Plums - Is it just the weather?

blackbox

Last year and the year before I had great crops of plums on a fairly young tree. This year there appear to be almost none.

On the other hand, it looks like I am going to have a good crop of walnuts - had hardly any for the last couple of years.

Is it just the weather?

RebelButtMunch

blackbox wrote: »

Last year and the year before I had great crops of plums on a fairly young tree. This year there appear to be almost none.

On the other hand, it looks like I am going to have a good crop of walnuts - had hardly any for the last couple of years.

Is it just the weather?

I had a similar experience.
Year 1 - Plum tree nearly broke with the weight of the fruit
Year 2 - 0 plums
Year 3 - Handful of plums.

I asked an old lad who works in an orchard. He said that by allowing a young tree to produce so many fruit, I have 'weakened the roots' metaphorically I suppose. Thereby diminishing the fruit in the next couple of years.

His advice would have been to thin out the fruit in the first year or so.

Lumen

blackbox wrote: »

Is it just the weather?

Probably. Did it blossom? Maybe the wind blew off the blossoms.

blackbox wrote: »

...it looks like I am going to have a good crop of walnuts - had hardly any for the last couple of years.

Which variety?

standardg60

Weather would have had a substantial effect on early flowering fruit trees this year, both on flowering and pollinating insects, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's also true that allowing a young tree to develop a big crop will affect it's vigour for a couple of years, so feed and water it well through this growing season.

That said it's pretty normal for a fruit tree to crop irregularly without careful management, my apple tree without fail has one good year and then one bad, it's just it's own natural defence to maintaining it's health and vigour. Developing a good crop of fruit, especially with bred varieties, takes a lot of energy.

blackbox

Thanks for the replies. I didn't notice much blossom.

Otherwise it looks quite healthy.

Teyla Emmagan

They seem to go in cycles. Sometimes we have a massive crop of plums at home, other years there are only a few handfuls. I don't know why but I am sure there is nothing wrong with the tree.

blackbox

As far as I know, the walnut is a Juglans Regia. Self pollinating (I only planted one).

.

homer911

In Dublin the frost ended quite late this year - we have a plum tree with plums on one side and not on the other, I'm pretty sure its temperature related

worded

I’ve 3 young Opal plums and 0 blossom 0 fruit
1 did well last year, the other 2 are new

Very disappointed

The Stella Cherry is also quite disappointing this year

smacl

homer911 wrote: »

In Dublin the frost ended quite late this year - we have a plum tree with plums on one side and not on the other, I'm pretty sure its temperature related

Very much the same, one fruiting one not. Apples, pears and figs all fruiting well.

worded

smacl wrote: »

Very much the same, one fruiting one not. Apples, pears and figs all fruiting well.

Apples and pears - same

You grow figs in ireland ?

smacl

worded wrote: »

Apples and pears - same

You grow figs in ireland ?

Yep, good crop this year and last, my eldest daughter loves them. Only concern is how big the tree will get. I'll stick up a couple of photos shortly.

Edit: Here you go, leaves looking a bit battered after storm Hector but fruit looking good. Usually harvest mid to late autumn. Needs a dry sunny spot and not much else.

worded

smacl wrote: »

Yep, good crop this year and last, my eldest daughter loves them. Only concern is how big the tree will get. I'll stick up a couple of photos shortly.

Edit: Here you go, leaves looking a bit battered after storm Hector but fruit looking good. Usually harvest mid to late autumn. Needs a dry sunny spot and not much else.

Wonder if you can get a grafted fig tree to avoid ending up with a huge tree

smacl

worded wrote: »

Wonder if you can get a grafted fig tree to avoid ending up with a huge tree

Mines on dwarf stock apparently, but I still end up pruning it quite hard each year. I see larger ones in the walled gardens in Marlay park trellised to a wall which is another option (if you happen to be in possession of a huge walled garden :P) Quite an attractive tree if you've got a bit of space.

worded

Where did you get the tree? I’ve never seen one for sale ?

smacl

worded wrote: »

Where did you get the tree? I’ve never seen one for sale ?

From memory, garden section of Homebase in Nutgrove, though not entirely sure.

Lumen

worded wrote: »

Wonder if you can get a grafted fig tree to avoid ending up with a huge tree

Root restriction, apparently. I've a couple I'm planning to repot in 55cm square containers and grow against a south facing wall, but I can't decide whether to keep them small enough to bring inside over winter or train against a trellis.

I guess they're hardy enough to keep outside, so trellis it is.

smacl

Lumen wrote: »

Root restriction, apparently. I've a couple I'm planning to repot in 55cm square containers and grow against a south facing wall, but I can't decide whether to keep them small enough to bring inside over winter or train against a trellis.

I guess they're hardy enough to keep outside, so trellis it is.

My tree got through last winter without any damage which suggests that cold isn't a factor once the ground remains dry. I'd be more concerned about drainage.

Field east

homer911 wrote: »

In Dublin the frost ended quite late this year - we have a plum tree with plums on one side and not on the other, I'm pretty sure its temperature related

I often wonder about the idea that a fruit tree that bears a lot of fruit in year one will quiet often bear little or no fruit in the following year because of ‘low/no energy’ to do so .
I now think that fruit yield is down to frost mainly - re when it occurs, it’s duration and how severe it is. All varieties of all fruit trees flower/ get pollinated at different times. Does this not explain that in one year you get a very heavy crop of apples and pears but no plumbs. The following year produces a heave crop of apples plumbs and pears. The next year is a disaster for all varieties, etc, etc, etc . I, recently, had a plumb tree producing plumbs on its south side of it but none on the north side of it. I am open to be convinced otherwise.

The solution is- i one has space, to have a range of early and late flowering varieties

smacl

You also have to consider pollinating insects, which are affected by more than just the frost. If you don't see any insects around when the early blooms are out, you're unlikely to get a good yield of fruit. Not a runner for my size of garden, but if I had a bigger place I'd definitely consider having one or two beehives.

Lumen

smacl wrote: »

Not a runner for my size of garden, but if I had a bigger place I'd definitely consider having one or two beehives.

Siting is key.

I had a beekeper around my place and it was quite difficult to find somewhere that was properly sited w.r.t. sun and wind, and yet didn't pose a threat to people.

More importantly it was vetoed by my spouse, although she also said that about the electric poultry netting ("won't someone think of the children!") but is fine with it now.

Thud

worded wrote: »

The Stella Cherry is also quite disappointing this year

Same here, blossom got knocked off by frost/winds but Morello blossomed a few weeks after looks to have a good crop

worded

Thud wrote: »

Same here, blossom got knocked off by frost/winds but Morello blossomed a few weeks after looks to have a good crop

What the sweetest for Irish conditions for Plums and Cherries in your opinion ?

Thud

Morello is a sour cherry so not that, i wouldn't know off hand and would likely depend on your location.

Give these guys a call might be able to advise:
http://www.englishsfruitnursery.ie/cherry-bushes-for-sale/

Supercell

Its strange, our plums are good this year but not one of the three pear trees have much fruit, very disappointing.