Plum Tree Care

Plums
Plum trees should not be the first choice of fruit tree for the totally inexperienced gardener, but with a little knowledge they are not too hard to grow - read on and let GardenAction show you how.

PLUM TREE
QUICK GUIDE

Latin Name
Prunus Domestica

Type
Hardy deciduous tree

Site and Soil
Most prefer full sun. Very tolerant of soil conditions

Plant to Harvest Time
A 2 year tree will produce fruit 3 years after planting

How Many?
Standard or bush) 25 kilos (58lb). Greengages - 12 kilos (28lb).

Choosing Your Plum Tree
Give careful consideration to what type of plum tree is best for you. Buying a plum tree which might grow to 9m (30ft) tall producing masses of cooking plums is not a good idea if you have a small garden and want eating plums!

The three key factors in choosing a plum tree are size, taste and pollination. GardenAction explains all three.

SIZE

Fan trained plum trees grow to an eventual height of around 2 m (7 ft). Although the shortest of all the forms, they will grow to a width of around 3 m and are really only a practical proposition when grown against a wall (not north-facing). If you have that sort of wall space available, this is the form for you.

Pyramid trained plum trees are free-standing and will grow to an eventual height of 2.5 m (8 ft). These are a good form for a smallish garden - their spread will be about 1.6 m (5 ft). This form of tree has branches radiating out in random directions from a straight central trunk

Plum Tree Pyramid type

Bush trained plum trees are free-standing and are taller than the pyramid form - around 4m when mature. They do have one advantage over the pyramid form however, the branches and foliage is held around 1 m (3 ft) high from the ground - this makes mowing around the tree much easier. The downside is that some of the fruit will be too high to pick without the use of a ladder.

Half Standard trained plum trees are again free- standing and will grow to a height of around 6 m (20 ft). This is a largish tree and only suitable for medium to large gardens. It will produce a mass of plums each year, most of them needing a ladder to harvest.

Plum Tree Half standard type

Plum Tree Standard type

Standard plum trees reach a height of around 8 m (28 ft) at maturity - on your own head be it if you plant one of these in anything but a large garden. They will produce enough fruit to feed your entire neighbourhood and you will definitely need a decent sized ladder to pick most of the fruit.

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Name: mick
E-mail: Private
Date posted: August 30, 2010 - 07:08 am
Message: Reading some of the comments, there is a very large tree at the end of my road which is also loaden with yellow plum shape fruit the size of walnuts which taste like plums. Would love to know if these are edible before I eat too many! Any Ideas.

Name: Kathy
E-mail: Private
Date posted: August 27, 2010 - 10:30 am
Message: Hi I see similar questions here, but do not see the answers. I have a large plum-type tree in my yard. Small walnut sized fruit(a lot of it!) and the are little plums ,but now are very tart. Can we eat or make jelly out of this fruit? Thanks!!

Name: Swavek Skret
E-mail: Private
Date posted: August 25, 2010 - 11:49 am
Message: We have a stanley plum tree in our backyard that has developed some disease: the bark near the ground cracks open and becomes hollow. It appears that the disease spreads. I would appreciate advice to help spare the tree which has been strong and robust in the past.

Name: R.Fox
E-mail: r.fox720@ntlworld.com
Date posted: August 22, 2010 - 06:54 am
Message: Some of my plums have a covering on them that looks likes sand.Could you tell me what you think it is,and what to do about it.Thankyou.

Name: John Kirk
E-mail: jmrkirk@sky.com
Date posted: August 21, 2010 - 07:04 pm
Message: we recently discovered we have a plum tree which is now over 20 feet tall. We've never had more than a few fruit so hadn't realised what we had! When should we prune and how drastically?

Name: Sue
E-mail: suelockwood1@hotmail.com
Date posted: August 20, 2010 - 04:05 pm
Message: We have a small plum tree in our garden. Last year we about 6 plums, this year we have only one plum. Any suggestions of what the problem may be? Many thanks

Name: Margaret
E-mail: Private
Date posted: August 18, 2010 - 03:25 am
Message: I have noticed trees in the hedgerows that are heavy with fruit. The friuts are small, red or yellow and plum like with a stone. The leaves are elongated and serrated. Could you please tell me the name of the tree and if the fruits are edible? Thank you

Name: Jane Le Grande
E-mail: janelegrande@blueyonder.co.uk
Date posted: August 17, 2010 - 04:15 am
Message: Are the plum fruits from the prunus tree edible?

Name: Donna
E-mail: Private
Date posted: August 16, 2010 - 09:40 am
Message: Could you please help me identify the yellow fruit which is abundant on my neighbours tree. It is about the size of a walnut and looks like a small plum. The fruit has a stone inside and is tastes very sweet. The leaf of the tree is elongated and has a very fine serrated edge.

Name: Ed
E-mail: Private
Date posted: August 12, 2010 - 09:04 am
Message: My Plum & fruit trees have a sap or gum ouzing out of the branches, the plum tree is dieing & it seems the fruit trees have it to now. Can't seem to get any good advice.
Ed

Name: Cindy
E-mail: cindy.trowbridge@yahoo.com
Date posted: August 09, 2010 - 06:40 pm
Message: We have the most beautiful plum tree. It produced the most delicious large plums ever. Do I need to fertilize it for next year? I wish I could say we planted this tree, but we didn't. It was an added surprise with the home and acreage we bought and we would like to take care of it properly since it blessed us so, and many others,this year. Thank you ~ Cindy

Name: susan
E-mail: susangibbs1@aol.com
Date posted: August 09, 2010 - 12:10 pm
Message: my son has a large tree in his garden and we have been trying to find out what it is. this time of theyear it is covered in yellow fruits the size of a large walnut, are these edable and can i make jam from them