North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Ernest Plutko" <ernestplutko@wiktel.com>]

I have wild American plums growing on my land about 12 miles from my
house.  I went to six trees yesterday to taste any difference in
taste.  Plums are ripe now.  Plums on two trees are sweet.   Plums on
four trees are more tart.  Skins on all the plums I tasted were
thicker than they should be.  Skins on Canadian plums I tasted last
week were also too thick.  Until just a few days ago the weather was
much too dry for weeks.  I believe that is causing the thick skins. I
didn't see fungus on the trees. There are more plums on a different
field but I didn't go there.  I didn't have a gun and there are
probably bears there in the more remote area.  Black bears tend to be
aggressive when they are eating.  I will go back today before they
strip off all the plums.


zone 2  Minnesota