and as self-fertile varieties that will crop well without the need to consider pollination issues. Good for eating and cooking, it’s self-fertile, but as it flowers mid-season, it can be cross-pollinated with most other plum trees Prunus insititia ‘Farleigh Damson’ RHS AGM – also known as ‘Farleigh’ and ‘Farleigh Prolific’, this is one of the best damsons, especially if … Plums are delicious fruits that grow on trees and are classified in the genus Prunus. If the attack is … Hybrid plums combine the taste and size of the Japanese and other Asian varieties with the extreme hardiness of the American plums. That's why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our earth-friendly automatic renewal savings plan. Plum trees, like other fruiting trees, benefit from a regular maintenance program of pruning, fertilizing and preventive spraying to foster the healthiest most bountiful crops. Hi, thanks for stopping by. You'll find tips for slashing heating bills, growing fresh, natural produce at home, and more. Plums are popular and deservedly so: the sweet fruits are perfect for eating, but also wonderful in pies, desserts and jams. Factors such as location and weather will play a part in which issues your tree encounters. All are semi–dwarf on Citation rootstock. The attacked fruit will fall from the tree before its time. It’s time for tree-planting – and the choice you’ve got is enormous. European-type plums include the prunes and damsons: "Italian" and "Stanley" are two of the most famous. Owing to these nutrients and more, plums help improve the heart’s health, circulation of blood, lower the cholesterol level, remove the appearance of skin … If the temps dip below freezing, the oil can harm the tree. Similar to peaches and cherries, plums are a rich source of vitamin A and vitamin C and various antioxidants. In both cases, the knots and cankers eventually girdle the tree and … Use sticky traps to ensnare the moths. Hang 1/4- to 1/2-inch plastic or nylon mesh netting over the pine trees. At MOTHER EARTH NEWS for 50 years and counting, we are dedicated to conserving our planet's natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. Netting is the most effective way to prevent birds from stealing your plums, according to the University of California Integrated Pest Management Program. Canadian subscriptions: 1 year (includes postage & GST). Sign up for our newsletter. Avalon is a large mid-season red/purple plum, similar to Victoria, with a very good flavour. Spray every 10 days during fruit development. This application will prevent aphid and mite egg production, and scale. Once petals have fallen from the plum tree, check for aphids. Plum trees. AVALON PLUM TREE A new variety of plum which in most areas is more than a match for most other varieties. (45 kg) of medium-sized fruits. Flowering and Pollination: This typically occurs around age 3. The big question is, when and what to spray on plum trees. European-type plums are upright and can grow to be quite tall. It is often essential to prop up branches in mid- and late summer, as fruit weight can otherwise snap them. Controlling Leaf Curl Plum Aphids - Leaf Curl Plum Aphid Treatment And Prevention, Pests On Plum Trees – How To Deal With Common Plum Tree Pests, How And When To Use Permethrin: Applying Permethrin In The Garden, What Is A Gray Headed Coneflower Plant - Care For Gray Headed Coneflowers, Why Do Flowers Change Color – Chemistry Behind Flower Color Change, Desert Gardening For Beginners - Desert Gardening 101, Japanese Yew Pruning Maintenance – Tips For Trimming A Japanese Yew, What Is Orange Jasmine: Learn About Orange Jasmine Care, Fragrant Garden Plants – Best Smelling Plants For Gardens, Honeyberry Growing Tips: How To Grow Honeyberries In Pots. Cultivated plums in the United States generally fall into three categories, he says. Instead of trying to force a tree to thrive where it just won’t (creating a lot of headache for you), you should plant trees that will work not only with Alabama’s climate, but with your yard as well. Already a Member but By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $5 and get 6 issues of MOTHER EARTH NEWS for only $12.95 (USA only). Prunes from these plums are the sweetest and easiest to dry. Spray again with a mix of fungicide, malathion and sulfur to control leaf curl, plum pocket, scab and brown rot and aphids. Black-knot can be a problem in Mississippi plum trees, usually when those trees are within about 600 feet of wild plums and cherries or when the trees have not received care for a substantial length of time. Other possible pests are borers , aphids , … John Bunker sells fruit trees through FEDCO, a mail-order nursery cooperative in Waterville, Maine. Plum trees take 4-5 years to begin producing fruit. Japanese plum. If you see aphids, spray either with neem oil, zinc sulfate, or add some dishwashing liquid to malathion and spray the tree concentrating on getting any curled leaves. Deer also like to eat the foliage of plum trees. John Bunker sells fruit trees through FEDCO, a mail-order nursery cooperative in Waterville, Maine. Read on to find out. Spray with a fungicide to prevent things like: This is also a good time to apply Bacillius thuringiensis to the plum tree to keep oriental fruit moth and twig borer at bay. TyTy Nursery offers a wide range of plum hybrids-fruits fitting properly on any dessert table for fresh eating. Widely adapted, reliably prolific, more compact, and less demanding than most fruit trees, plums are a natural choice for the home grower. Damsons are usually cooked or turned into jam. Plum trees are susceptible to several diseases and pests that not only damage the tree and fruit, but act as vectors for diseases, so spraying plum trees on a regular schedule is paramount to their health. Japanese types are mostly descended from the plums introduced by Luther Burbank in Santa Rosa, California. Requires a pollinator. A large red plum with sweet yellow flesh. It is difficult to find a tree that will guarantee fruit next year, or the following year. They do require cross-pollination. Many of the plum names reflect the heritage of the Great Plains: for example, "Waneta," after a Yanktonai Sioux leader. Prune them to a central leader (in a pyrarnidal shape). Click here to go to our