How to Grow Plum Trees

Have sweet, juicy plums fresh from the back yard. Use them for canning, to make jams and jellies and just for delicious eating. Plum trees are easy to grow in most parts of the United States. Give a little attention to its watering, feeding, pruning and disease protection and a little plum tree will produce baskets of fruit year after year.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Bring on the sun. Plum trees need as much daily sun as they can get. Growing fruit uses a lot of energy, and plum trees get a large part of their energy from the sun. If planting a new tree, make sure it's in a spot that will get adequate sun. For an established tree, prune taller trees around it to let more sun filter down.

2. Prune properly. Cutting out dead or closely growing branches is essential for proper tree growth and to encourage fruiting. Pruning should be done in the fall, after the fruit has been harvested. New blossoms, which are the starting point for fruit, occur each spring, so that's a bad time to prune, unless you want to encourage fewer, but larger fruits. In general, try to keep the tree canopy open enough to let that important sun light in. Check with a gardening manual or arborist for details on which branches to cut and how.

3. Feed those trees. In addition to light and water, fruit trees need food to produce lots of juicy fruit. Using a root feeder in the spring once the buds have started to show can direct nutrition to the roots where it is quickly absorbed. Otherwise, use a fruit tree fertilizer that is soluble in water and can be applied with a hose-end sprayer to the soil around the tree and out to the drip line. (That's about where the shade falls under a tree. Feed again after the tree blooms, and then when it starts to set fruit. Apply fertilizer once more when the fruit is about half the harvest size.

4. Remember to water. Plum trees are stressed enough just producing their loads of fruit each year. Regular spring rains should get them off to a good start, but in dry conditions, you will need to water. Let a slow-running hose slowly soak the soil or use a root feeder, but without fertilizer. Trees need watering every seven to 10 days if no rain falls during that period. If the leaves curl up and turn brown, it's nearly past time to water, so be observant if you want good fruit.

5. Blast the bugs. Insects can attack plum trees and leave them in poor health for producing fruit. To help prevent infestations, use dormant oil spray at the beginning of winter and in the early spring. This can be purchased at most garden supply stores and applied with a hose-end sprayer. For insects during the growing season, apply a food-safe pesticide spray, following application directions. Remember to always wash plums before eating.

Resources

• National Gardening Association
• Plant Ideas
• National Arbor Day Foundation

[itseuphoria]

on 6/9/2008 when do you know when to pick the plums off or continue to let them grow?