North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Dianne Stephany" <iluvdanc@rochester.rr.com>]

HI

We are newbies to fruit growing, Zone 5/6 in Rochester NY. We have two semi-dwarf plum trees: Simka and Vanier.  They were planted here in 2001, (originally about 5 ft trees) and bore only 3 tiny, hard plums last year.  I was trying to follow your thread about P.americanus and wondered if I need to plant a native plum to get fruit?  We had ordered a third plum, Fortune, but the company sent a Fortune apple instead, so there is an apple tree planted between the two plums.

 

I do not think that a lack of bees, etc, is the problem because we got quite a lot of sweet cherries that set but did not make it to picking because of a late cold snap in May. Could the cold also have affected the plums? 

 

We have a small number of fruit trees that we planted when we moved here in Spring 2001:

Van, Emperor Francis and Ranier cherries; Vanier and Simka plum; Starfire and Coralstar peaches; Noble Bosc and Anjou pears; Melrose, Grannysmith, Twenty ounce and Jonagold apples (the Jonagold died in 2003 and was replaced by a Golden delicious); and in 2003 we added the Moongold and Sungold apricots. As well, some Downy Serviceberries were planted primarily for the birds, but now I hear they are quite tasty..but haven't had any yet. They were whips from the County agency and need to grow a bit more.

 

We also have some red currants, red raspberries, black raspberries and black berries. The red raspberries are not doing well, maybe because of some native butternut trees nearby and maybe due to the clay & alkaline soil.

 

Thanks for your help and looking forward to learning A LOT from you,

Dianne Stephany.