Plum Duo 'Victoria' & 'Czar'

Where to Plant
Choose an open, sunny and preferably sheltered position with fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil. Plenty of sunshine helps the fruit develop and ripen well. Avoid frost pockets, which can leave spring blossom vulnerable to frost damage, and avoid ground that regularly becomes waterlogged.

When to Plant
Bare-root plum trees are best planted while dormant, from late autumn to early spring. Avoid planting when the ground is frozen or waterlogged.

Preparing Your Tree
Unpack your tree promptly and soak the roots in a bucket of water for a few hours before planting to make sure they are well hydrated. Dig a generous planting hole wide enough for the roots to spread naturally without bending or crowding them.

Planting Your Bare-Root Tree
Look for the soil mark on the stem showing the level at which the tree was previously growing. Position the tree at approximately the same depth, making sure the graft union remains clearly above soil level. Spread the roots naturally, backfill with the excavated soil and gently firm as you go to remove large air pockets. Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil around the roots.

Staking
Stake the tree when planting to keep it stable while its roots establish. Secure it with a suitable tree tie and check the tie regularly, loosening it as the trunk grows. Trees on St Julien A should be supported for around the first five years while they establish.

Watering
Water regularly during the first growing season, keeping the soil moist but not waterlogged. Established trees may also need additional water during prolonged dry spells, particularly while the fruit is developing and swelling.

Feeding & Mulching
Apply a suitable fruit tree fertiliser in spring to support healthy growth, flowering and cropping. Add a 5–10cm layer of well-rotted garden compost or organic mulch around the base to help retain moisture and suppress weeds, keeping the mulch clear of the trunk.

Pruning Your Plum Duo
Unlike apples and pears, plum trees should be pruned during the growing season rather than in winter to reduce the risk of silver leaf disease. Remove dead, damaged or crossing growth where necessary and maintain a balanced, open framework. Keep an eye on both varieties so one doesn't become significantly more vigorous than the other.

Top Tip:
When pruning, make sure you can identify which branches belong to each variety. Keeping both sides balanced will help you continue enjoying good crops of both 'Czar' and 'Victoria'.

Pollination
'Victoria' and 'Czar' are both self-fertile and belong to pollination group 3. This means your Plum Duo can produce fruit without another plum tree nearby, while the two varieties also flower at a similar time.

Encouraging a Good Crop
White spring blossom attracts pollinating insects, which help the flowers develop into fruit. A sunny, sheltered position will give your tree the best conditions for flowering and fruiting. Protect blossom from severe late frost where practical, as damaged flowers can reduce the eventual harvest.

Balancing the Two Varieties
Keep an eye on both 'Victoria' and 'Czar' as the tree develops. If one variety becomes noticeably more vigorous, careful pruning can help maintain a balanced framework and give both varieties plenty of room to flower and fruit.

When Will My Tree Fruit?
Trees on St Julien A rootstock generally start fruiting after around 3–4 years, although this can vary depending on the age of the tree when planted, growing conditions and how quickly it establishes. Crops should become more generous as the tree matures.

When to Harvest
One of the advantages of growing 'Czar' and 'Victoria' together is that they don't ripen at exactly the same time. 'Czar' starts the harvest in early August, followed by 'Victoria' from late August into early September, giving you a longer plum-picking season.

Picking 'Czar'
'Czar' develops very deep blue-purple fruit and is generally ready from early August. For cooking, the plums can be picked while still fairly firm. Leave them to ripen fully if you want softer, sweeter fruit for eating fresh.

Picking 'Victoria'
'Victoria' develops its characteristic red-flushed colour as it ripens. Pick once the fruit feels slightly soft when gently pressed and comes away easily from the tree. Fully ripe fruit has sweet, juicy golden-yellow flesh.

How to Pick
Handle ripe plums gently, as the fruit can bruise easily. Check your tree regularly as harvest approaches and pick fruit as it ripens rather than trying to harvest everything at once.

Top Tip:
Plums on the same tree won't necessarily ripen together. Check the fruit every few days during the harvest period and enjoy each variety as it reaches its best.

'Czar' – Brilliant for Cooking
Deep blue-purple 'Czar' is particularly useful in the kitchen. Its fruit is excellent for crumbles, pies, jams, preserves and compotes, and if allowed to become fully ripe it can also be enjoyed fresh.

'Victoria' – Sweet & Versatile
'Victoria' is one of Britain's favourite dual-purpose plums for good reason. Sweet and juicy when ripe, it's delicious picked straight from the tree but equally useful for baking, stewing, jams and preserves.

Fresh from the Tree
Allow plums for fresh eating to ripen fully for their best sweetness and flavour. 'Victoria' is particularly good eaten fresh, while fully ripe 'Czar' gives you another option earlier in the season.

Storing Your Plums
Fresh plums are best enjoyed soon after picking. Keep ripe, undamaged fruit in the fridge for short-term storage and bring it back to room temperature before eating for the best flavour.

Preserving Your Harvest
A generous plum crop doesn't need to go to waste. Stone and freeze surplus fruit for later baking and cooking, or turn it into jams, chutneys, compotes and preserves to enjoy long after the harvest has finished.

Bare-Root Trees
Your bare-root tree will arrive dormant, without a pot or compost around its roots, ready for planting. It may have no leaves at this stage, which is completely normal – once temperatures rise in spring, it will naturally come back into active growth. Unpack your tree promptly, keep the roots moist and plant as soon as possible.

Why Has My Tree Been Pruned?
Your tree may be pruned before despatch to encourage strong, well-branched growth. This helps it establish a balanced shape and encourages healthy, productive growth as both varieties develop.

What Is a Plum Duo?
A Plum Duo has two different fruiting varieties grafted onto a single rootstock. On this tree, both 'Victoria' and 'Czar' grow from the same root system, allowing you to enjoy two different plum varieties without planting two separate trees.

What Does St Julien A Mean?
St Julien A is a semi-vigorous rootstock widely used for plum trees. It provides a good balance between controlled size and productive growth and is suitable for several different forms of plum tree.

What Does Grafted Mean?
Grafting joins the chosen fruiting varieties to a compatible rootstock so they grow together as one tree. You may notice raised areas where the different parts have been joined – these graft unions are a normal part of the tree.

If You Can't Plant Straight Away
If planting is delayed, keep the bare roots cool, moist and protected. For more than a short delay, temporarily heel the roots into moist soil in a sheltered position until conditions are suitable for planting.

After Planting
Water regularly while your tree establishes, particularly during dry weather in its first growing season. Mulching around the base in spring will help conserve moisture and suppress weeds, but always leave a clear gap around the trunk.