Plum Tree

[Coneflower]

Hi, I'm new to this web board - so sorry if this has been a previous post.

I bought a Plum tree a couple years ago in the Spring. It was quite small, but by fall of the first year we had enough plums for my children and I to each sample a couple. They were delicious! I had visions of plum jelly dancing in my head for the next year.

The next Spring came and went leaving dozens of tiny green plums starting out. I hadn't anticipated my youngest son going out to "pick plums' not knowing they were not ready to pick by any stretch of the imagination. It was a sad year indeed with no plums.

Oh well, I figured - there's always next year. This Spring the plum tree, which has quadrupled in size - had a lovely show of blossoms and what I thought was the promise of more new plums. The kids were all aware that they could NOT pick any of the plums until they were all ripe - so I had no worry that they would be picked off.

However, we never did see any plums - no little green ones ever started.

Another Plum-less year.

Did picking the unripe plums last year affect this years?? Does anyone have plums? I recall a plum tree in my neighbors back yard growing up - which was why I wanted one. Nothing better then fresh plums. It seemed to me his plum tree was not consistent year to year either, but it's been a long time.

Can anyone clue me in?

Thanks!!

[Jess]

Hi coneflower

Did you have a dry Winter/Spring? Not totally dry but maybe just less rainfall than usual? Plums need a lot of water through the Winter and in Spring to set fruit. You mentioned it had grown much bigger which would mean more water needed. Also I don't know where you have it planted but make sure it is not in competition with grass in a lawn and give it a good mulch this Autumn. Picking the unripe fruit off last year should not make any difference.

[Coneflower]

Thanks bunches! I will take your advice with the mulch and make sure to keep it well watered. It seems to me it was quite a dry Spring now that you mentioned it. Mulch and water!!! Thanks for the response!

[pixelphoto]

also some fruiting trees are biannual meaning they will produce good one year and the next year not so good.
so they do good one year then skip a year then the third year produce and so on.
This could also be the case.

[earwig]

Coneflower,
I noticed that you're from Minnesota. I live a couple states south of you and we had a late, late spring freeze this year which kept ALL of our fruiting trees from fruiting this year. My neighbors and I were very disappointed. We have cherry, apricot, peaches, grapes and apples, and not one of them produced a single bit of fruit.
Don't know if you experienced the same late freeze that we did. But that's why ours did not produce this year.
On the other hand, ALL of our fruit trees looks so nice and full! The extra rain and plenty of sunshine have forced them all to work on their roots. We're anticipating a good crop next year! Hopefully.
Hope this helps and maybe you can look forward to a great crop of plums next year!

[Coneflower]

Yes we did have a late freeze. The blooms were already on the plum tree. The mystery may be solved.

Yes, the plum tree has really filled out and gotten quite a bit bigger this year.

Still, I think the mulching and extra water certainly will help too. Is there a way to prevent losing the fruit with a late frost?