Q&A for How to Ripen a Plum

That tip refers to the side of the plum that is across from the stem.

Color is immaterial, the bag's purpose is to trap the ripening agents and to absorb excess moisture.

They might be getting bruised, or they might be ripening too quickly, it depends on what you normally carry your lunch in. I'd recommend you get a small plastic container just for your plum.

It takes about two weeks for a plum to ripen, but you should really look at the color of the plum to be sure. For example, some plums change from green to a dark blue or purple when they are ripe.

Just pluck after they are of desired size, put them in a bowl of rice and leave it for a day and they will ripe up.

Check the color. Most plums you would find at your local supermarket are of purple variety and should appear as a deep, even color. You can also smell the plum. A plum that is ripe should have a sweet, fruity smell. Finally, feel the plum. When it is ripe, it should give slightly to a squeeze, and be semi-soft.

You can prop up heavy limbs to prevent them from breaking while the plums ripen. You can also trim a foot or two off the ends of the heaviest branches to give the tree some relief. Save the plums from the trimmed sections and let them ripen at room temperature.

I sure would,before I'd let those useless singing things have them!! I grab the ones on ground for my compost, they get pretty messy & give those useless stingers a treat. Stung twice this year! Look them up, are they good for anything?? They are awful. Sorry God,don't get it!! Sincerely, Stung twice.

Leave them there. Eventually they will rot and give back the nutrients to the tree.

If you have a wildly-loaded branch, your best bet is to take quite a lot of the plums off - half, or even more - otherwise, you risk the branch breaking. It feels horrible losing all these unripe plums, but they can go on the compost heap, or you may be able to find a recipe for unripe plum chutney.

Microwaving plums won't ripen them. It'll make them softer, sure, but the texture and flavor won't be right. If you want them to ripen quickly, it's best to put them in a bag with a ripe apple or banana and wait a day or two.

Cloth will not make a plum ripen any faster. A closed paper bag is the best method for ripening plums.

Yes, you should. Just rinsing them under the tap will get rid of any debris on them.