At Applewood Nursery & Landscape Supply, we understand the joy of growing your own fruit trees, and plum trees are a delightful addition to any backyard garden. With the right care and attention, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest of delicious plums. Here, we will guide you through selecting the right variety, planting, watering, pruning, fertilizing, harvesting, and preserving plums. We will also cover potential pests, diseases, and how to protect your trees from deer.
Selecting the Plum Variety for You
Choosing the right variety is crucial for successful plum growing anywhere. At Applewood Nursery & Landscape Supply, we offer a selection of plum trees that are hardy for our climate. Here are the differences between the plum tree varieties we offer:
Toka Plum
Flavor and Pollination: Toka plums are renowned for their exceptional flavor, which is sweet and spicy. They are also known as “bubblegum plums” due to their unique taste. Additionally, Toka plums are excellent pollinators for other plum varieties, making them a valuable addition to any plum orchard.
Superior Plum
Fruit Size and Flavor: Superior plums produce large, juicy fruit with a sweet, rich flavor, making them ideal for fresh eating. They are one of the most popular varieties due to their excellent taste and versatility in culinary uses.
Pipestone Plum
Fresh Eating and Canning: Pipestone plums are known for their large, red fruit with yellow flesh. They are particularly prized for both fresh eating and canning, providing a good balance of sweetness and tartness.
Mount Royal Plum
Cold Hardiness and Versatility: Mount Royal is a European plum variety that is highly valued for its cold hardiness, making it a great choice for Minnesota’s climate. The medium-sized, blue plums have a sweet flavor and are versatile for fresh eating, baking, and preserves.
BlackIce Cherry Plum
Hybrid Vigor and Unique Flavor: BlackIce Cherry plums are a hybrid variety that combines the characteristics of cherry plums with the robustness of other plum varieties. They produce large, black-skinned plums with sweet, juicy flesh, offering a unique flavor that appeals to many gardeners.
Alderman Plum
Large Fruit and Fresh Eating: Alderman plums produce large, red fruit with juicy, sweet flesh. They are particularly favored for fresh eating due to their size and flavor.
Waneta Plum
Flavor and Preservation: Waneta plums are known for their large, red fruit with sweet, yellow flesh. They are excellent for both fresh eating and making preserves, making them a versatile choice for home gardeners.
Newport Plum
Ornamental Value: While Newport plums do produce small, red fruit, they are primarily chosen for their ornamental value. The tree’s beautiful purple foliage adds aesthetic appeal to gardens and landscapes, making it a popular choice for those looking to enhance their garden’s visual appeal.
Planting Plum Trees
Plant plum trees in a sunny location with well-draining soil. Follow these steps for successful planting:
Digging the Hole: Dig a hole twice as wide and as deep as the tree’s root ball.
Preparing the Soil: Mix the native soil with compost or well-rotted manure to improve fertility and drainage.
Planting: Place the tree in the hole, ensuring the root crown is level with the ground. Fill the hole with soil and water thoroughly.
Mulching: Apply a layer of mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Watering Plum Trees
Water newly planted plum trees regularly to establish strong roots. Once established, water deeply once a week, especially during dry periods. Ensure the soil is moist but not waterlogged.
Pruning Plum Trees
Pruning is essential for maintaining the health and productivity of your plum trees. Prune in late winter or early spring:
Remove Dead Wood: Cut out any dead, damaged, or diseased branches.
Thinning: Thin out crowded branches to improve air circulation and light penetration.
Shaping: Train the tree to a central leader or open-center shape for balanced growth and easy harvesting.
Fertilizing Plum Trees
Fertilize plum trees in early spring before new growth begins. Use a balanced fertilizer, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Avoid over-fertilizing, as this can lead to excessive vegetative growth at the expense of fruit production. Applewood Nursery & Landscape Supply sells a variety of fertilizers to suit all your fruit tree needs.
Harvesting Plums
Plums typically ripen (from mature trees) in mid to late summer, depending on the variety. Harvest plums when they are fully colored and slightly soft to the touch. Twist the fruit gently to remove it from the tree.
Preserving Plums
You can preserve plums in several ways:
Canning: Can plums in light syrup or as spiced preserves.
Freezing: Slice and freeze plums for use in pies, sauces, or smoothies.
Drying: Dry plums to make prunes, a healthy and delicious snack.
Deer and Pest Protection
Deer: While plum trees are not the preferred food for deer, young trees can be susceptible to damage. Use fencing or deer repellents to protect your trees.
Pests: Common pests include aphids, plum curculio, and spider mites. Monitor your trees regularly and treat infestations with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil.
Disease Management
Common Diseases: Watch for black knot, brown rot, and plum pockets.
Black Knot: Appears as black, swollen galls on branches. Prune and destroy infected parts.
Brown Rot: Causes fruit to rot and develop a fuzzy, brown coating. Remove and destroy infected fruit and treat with fungicides.
Plum Pockets: Causes fruit to become distorted and hollow. Remove and destroy infected fruit and apply fungicides.
Regular monitoring, prompt removal of affected parts, and appropriate treatments can help manage these diseases and keep your trees healthy.
Additional Plum Tree Growing Tips
Mulching: Apply mulch around the base of the tree to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.
Winter Protection: Protect young trees from harsh winter conditions with tree wraps or burlap.
By choosing specific plum varieties like Toka, Superior, Pipestone, Mount Royal, Black Ice Cherry, Alderman, Waneta, and Newport, tailored to your preferences and local growing conditions, you can enjoy a successful plum harvest year after year in your Minnesota garden.