North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["John Barbowski" <jbarbowski@gmail.com>]

A friend asked me if I wanted his Damson plum, a young sapling that was being

ignored in his overgrown yard. I concurred, even though the tree was sprouting;

it was late April, almost too late to move the tree.

 

The tree had been half girdled by mice and the sprouting rootstock provided

almost 80% of the structure. My pruning shears made short work of the

undesireables. I prepared to lift it out of the ground. The soil was a dark loam

and did not adhere well to the root mass - but I had sympathy for the tree and

continued.

 

This time I prepared the receiving hole properly and further pruned the tree

to reduce the pressure on the root system. It existed the 1st year and each

stem grew 3-6 inches. I attribute its survival to extensive pruning and to a

quick transplant (<2 hrs). This year it has plums (about 25), and is growing well.

 

I have notice an anomaly that is interesting. About 20% of the plums are doubles.

Is this a normal occurrence for plums or could it be a result of the previous 

year's trauma?  

 

jmb

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