They will ripen some off the tree. So you can pick them fully colored and ripen them at room temperature. But it is best to pick them after they start to feel soft to the touch. That is how I pick mine.

They soften off the tree, not sweeten. Santa Rosa will store well in fridge even when picked soft so why not get them as sweet as possible? To me that's what makes growing plums wonderful although Zeiger has come up with varieties that can be picked quite hard and still be sugar sweet.

Apples can sweeten in storage because starches convert to sugar but this doesn't happen with stone fruit.

The whole point of growing fruit at home is to get better fruit than you can buy at the supermarket. Tree ripened is going to be miles better than what you can buy at the market.

I let my fruit ripen as close to tree ripe as I can get it. Sometimes, there is a race with the birds and fruit has to be picked before I want to pick it.

I have a Santa Rosa plum getting ready for picking. Majority of the crop will be used to make jam. Should these be picked slightly firm for jam tartness or wait until soft on the tree?

We have a Santa Rosa Plum---they are delicious!!!

Ours is 35 to 40 years old and this summer a major branch broke--like half the tree---not good!

I was wondering it there a life span to this tree--anyone knowA?????

I failed to keep the tree pruned properly, and lost many branches due to the weight of the fruit. Tree has had trouble recuperating since 2010. Drought for a few years and severe water restrictions didn't help either. I solved my bird problem with netting! A 40'X40' works fine. Can't go organic due to plum curculio and thrips. I won't eat plums infested with the curculios.