Black Prince, Plum Tamaki and Dan's Early. This is their 6th winter in the ground. I have had very few plums and this year the Dan's Early had no blossoms at all but heaps of leaves. I bought them all from the same place and was told that they would pollinate each other.They get pruned professionally, fertilised etc. What can I do better?
kevymtnz,
Sep 23, 5:57am
i planted one in Nov last year when it was dry compost bottom of hole filled with water planted tree water every 2-3 days the 2 only plums fell off looked dead right up to about 3 wks ago now just finished full flower
cleggyboy,
Sep 23, 6:20am
I mention several months back with regards plums. Check that the tap root has been severed if not then do it. When I was a bit of a kid I remember my granny tunneling in under our Xmas plum and severing the tap root. Well from that year on the crop was huge, plums hanging like grapes. Some trees purchased from good nurseries have done this, but others don't.
dibble35,
Sep 23, 6:23am
Have you double checked that they actually do pollinate each other. the occasional nursery staff (not all) know bugger all about plants.
cleggyboy,
Sep 23, 6:26am
That's a point I found they are experts at punching the keys on the till though.
melford,
Sep 23, 11:23am
Get a beehive - ours didn't produce until they were pollinated by the honeybees.
carter19,
Sep 23, 7:28pm
Thank you all. Have checked the website of the company I purchased them from. Their info differs from everyone elses so I'm going to buy another plum . I'll have to sell them if all 4 trees actually produce. All of my other trees produce well
katelin1,
Sep 25, 3:37am
Where are you? Are the trees flowering? If you are in a warmer area, the trees may not be receiving sufficient winter chilling.
carter19,
Sep 25, 8:43am
Three plum trees, one has a mass of blossoms, the second has a few, the third has none at all and is the only tree that has leaves. We are an hour north of Auckland. The peaches, nectarines and apricots all have blossoms.
p.monro,
Sep 25, 5:51pm
I think it is a nutrition problem. I have tried for 30 years to grow plums in Waitakere Auckland with poor results. Only in one year did I hit the jackpot when the crop was so heavy it broke the branches. You can tell if it is a pollination problem. About 2 weeks after the flowers drop off you should see little green plums. If these also drop off within a few weeks, then I would suspect nutrition problem. What the solution is I am not sure. Acidity perhaps put on some lime, Potash. In the end I have given up. I have one tree left. Perhaps I will cut off its tap root and see what happens
olwen,
Sep 25, 6:01pm
At a guess I'd say the person who mentioned winter chill is on the money. No flowers, no fruit.
dibble35,
Sep 25, 7:09pm
You dont need winter chilling hours for plums do you? Im further north than OP and never had any problems. Some plum trees do take longer to start flowering than others. but 6 years is a bit long
dibble35,
Sep 25, 7:17pm
Having just looked at thunder mountain website which has all 3 of these varieties, i would be planting a duffs early jewel plum to pollinate all 3 of your varieties. this wont however help if the dans early isnt producing any flowers. There is a fertilizer that helps with flowering plants. Eg tomatoes and fruit trees. I want to say potassium sulphate but I may be wrong. someone else may know? ETA - if you got them from Koanga gardens (also found when googling) maybe you could go back there and talk to them, I would imagine they would be very helpful if you got the right person.
fair enough but the 3 varieties he has do well in Northland.
carter19,
Sep 26, 7:26am
Thanks everyone. I found after much looking, a place that has a Duffs Early Jewel that wasnt $50. I cant believe the price of trees in Palmers. Koanga Gardens in Kaiwaka went out of business about 3 years ago. The place that took over does not have the plum needed. Funnily enough the plums they have all say they need a Duffs as pollinator.
katelin1,
Sep 26, 8:02am
In case it isn't a problem with winter chilling, apply Sulphate of Potash for a boost of potassium to encourage flowering/fruiting. This is best applied in late summer/early autumn when deciduous fruit trees are deciding if buds are flower or foliage buds for the following season.
i hope you came upto whangarei and bought one from the nursery I work at. :-)
wendalls,
Sep 26, 7:33pm
I have the same problem, North Shore. My trees flower at different times which doesn't help cross pollination. Soil is clay and probably deficient. Other trees are yellow. Not one bee seen in my garden. Last year I got a few off a big tree that had never produced because it was by itself. I bought 2 more. One being double grafted. The birds got them all. Only thing I've seen in my blossoms this year is Tuis.
carter19,
Sep 26, 8:45pm
Dibble, we are headed to whangarei for the home show. Would love to know where to buy my tree while up there
dibble35,
Sep 27, 6:22am
Hey carter, not 100% sure we have some Duffs early left, so busy the last week im not sure what we have now, today was hectic didnt get a chance to even look at the fruit trees. Anyway im at Alter-Natives nursery on Kioreroa rd. did you come up today, or planning on coming tomorrow?
carter19,
Sep 27, 6:50am
Today and again on Tuesday.
summersunnz,
Sep 27, 11:03am
Do you have other flowering plants in your garden to bring bees there - they'll then come to pollinate your fruit tree blossom.
carter19,
Sep 27, 6:53pm
The problem is no blossoms at all, so no work for the bees to do.
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