comprehensive description and pictures of the Avalon plum tree. Avalon. don't have an online For a Japanese type, try the ‘Satsuma’ , which produces large, dark-red plums. Place a coffee filter at the bottom of a 4-inch pot and then fill the pot with the planting mixture. The flowers really are the best smelling blossoms I … Once fruit has set, they may need thinning to ease congestion and weight in the canopy, as well as to boost fruit size. When it comes to growing plums in Alabama, Japanese plums are better grown in the South than European dessert plums. Perennial canker is a similar fungal infection caused by the Valsa cincta and V. leucostoma fungi, and causes oval cankers to appear on the branches and trunk. Unpruned, semi–dwarf trees reach 3/4 of standard size (about 8'–14'). John sells fruit trees through a mail-order nursery cooperative in Maine. What to spray on your plum trees is as important as when to spray. All varieties are self-pollinating, except for those noted. like the hybrids, these trees are relatively low and wide-spreading, with large, roundish fruit with skin color that varies from yellow to black and several shades in between. Fungicides apparently suppress the disease, but pruning out black-knot cankers anywhere on the tree … Special frames can be used that holds the netting away from the tree to keep birds from accessing plums on the edges. Plum fruits are a type of drupe because they have a stone in the middle that’s surrounded by soft, sweet or tart flesh. On the leaves forms some circular spots of discoloration, that will cover all the leaves. Whichever works for you, the important thing is to stick to the annual spray maintenance schedule for when and what to spray on your plum trees. "I wish I could grow them in Maine," John says, with a laugh. John Bunker shares his picks for the best tasting and easiest to grow plums. Pest & Disease Control for Plum Trees. The wild plum tree is one of best ways of attracting deer and other wildlife to the property. The second time you’ll use plum tree fruit sprays is when the tree begins to bud but shows no color in the spring. Another advantage of plum trees is that they produce fruit sooner than many other deer favorite fruit trees. Sign in with your online account. Lower elevation areas and valley growers may plant any variety. Plant at least two different varieties—better yet, three or four, so the branches intertwine. STOP spraying a week or so prior to harvesting. If you are looking for a nice selection of trees to start growing, for your patio, or for a smaller garden then you will be pleased to know that you can get a nice ready made selection of 1 apple, 1 pear and 1 plum tree, separately labelled. You can do this by specific dates or, more importantly, maintain your schedule by the stage of the tree. Keep in mind that dormant oil cannot be applied when a freeze is expected. Visit this story's main page to learn more about the North American Fruit Explorers and growing America's best fruit. Learn about the best tasting and easiest to grow plums. One of his specialties is plums: He's grown more than 30 varieties on his farm in Palermo, Maine. Easy to Add to Your Diet. This is primarily a top quality eating plum but it also cooks well when harvested slightly earlier. If you uncurl the leaf the aphids will be seen inside - small green, white or light brown insects. Like to read more content, Join the Mother Earth News Community Today. Get rid of any infected wild cherries in the vicinity. You can make slivovitz (or a close approximation) with the fruit from ornamental plum trees — or from any kind of edible plum that happens to be … They are usually self-pollinating, so you can get by with one tree in the yard. One of his specialties is plums: He's grown more than 30 varieties on his farm in Palermo, Maine. Canadian Subscribers - Click Here Your local extension office or a good nursery can help you further to create a schedule for spraying plum trees and offer advice on products and/or non-chemical options for controlling disease and pests on your plum tree. Fill … It is applied BEFORE buds appear. The big question is, when and what to spray on plum trees. Of course if you choose to leave the fruit on your tree… For the home gardener, plums offer an additional bonus: the trees add a beautiful, graceful touch to any home … Already a Member? John Bunker tell readers about the best tasting and easiest to grow plums. ... but are superb for fresh eating. International Subscribers - Click Here account? Growing plums doesn’t require as much work as, say, apples or cherries.There are also many different types of plums that take to a wide variety of climates, so there’s likely one that will thrive in … Bunker recommends setting them 4 to 6 feet apart. There are around 40 species of plums, and a single plum tree can yield around 100 lbs. Plum trees are susceptible to several diseases and pests that not only damage the tree and fruit, but act as vectors for diseases, so spraying plum trees on a regular schedule is paramount to their health. Go to this story's image gallery to see a chart of the best-tasting and easiest to grow plums. Many wild types of plum trees grow along crop fences in the South - plums of various colors,fruit size and sourness or sweetness are tested by farm youthful excursions in the spring. For a shorter specimen, keep the leader cut back. Japanese Plum Trees feature a round or heart shape and firm skin and flesh, and they are delicious when eaten right off the tree or … In case of black knot, remove and bum infected branches. Plant multiple plum trees for increased flower pollination. Dessert (eating) or culinary (cooking): Plum and gages are either dessert or culinary, although some are dual-purpose. Collection: Bare Root Plum Trees Enjoy the fruits of your labor by planting a bare root plum tree! Like all fruit trees, deer love to eat American plum trees' buds and leaves, while voles like to chew the young bark in the winter. Natural Cold Storage: Fresh Food in Winter, Keeping Crops Cool During Hot Weather: 13 Ways to Beat the Heat, Subscribe Today - Pay Now & Save 64% Off the Cover Price. You may also use the Bill Me option and pay $17.95 for 6 issues. At this time, spray a second time with Bacillius thuringiensis and fungicide.