Plum 'The Czar'

• Apply a slow-release fertiliser such as blood, fish and bone in early spring, and mulch to retain moisture.
• For the biggest, juiciest plums, thin the fruits in May by removing some of the smaller, immature fruits. Then in July, while the plums are still hard, remove any that are damaged or diseased or touching others.
• Water regularly, and don't let the soil dry out if planted in pots.
• Hang wasp traps in trees and harvest crops as soon as they ripen.
• Avoid leaving windfalls or over-ripe fruit on the ground.
• Prune trees in late in July when they're in full growth.
• For young trees, take back the new upright growth by about a third. For older, mature trees, remove any dead, diseased or dying branches and then prune the older branches hard to promote productivity, aiming for an overall goblet shape.

Please allow us 3-5 working days to dispatch your order. Pre-ordered items will be sent as soon as possible after the date quoted and we'll generally ship your entire order with your pre-ordered items. When your order is dispatched, we'll send you another email with details of how to track it.

Most orders are sent on a fully-tracked courier service with Yodel. To avoid perishable items being stuck at depots and deteriorating, no signature is required, and our courier is asked to leave your order in a safe place on your property.

We'll send a tracking link when we dispatch your order, so you know when its due to arrive. Please note, once delivered we cannot be held responsible for loss or theft from your property. If you have any specific delivery instructions, please let us know - there's an option to enter a short message for the courier at the checkout.

Smaller, lighter, single-item orders may be sent through the post with Royal Mail - in which case no tracking is available.

Our experienced nursery team will always send your plants nursery fresh in the perfect condition to thrive when you plant them, so although most plants are very tough and will not be affected by all but the most extreme frosts or heatwaves, we avoid dispatching the most perishable plants if extreme weather is forecast, or over Bank Holiday weekends.

Please note, we cannot guarantee delivery on a certain day or time. Delivery to outlying postcode areas may take 1-2 days longer, dependent on your location.