![]() ![]() During the spring and summer months, watch for aphids, and control with horticultural soap or a strong jet of water.Plums and prunes benefit from a delayed dormant spray of copper sulfate and oil, applied at stage 3 of bud swell when the bud scales have separated but are not yet showing petal color.Remember the goal in the home orchard is to keep the trees healthy. ![]() Visit our Disease and Pest Management for the Home Orchard page for general fruit tree disease and pest controls It is especially important to water adequately while the fruit is approaching ripeness. Irrigate thoroughly during the summer months, watering infrequently but deeply.A very thin mulch can be used to keep weeds down. Keep grass and weeds away from the tree to reduce competition.Frequent frost during and after bloom will mean poor fruit set. Because plum and prune trees bloom early, a site that does not get late frosts is best.Fully self-fertile plums can be planted alone. Some plums are partially self-fertile those will produce more as young trees if planted with a pollinizer. Japanese plums will not pollinate European plums or vice versa as they bloom 2-3 weeks apart. If your soil is very heavy and winter wet, consider building a mound for your trees, 4′-5′ wide, 16″ deep. Plums and prunes are tolerant of many soil types, but will perform best on deep, well-drained soil. If you’re just planting fruit trees for the first time, also look at the Learn to Grow Fruit Trees page. ![]()
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