Greengage or Victoria plum?

[MinnieMountain]

I’m going to plant a small fruit tree to replace a plane tree that has to go.

DH wants a Victoria plum because they’re impossible to buy in the shops and he has fond memories of his DGM growing one.

DS wants a greengage because they taste nice. I’m more on the Victoria plum side but not overly bothered.

Are there any particular pros or cons to help us decide?

Whichever we chose will be on a pixie rootstock.

We have a VP and it's fab. Beautiful & easy to care for tree with delicious fruit, what's not to like?? Not a fan of GG fruit so it's an easy win for me.

Sounds like a no-brainer @CorpusCallosum .

I’m going to pull the “I’m planting it, so tough” card (DS is 8).

Feel like most of the time greengages are cookers rather than eaters, where as with my mums Victoria plum you end up cooking with them because there are too many to eat fresh.

I have seen some nurseries do a dual plum and gage tree.

Opal is like a VP but a bit more disease resistant. What’s the site like and what are you replacing?

both plums and gages like a warm sheltered spot, not too wet or prone to frost.

best time to plant is November- march

It’s a sunny, sheltered spot close to a fence. We do get frost but DH’s DGM grew one in the same city, so I presume that’s ok.

It’s replacing a London plane planted by a previous owner. Our tree surgeon is going to grind the stump out.

Planes are big trees is there not room for both? Or, would a vp take a graft from a greengage?

Yeah just check out your last frost date and make sure it sets blossom after that date and you should be fine

I’ve just made Greengage jam (unfortunately not grown by me) it’s really delicious and a bit out of the ordinary. Probably doesn’t help you much, sorry.

I’ve got both, on a rootstock that only gets to 4 metres. I marginally prefer the green gage, proper ripe off the tree they are a delight raw or cooked. But it’s marginal.

Also probably because I have a memory of the green gage summer a book I loved as a teenager.

Same here.

Love my greengage tree!

Both are delicious so either way you’re doing to end up happy I reckon. We’ve a Victoria plum that’s just had its first year fruiting and it’s been lovely. Dad has a greengage and that’s gorgeous too. No help at all I’m afraid 🤣