Growing plums

[murielh]

I have just taken on an allotment and am looking to grow plums,Where do I start?

[murielh]

[Robert_Brenchley]

Decide what sort you want (there are many), and if you want more than one make sure they don't ripen at the same time. If you want bare-rooted plants (which are generally the best) you need to plant them out of the growing season. They're very easy to grow; I put a couple in three years ago; I got a few plums last year, but this year it was too cold at flowering time and there isn't a thing on them. I have victoria, which is reliable, juicy and sweet, but a bit bland, and Cambridge Gage, which is small, green and insipid looking, but infinitely better tasting.

[ina]

Another thing you may want to consider is hight. You can get trees that are grafted on different bases, high, medium and low.
I got Victoria two years ago, last summer no fruit, this year a total of two plums. There were lots of flowers but night frosts did them no good.

[Robert_Brenchley]

St. Julien A is the most popular, and should produce a tree suitable for a large garden. Pixy is smaller, and should produce a 10-15 foot tree. Sizes aren't too predictable; both of mine are supposedly on St. Julien A; Victoria is growing at a reasonable rate, while Cambridge Gage is shooting away and will be 30 feet or so in a few years. Not that I mind; I have the space for it.

[ina]

Yes, Robert, plums grafted on Saint Juliën A base are also here in the Netherlands widely used, it is supposed to be for a low to medium hight tree. I believe that's what I have but you mentioned that it's suitable for a large garden and that your gage might be 30 feet in a few years, now I'm worried since I don't want a tall tree. I guess I can keep it low by pruning?

[Robert_Brenchley]

That particular tree is growing away far faster than any of my others, and it's either a case of the labels getting mixed, or it's a particularly strong grower. They do vary a lot from one variety to another on the one rootstock; does anyone else grow it? If you go to a specialist nursery they'd surely offer advice as to what's suitable.