When do i harvest plums

I appreciate any information as I am rely wanting to be successful with these two trees. Presumably your local nursery or wherever you got it would not provide you with something unsuitable for growing, but in general flowering plums do best in hardiness Zones 5 to 8, and you are in slightly warmer Zone 9b.

The time to height maturity will vary with cultivars, too, but many will top 15 feet in 5 to 10 years. Flowering plums are fairly drought-tolerant, but you will have to find the delicate balance between keeping them sufficiently moist and not letting them sit around in water, which encourages fungal diseases.

Also, if possible, protect them from any strong winds during their first year or two, as they can be pretty delicate. Thanks for writing! Skip to main content.

You are here Gardening » Growing Guides. Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Plums. By The Editors. When to Plant Plum Trees Plant plum trees in late winter or early spring while the trees are dormant. Selecting a Planting Site Plums should really only be planted in a prime location featuring all of the following characteristics. Plant plum trees in loamy, well-drained soil. Plums do not do well when planted in clay-heavy soils or in locations where their roots will be constantly wet.

Choose a planting location that receives full sun—6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight at the very least. Avoid planting in low areas where frost may settle, as the frost can damage your trees. Because they flower so early, plums are especially vulnerable to spring frosts, which can damage blooms and result in sub-par fruiting. If possible, find a sheltered location, such as a south- or west-facing spot out of the wind.

This will help the plum tree set fruit. How to Plant a Plum Tree Space standard-size trees 20 to 25 feet apart and dwarf trees 10 to 15 feet apart. Set bare-root trees atop a small mound of soil in the center of the planting hole, and spread the roots down and away without unduly bending them. To prepare a container-grown tree for planting, remove the tree from its pot and get rid of any tightly circling roots by laying the root ball on its side and using shears to trim off these roots.

Do your best to untangle roots without damaging roots, but if the root ball is particularly pot-bound, you can loosen it by scraping up and down the sides with a knife or hand fork. This is especially true for dwarf varieties, as roots may start to grow from above the graft if the tree is planted too deep, bypassing the rootstock that keeps the tree dwarf-size. For bare-root trees, set the tree on top of a small mound of soil in the middle of the hole and spread the roots away from the trunk without excessively bending them.

For container-grown trees, simply place the root ball in the middle of the hole. Fill in the hole, stopping periodically to make sure that the roots are thoroughly covered and no air pockets remain around the tree. Water the tree thoroughly at the time of planting; this helps the soil to settle around the roots. Keep the tree well watered for the first few weeks after planting. How to Care for Plum Trees Watering Be sure to water the young trees heavily every week during the first growing season to help promote growth.

Then, water regularly. If rain is lacking, water your tree well into mid-October to give it plenty of moisture through the winter months. Fertilizing Do not fertilize young fruit trees until they have set a crop.

Once established, fruit production requires regular fertilizing all year long. Cut back the nitrogen in fall and winter to avoid encouraging new growth in those seasons.

General Care Are you having pest issues? Talk to your local cooperative extension for natural solutions that work in your area. To help control pests and diseases , remember to prune your trees to keep them open. You can also mulch around the trees in the spring to help control weeds , but be sure to remove the mulch in the late fall so that no pests use it over the winter.

You can also lightly cultivate the soil around your trees in late spring to eliminate any pests in the soil. In the fall, rake away all debris and fallen trees. To prevent winter injury: Consider a tree wrap or guard around the lower trunk, especially for a young plum tree. Keep an eye on the lower bark and branches for mouse or rabbit damage; if this could be a problem, you may need to install tree guards or fence in young trees with chicken wire for the winter.

The best time for pruning is usually spring for young trees and mid-summer for established ones. Do NOT prune in the fall. Winter injury and infection may occur. Thinning is usually done about a month after blooming ends in the spring. Leave inches between each fruit, removing those in between. Thinning helps to prevent branches from breaking under the weight of the fruit. If branches do break, prune them back to undamaged wood, ideally cutting back to a natural fork to avoid leaving stubs.

In the summer of the first year, cut the vigorous shoots that form on the top of the tree by two or three buds. After about a month, check the tree. As soon as you have three wide-angled branches, spaced equally apart, cut back any other branches so that these three are the main branches.

In the early summer of the second year, cut back the branches in the middle of the tree to short stubs and prune any shoots developing below the three main branches. After the third year, remove any shoots in the center of the tree to keep its shape. Japanese types require heavy pruning to help keep them in shape and to produce better fruit. It is also good to thin out the fruit on these types of trees. You should space the plums about 3 to 4 inches apart on each branch.

Pruning: European Plum Trees If you have a European variety, the best pruning method is to create a central leader. This shape features a central trunk with branches that spiral out every 5 to 8 inches, making sure that no branch is directly above another.

The training for such a system begins in the early summer of the first year, during which time you should remove any shoots that form within 18 inches of the ground. The end result should resemble a Christmas tree. European types do not typically require fruit thinning because they do not produce as much fruit as Japanese types. However, the fruit on these types should be spaced about 2 inches apart on each branch. Silver leaf disease Honey fungus Bacterial canker Pocket plum Japanese beetles Plum aphids Plum moth Contact your local cooperative extension to implement a spraying program that can help manage these pests and diseases.

When to Harvest Plums Plums are ready to be harvested from late summer into fall, depending on your area. European plums have the best flavor when left to ripen on the tree. You can tell when plums are ripe by applying gentle pressure with your fingers. If the skin of the fruit feels soft, then it is ready to be picked. Plums should come off the tree easily with just a slight twist of the fruit. Japanese plums are picked slightly earlier; allow them to ripen in a cool place.

Make sure to wait until just the right time to pick your fruit. Plums are ready to be picked when they separate easily from the tree with a little twist. They should not be picked when firm. Harvest season begins July thru September depending on the variety and location. Annual average yield per tree:. Harvest season begins mid-July thru early September depending on the variety and location. Harvest season begins June depending on the variety and location.

Annual average yield per tree is bushels. Cool storage preserves them for winter enjoyment. Fresh fruit is a special treat during the bleak winter months.

Fortunately, many varieties of fruit keep their fine eating qualities for a long time with proper storage. Damson, Stanley, and Mount Royal are popular European plum varieties. Pick Japanese and American plums when they're slightly soft. You don't need to wait until these plums are completely soft to the touch. Instead, pick the yellow or red plums as soon as they're firm-ripe. They'll finish ripening within a few days if you set them on the counter. You can also taste a plum to tell if it's sweet enough.

If you get a sour bite or the fruit is still greenish-blue, wait a few days and check the plums again. Question 2. Pluck the fruit from the tree so the stem stays attached. Be gentle when you twist the fruit away from the branch so you don't harm the tree or bruise the plum.

Sometimes, if the fruit is really ripe, it will fall into your hand as soon as you grasp it. Lay a tarp or clean sheet underneath the tree to catch any fruit that may fall as you pick. Question 3. Yes—they'll soften at room temperature within a few days. Although you'll get the sweetest-tasting plums by letting them fully ripen on the trees, you can pick them while they're slightly underripe. Put the plums in a paper bag and set them on the counter.

They should ripen within 4 days. Question 4. You can, but they won't be very large or sweet. Green plums, especially wild ones, are still growing, so they'll be quite a bit smaller than ripe plums.

They're also hard if you try to squeeze them. If you do pick the underripe fruit, you can put them in a paper bag and try to ripen them, but they'll probably soften just a little.

Question 5. Put firm plums into a paper bag and set them on the counter. As the fruit sits at room temperature, it releases ethylene gas, which speeds up the ripening process. Check the plums every day—they should become soft enough to eat within a few days.