top restaurants in the South East of England. Recently we have added a craft beer collection featuring Surrey based and National craft breweries. It’s the biggest and best craft beer collection in Surrey with over 100 beers from 35 breweries. Our craft gin collection is also a big hit. In addition our onsite Butchers, Tea Room, English Wine Merchant and Ethical Clothing and Gift Shop make Secretts a perfect lifestyle destination. Our extensive grounds are also perfect for summer picnics and leisurely strolls. Free car parking is available on site at the farm shop and pick your own. (UPDATED: 11 July 2020, JBS) (ADDED: August 2, 2008).
Plum, Damson and Gage Picking Tips, Recipes and Information
In the U.K., Plums Damsons and Gages typically peak during July for Sugar Plums; August for Blue, Yellow and Red Plums. In order to produce good local plums, producers depend on ideal spring and early summer weather conditions, and no late frosts. If you are looking for a plum festival, see this page.
Before you leave to go to the farm:
- Always call before you go to the farm - Plums are affected by weather (both rain and cooler temperature) more than most crops. And when they are in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon, so CALL first!
- Leave early. On weekends, then fields may be picked clean by NOON!
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Some growers furnish picking containers designed for plums, but they may
charge you for them; be sure to call before you go to see if you need to
bring
containers.
If you use your own containers, remember that heaping Plums more than 14 inches deep will bruise the fruit on the bottom. Plastic dishpans, metal oven pans with 3 inch tall sides and large pots make good containers. - Bring something to drink and a few snacks; you'd be surprised how you can work up a thirst and appetite! And don't forget hats and sunscreen for the sun. Bugs usually aren't a problem, but some deet might be good to bring along if it has been rainy.
- You might want to ask whether the plums are! There are two major types of plums: "Freestone" and. "Clingstone". Freestone plums have flesh that slips easily away from the pit. Clingstones are a REAL pain, because the fruit tenaciously clings to the stone or pit! Most plum varieties grown today are freestone and are usually available (depending upon your location) from June through September. Some nectarines are freestone and some are clingstone. Freestone nectarines are available in June and July. Most plum varieties are clingstone.
Tips on How to Pick Plums
A plum is softer than most fruit, so it is important to pick a plum gently, with little pressure. Using the sides of your fingers rather your fingertips helps to avoid bruising. Grab the plum firmly and pull it straight off the branch. DON'T drop the plum into the basket, but set it in gently!
Picking Tips:
How to tell if the plums are ripe!
- Attached to the tree: Plums are best picked when the fruit separates easily from the twigs. If it is hard to pull off the tree, it isn't ripe! Plums will not ripen further once removed from the tree (they only "soften")
- Color: Green is definitely unripe, but you can't use red color as an indicator of how ripe a plum is. Different plum varieties have differing colours, darker is usually better in any variety. Pick them when the ground color changes from green to yellow, orange, red or even blue or purple (or a combination).
- Softness: unless you like your plums very firm, pick your plums with just a little "give" when gently pressed. Plums at this stage are great for eating, freezing, and baking. Plums won't ripen very much after picking!
- Odor: It should smell sweet and ripe!
- Larger plums are riper.
- Sugar plums grow in clusters, so carefully select the plum you want out of the cluster.
- Place them gently in a shallow wide container, no more than 8-inches deep, to avoid crushing the fruit.
Marks on the Plums: Bugs (particularly squash bugs and stink bugs)
bite fruit during development and this results in some imperfections in the
plum. This is especially the case with organically raised fruit. These
look like dents in the plums if the plums were bitten by a bug when they
were young. This causes a spot that does not grow properly and makes a wrinkle
in the plum. There's nothing wrong with these plums. They may look funny, but
they will taste just as good as blemish-free plums, and it's better not to
have the pesticides!
When you get home
- Spread the fruit out on towels or newspapers and separate any mushy or damaged fruit to use immediately.
- Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash and cut the others and freeze them up!
- Even under ideal conditions plums will only keep for a week in a refrigerator, so for best flavor and texture, use them as soon as possible after purchase
Make preserves, can or freeze!
Easy directions, step by step, with photos
- plum jam
- plum jelly
- canned plums
- freeze plums
- canned plum pie filling to use in the winter
- plum pie recipe
- plum-blueberry pie
- plum salsa
- Plum chutney
- Spiced plums
- Plum butter
- Pickled plums
- Here are some great and easy plum desert recipes, like easy plum cobbler..
Plum dessert recipes
- Plum Cobbler
This recipe is easy and DELICIOUS!!! - Plum Torte
- Italian Prune Plums (Empress Plums)
How much do you need?
Raw measures:
- About 2 medium plums = 1/2 cup sliced plums.
- About 4 medium plums = 1 /2cup pureed plum.
- About 3 medium plums = 1 /2 pound of plums
Process yields (Raw amounts to processed amounts)
- 2 to 21/2 pounds of fresh plums yields 1 quart canned
- 1 lb of fresh plums typically yields 3 cups of peeled, sliced plums or 2 cups or puree.
- It takes about 10 plums to fill one quart jar of canned plums.
- An average of 171/2 pounds of fresh plums are needed per canner load of 7 quarts;
- An average of 11 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints.
- 1 bushel = 48 to 50 pounds, yields approximately 18 to 25 quart jars.
Plums-Average retail price per pound and per cup equivalent
Plum pit tips
It's best to remove plum pits before you cook the plums. Cherry, plum, and apricot pits also contain amygdalin; the latter two, in potentially harmful amounts. Fortunately, plum and apricot pits are sufficiently large and hard that few people intentionally swallow or chew them. (The unapproved anti-cancer drug Laetrile is a semisynthetic derivative of amygdalin; a cheaper version of laetrile produced in Mexico came from crushed apricot pits.) See this page for more information.
Nutritional Information
- plums are virtually fat free. A medium size plum contains less than one gram of fat.
- plums are naturally sodium free.
- plums have no cholesterol.
- plums are a low calorie snack. A medium size plum contains only 40 calories.
- plums contain vitamin A which helps us see in dim light.
- plums are considered a good source of fiber. The skin of a plum provides both roughage and fiber.
Temporary Storage Tips
- Ripe plums have a creamy or golden undertone and "plumy-sweet" fragrance.
- Plums should be refrigerated and used within a few days.
- Putting plums in a loosely closed paper bag at room temperature for a day or two can help soften firm fruit - but they won't become sweeter or ripen further - that stopped when they were removed from th etree.
- For best flavor, allow the fruit to ripen fully on the tree.
- Store at 33 F to 40 F and high humidity (a vegetable drawer in the fridge).
Click here for farmshops in this area