It isn't at all unusual to not have any plums two years after planting.
Getting three might have been quite an accomplishment. I don't know if
Japanese varieties, like those you've planted, are as slow as European
varieties like I have. But some European varieties won't produce fruit for
five or more years.
If a hard frost struck after the plums blossomed, it certainly could have
killed the year's fruit. I think Japanese varieties bloom quite early
anyway, so are susceptible to freezes that wouldn't bother later-blooming
fruit. Good luck with your collection.
Bruce Wittchen
1/2 mile outside Hartford, CT
>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.