Topic: Plum tree from stone - photo

[Squash64]

My husband planted the stone from a plum (not sure of variety) about 8years ago.  It is now a tree about 12ft high and this year for the first time has produced some plums.
I can't believe how delicious they are!  I know it's a chance you take when you grow a fruit tree like this but in this case they are lovely. 

[shirlton]

They look so good Betty

[GrannieAnnie]

What gems you grew! What will you name it?

[sarah]

they look very tasty!

i have a victoria plum tree which is on its last legs do you think i could do the same? how would i treat it? just pop it in a pot?

[grawrc]

I think, potentially, the only problem might be the rootstock, depending on what space you have and how big the tree might become. Mind you i think you can probably buy the rootstock and graft your tree on yourself.  Pixy and St Julien A for plums I think?

[Squash64]

What gems you grew! What will you name it?

Never thought of naming it  :)
Maybe something like 'Colin's Surprise', my husband is NOT a gardener!

[Squash64]

they look very tasty!

i have a victoria plum tree which is on its last legs do you think i could do the same? how would i treat it? just pop it in a pot?

My husband saved the stone from a plum he enjoyed eating and put it in a pot on the kitchen windowsill (there was already a houseplant growing there!)  I potted it on to its own pot and planted it outside once it was big enough.

[Squash64]

I think, potentially, the only problem might be the rootstock, depending on what space you have and how big the tree might become. Mind you i think you can probably buy the rootstock and graft your tree on yourself.  Pixy and St Julien A for plums I think?

You are right about the rootstock.  I underestimated how big the tree is, it must be getting on for 20 feet high so it is almost impossible to pick the plums near the top.

I have never done grafting.  Is it complicated?

[1066]

What gems you grew! What will you name it?

Never thought of naming it  :)
Maybe something like 'Colin's Surprise', my husband is NOT a gardener!

 ;D  ;D  ;D

[flossy]

   Squash 64,  lovely fruit -- well done colin [ and you ]  these are the best surprises aren't they !

    Seeds you pop in a pot and go along with, season after season   --   you didn't give up on

     it, and it didn't give up on you [ and colin ] --  brilliant ,     ;D

[thifasmom]

in the West Indies to restrict the height of a tree that will grow to gigantic heights taking the desired fruit out of reach, we chop the apex off when it gets to the desired height and cover it with a tin more to stop rot setting in through the cut top.

we do it to mango trees, paw paw plants, avocado etc.

[qahtan]

 Did the same thing with a couple of gages that we had while in UK on holiday,
 brought the pits back to Canada,
 the tree grew and fruited well, well enough that several years we also made jam with them.
 Also our apricot trees, one apple and quince we have grow from pits/seeds, they may not have the name that some of the fancy bought plants have but they taste as good, for some reason I cannot get pictures uploaded. ;-((((

 qahtan

[sarah]

I am definatley going to give that a go. Good job I have learned patience in my old age (one of the many benefits of gardening I think).
Thats a useful tip about the tin can thifasmom.  ;)

[grannyjanny]

Squash how long was it before you had your first fruit please.

[shirlton]

8 years Jan ;D In the opening post

[Squash64]

   Squash 64,  lovely fruit -- well done colin [ and you ]  these are the best surprises aren't they !
Seeds you pop in a pot and go along with, season after season   --   you didn't give up on it, and it didn't give up on you [ and colin ] --  brilliant ,     ;D

Thank you flossy  :)
Colin has a habit of planting fruit pips/stones in pots on the kitchen windowsill - in pots already containing a houseplant! It wouldn't occur to him to get a new pot and some compost from the greenhouse.

[grannyjanny]

8 years Jan ;D In the opening post

Silly me ;D.

[Squash64]

in the West Indies to restrict the height of a tree that will grow to gigantic heights taking the desired fruit out of reach, we chop the apex off when it gets to the desired height and cover it with a tin more to stop rot setting in through the cut top.

we do it to mango trees, paw paw plants, avocado etc.

Thanks for that tip, I'll get Colin to sort out HIS tree!

[grawrc]

I've never done grafting myself but there's loads of info online

http://www.rhs.org.uk/Advice/profiles0105/Grafting_fruit_trees.asp

and here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EwtyO16dFg

You can buy rootstocks here:
http://www.blackmoor.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=495

[Squash64]

Thank you so much grawrc, I would never have thought of looking on YouTube.  It is so much easier to understand when you can see it being done.