How to Grow Stanley Plum Trees
There is no better way to ensure fresh, juicy, tasty fruit than growing it yourself. Gardeners, chefs, food lovers...with some care and precision, nearly anyone can grow fresh fruit in their gardens or nurseries. Stanley plum trees produce large prune plums with dark blue skin and yellow, sweet-tasting flesh. These plum trees can be a wonderful addition to your fruit garden, and can be easily grown under the right conditions. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Shovel
- Soil testing kit
- Soil
- Compost or mulch
- Stanley plum tree
- Watering pail or garden hose
- Pruning shears
- Fertilizer
Instructions
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Preparing the Soil
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1
Test the soil in your garden. Stanley plum trees grow best in soil with a pH level, or acidity level, of 5.5 to 7. Purchase a soil testing kit from your local hardware store, gardening center or nursery.
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Dig a 6- to 8-inch hole in the area you will plant and collect a half-inch slice from the side of the hole. If you are unsure as to where you will plant, collect a sample from each area you are considering.
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Lay the soil out on newspaper and allow to dry completely. Collect a pint of soil and add to the testing kit. Follow all instructions regarding reading and judging your particular soil kit.
Planting and Growing
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Survey for sunlight. Find a place on your property that receives direct sunlight, which makes Stanley plum trees grow healthier and produce more and better fruit. Allow enough room for the plum tree; it grows 4 to 6 feet high, with a spread of 5 to 6 feet.
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Dig a hole 2-feet wide by 4-feet deep. Use a shovel to dig, and with your hands spread out the tree's roots. Fill the hole halfway with soil. Compact the soil using your shovel, then fill the hole the rest of the way.
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Water the tree. Use a watering pail or hose to water once thoroughly upon planting. The soil should soak up the water quickly, so keep watering until the soil stops sopping it up. Future waterings will depend on the type of soil; do not let the soil become completely dry in between waterings.
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Prune the Stanley plum tree each year in late winter or early spring. Remove any old or damaged branches with pruning shears; remove branches according to how the fruit is growing. For instance, if the fruit is small because there are too many branches in one area, clip the less-productive branches. Mix into the soil one pound of fertilizer for each year the tree has been planted; use fertilizer with equal parts nitrogen, potash and phosphate, or 10-10-10 fertilizer.
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Tips & Warnings
Before planting, ensure that your climate is correct to support the growth of a Stanley plum tree. Stanley plum trees grow best in hardiness zones 3 through 8. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, this means that they thrive in areas with an average annual minimum temperature between negative 30 degrees Fahrenheit and ten degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure that the area in which you want to grow the Stanley plum tree falls within this zonal range. For bare-rooted trees, plant in early spring; container-grown trees can be planted at any time. When preparing your soil, consider drainage as well. If the Stanley plum tree is planted in area with drainage problems that lead to flooding, the tree will not thrive. Use noisemakers or netting to protect the fruit from birds; the fruit will bloom mid-season, near early fall. Also consider protecting the base of the tree with wire fencing to prevent animals from chewing at the bark. If you have any questions regarding fertilizer or other aids for your plum tree, consult a professional at a garden center or nursery.
Do not water your Stanley plum tree after a heavy rainfall, as it will already have enough water; overwatering can lead to withering branches and fruit.
