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Theft of Victoria Plums

oldspottycatoldspottycat Posts: 3
in Problem solving

A few weeks ago I went into the garden to harvest the Victoria plums that had been hanging there, most perfectly ripe but a good number still green, a day or two earlier, only to discover that the tree had been completely, indeed forensically, stripped - no branches broken, no unripe ones left, no mess on the ground, no trace.  Some had been really high up too.  I was completely baffled.  Searching the web, squirrels were being mentioned as likely suspects, plums being stoned fruit.  Does anyone have experience of this happening to them or can offer any likely scenarios as to what happened?  Even better, any ideas how to prevent it happening next year?

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  • pansyfacepansyface Posts: 21,901

    Yes, squirrels.

    I pick them when they are just beginning to get a nice colour but before the birds, squirrels and wasps are interested in them. They ripen well indoors.

    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
    If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
  • oldspottycatoldspottycat Posts: 3

    Wow, thanks.  I've never experienced this before.  It was the fact that even the green ones went that puzzled me - would squirrels take these too?

  • BLTBLT Posts: 525

    Vicroria plums are only available in the shops for about 4 weeks.. they are not cheap either, maybe you were 'Scrumpted'..

  • Steve the Gardening VetSteve the Gardening Vet Posts: 1,621

    There is really nothing worse than someone unexpectedly grabbing your plums.

     

    I'll get my coat. image

  • Steve 309Steve 309 Posts: 2,753

    image

  • oldspottycatoldspottycat Posts: 3

    It did cross my mind, but anyone stealing plums would be likely to cause some damage and surely would not bother taking green or damaged ones or those up high - might even drop a few on the way out.  This was a meticulously executed operation with no finger/paw) prints or plums left! Thanks for your replies, appreciated!

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 83,847

    I reckon it's crows - they like plums - next year hang some big strips of tinfoil in the tree - it might just deter them - but it might not, they're very intelligent creatures.


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 52,081

    Nice to have you back Steve image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Steve the Gardening VetSteve the Gardening Vet Posts: 1,621

    Joking aside, nearly every damned plum I got this year had a plum moth caterpillar inside. Pheromone traps to be deployed next year!

  • Steve the Gardening VetSteve the Gardening Vet Posts: 1,621

    FG - it was impossible to resist...

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