How To Grow Plums / RHS Gardening

Once established, plum trees in the ground need little maintenance to produce a reliable crop. Protect blossom from late frosts if possible and thin out heavy crops to avoid branches breaking under the weight. Newly planted trees and those growing in containers need some regular attention.

Watering

Newly planted plum trees should be watered regularly during dry spells for at least their first growing season. Once established, trees grown in suitable soil shouldn't need any additional watering. Although trees trained against walls or fences may require some additional watering if they’re in a rain-shadow – where the wall or fence reduces the amount of rainfall they receive.To get a successful crop from trees in containers, water regularly during dry spells throughout the growing season. Aim to keep the compost Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. evenly moist, but never leave them standing in water, especially in winter, as roots in saturated compost can rot.

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Mulching

Apply a mulch Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings. of well-rotted organic matter, such as garden compost Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. , around plum trees in late winter or spring. Mulching Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings. will improve your soil, help to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Mulch can cause rotting if it’s piled up against a tree trunk, so leave a slight gap around the base of your tree.

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Feeding

Plum trees growing in regularly mulched soil shouldn't need any additional feeding. However, if harvests are particularly poor, or your tree is showing signs of nutrient deficiency, apply a granular fertiliser to the soil in early spring. Use our page on nutrient deficiencies to work out what is lacking and apply the recommended feed, following instructions on the packet.Plum trees in pots benefit from regular feeding. Either apply an organic, high potassium liquid fertiliser every fortnight during the growing season (April to August), or sprinkle a granular, general-purpose fertiliser onto the compost Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. each spring.

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Protecting from frost 

Plums flower early in the year (March/April), so the blossom is vulnerable to frost damage, which can reduce the crop. So if your tree is small enough, cover plants with biodegradable/reused fleece A soft, fibrous, translucent material laid over or around plants hastening their growth and protecting them against weather and pests. Heavier grades of fleece give about 2°C of protection from frost. It is usually used without supporting hoops. or an old bedsheet to protect the blossom overnight if frost is forecast, then remove during the day so pollinating insects can reach the flowers. Potted trees can also be moved into a greenhouse, porch or other sheltered location to avoid frosts when in blossom.

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Fruit thinning 

Plums have a tendency to over-crop and their heavily laden branches can break under the weight. To avoid this, thin out the young fruits in early summer – reduce them to one fruit every 5-8cm (2-3in) or a pair every 15cm (6in). This is easiest to do on smaller trained trees, but is worth doing on larger trees too, if you can safely reach the branches.If your tree ends up carrying a particularly heavy crop, be prepared to prop up the branches in mid- and late summer, otherwise the weight of fruit could snap them.

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Propagation

The best way to propagate plums is by grafting This involves joining the roots of one plant to the stem of another related plant, so they fuse together to form one plant. There are various methods, all requiring great skill. Grafting is mainly carried out by commercial growers to combine one plant’s qualities of flowering or fruiting (the upper section or scion) with the vigour or resilience of the other (the roots or rootstock). Fruit trees are often grafted, along with a few ornamental shrubs and trees, and in recent years grafted vegetable plants (mainly tomatoes, but also chillies, cucumbers, aubergines, etc) have become available. or budding – techniques that require some skill but are well worth trying.

It is not generally worthwhile growing plum trees from seed (stones) or cuttings, as the resulting trees will grow much larger than those grafted onto a rootstock, will be slower to start fruiting and may not come true to type. There are also biosecurity Measures aimed at preventing the spread of potentially harmful organisms (pests, diseases or invasive species) into the environment. These include sourcing plants responsibly, quarantining new plants and practising good garden hygiene. risks associated with growing from the seed of supermarket-bought fruit, so this should be avoided.

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