My Garden
| Category | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Plant Type | Perennial plant | |
| Culinary Usage | Edible plant | |
| Medicinal Usage | Medicinal Usage | |
| Duration to maturity | 3 years to harvest | |
| Estimated Plant Lifespan | 25 years lifespan | |
| Toxicity | Toxic to: Pits (contain cyanogenic glycosides) | |
| Sun Requirements | 6+ hours direct sunlight (Full Sun) | |
| Pollination | Method: Animal (primarily insects) Notes: Many Prunus domestica cultivars are self-fertile and can produce fruit with their own pollen. However, cross-pollination with another compatible plum variety often leads to higher yields and larger fruit. Bees are the primary pollinators. Manual pollination can be performed using a soft brush to transfer pollen between flowers, especially useful for increasing fruit set in self-incompatible varieties or in areas with low pollinator activity. | |
| Watering Requirements | Method: Top water Frequency: Regularly, especially during dry periods and fruit development Notes: Young plum trees require consistent moisture for establishment. Mature trees need deep watering, especially during prolonged dry spells or when fruit is setting and developing. Aim for about 1 inch of water per week from rainfall or irrigation. Avoid frequent shallow watering, which encourages shallow roots. Ensure good drainage to prevent root rot. | |
| Humidity Requirements | Level: Moderate | |
| Care Instructions | Pruning is essential for plum trees to maintain shape, improve fruit production, and enhance air circulation to reduce disease. Prune in late winter or early spring while dormant to remove dead, diseased, or crossing branches and to open up the canopy. Thinning fruit in early summer (removing excess small fruits) can lead to larger, healthier remaining fruits and prevent limb breakage. Monitor for pests and diseases regularly and address them promptly. | |
| Temperature Range | Min: -29°C Max: 35°C | |
| Alternative Names | European plum, Prunus bokhariensis, Prunus communis domestica, Prunus domestica oeconomica, Prunus oeconomica, Prunus oeconomica domestica, Prunus polymorpha domestica, Prunus sativa domestica, Prunus spinosa domestica |
Cultivars
Large, shallow-rooted trees like Red Maple can aggressively compete with plum trees for water and nutrients, especially if planted within the plum tree's root zone, leading to stunted growth or reduced fruit production for the plum.
Dense turf grasses like Kentucky Bluegrass, especially when grown close to the trunk, compete heavily with young plum trees for water and nutrients, hindering their establishment and growth. Maintaining a weed-free zone around the plum's base is crucial.
Small, dark beetles that lay eggs in developing fruit, causing crescent-shaped scars. Larvae tunnel into the fruit, leading to premature fruit drop or wormy plums. Infested fruit often drops and becomes inedible.
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new growth and the undersides of leaves, sucking sap. This causes distorted, curled leaves, stunted growth, and sticky 'honeydew' which can lead to sooty mold.
Larvae of this moth tunnel into the core of developing fruit, creating visible holes and frass (excrement). This damage makes the fruit unfit for consumption and can lead to fruit drop.
Larvae bore into the trunk and larger roots near the soil line, causing damage that can girdle the tree. Symptoms include wilting branches, oozing sap mixed with sawdust-like frass from holes in the bark, and general decline of tree vigor.
Steps:
- Choose a suitable rootstock (often a related Prunus species) and a scion (a dormant shoot from the desired plum cultivar).
- Ensure both rootstock and scion are healthy and free of disease.
- Perform a grafting technique (e.g., whip-and-tongue, cleft graft, or T-budding) that creates good cambial contact between the scion and rootstock.
- Secure the graft union tightly with grafting tape or rubber bands to hold it in place and prevent desiccation.
- Apply grafting wax or sealant over the entire graft union to protect it from moisture loss and pests.
- Place the grafted plant in a sheltered location with appropriate moisture and temperature for healing.
- Monitor the graft for successful union (indicated by new shoot growth from the scion) and remove any suckers from the rootstock below the graft union.
Neem oil spray
Effective organic insecticide and fungicide, useful for controlling aphids, mites, and some fungal diseases without harming beneficial insects if applied correctly.
Horticultural oil
Used to smother overwintering eggs of pests like aphids and mites, and to control scale insects and young borers during dormant or growing seasons.
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)
A naturally occurring bacterium that targets and controls caterpillar pests like codling moth larvae, specific to their digestive systems and harmless to other organisms.
Beneficial nematode applications
Microscopic worms that seek out and kill soil-dwelling pests, including some borer larvae and plum curculio larvae, without harming plants or humans.
Compost tea
A liquid fertilizer derived from compost, rich in beneficial microbes and nutrients, enhancing soil health and plant vigor, which can increase disease resistance.
Diatomaceous earth
A natural abrasive powder that can be dusted on plants to deter crawling insects like ants (which 'farm' aphids) and some borers by dehydrating them.