Dense Planting with Burgundy Plum +?

Hi Friends,
I have a very small backyard I’m trying to maximize. I wanted to try one dense planting a la Dave Wilson’s Backyard Orchard, and have determined my options are mixing plum with an aprium or a pluot.

Does anyone know if it is better to pair a Burgundy plum with an Aprium or a pluot, assuming they have the same rootstock? All I know about the Burgundy plum tree is that it is good for my area, has an upright growing habit, and is self fertile. Does it matter to pair similar tree shape when densely planting?

Am I even asking the right question?

Many thanks – -

Is there a reason that you don’t want the two varieties grafted to one tree? If I had a small backyard that is what I would opt. for.

But back to your question, it shouldn’t really matter what root stock they are on as far as them being planted next to each other. The main thing (in my amateur opinion) that I would be concern with is my soil type and climate verses the soil and climate needs of the root stock, the disease resistance of the root stock and the suckering habit of it (I wouldn’t want to deal with suckers like this from a recent thread.)

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No, two varieties are not enough. My Cleveland flowering pear tree got 15 varieties of Asian and European pear varieties bark grafted to it and super productive.

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Burgundy fruit is average quality at best. Should be ok though as a basis variety for a multigraft tree. You can have Asian plums, pluots, apriums, apricots all grafted on the same tree.

Burgundy plum is an excellent choice for pollination. The fruit tastes better than Santa Rosa here in CA imo. Graft other plums/pluots/apricots to it.

Hi All,
Many thanks for your replies! I suppose I will have to learn to graft. I love the idea of having multiple varieties on one tree, I’m just new to this.
I chose the Burgundy because it doesn’t spread out (upright growth habit), is a different variety from my neighbors plum trees, is self pollinating, seems to be relatively popular in my area, and is purple inside (which is my preference).
Am I missing any other plums that I should consider instead of Burgundy in terms of grafting?
I’m in Richmond, CA in the Bay Area, zone probably 9a, although on the map shows up as 10a.
Many thanks.

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I am in Livermore, not too far from you. It makes no difference if the trees you select have different rootstocks (I am assuming that you will be planting separate trees, close to each other, right?). I have several plum/plum-ish varieties: Burgundy (2 of them), Santa Rosa, Elephant Heart, Emerald Beaut, Golden Nectar, Sprite and Delight, Candy Heart Pluerry, Cot-N-Candy Aprium, Flavor Queen Pluot, and a French Improved Prune. I think that Santa Rosa and Burgundy would be my choices if I had limited space. Burgundy is a great choice if you are willing to accept a very firm plum - the color is incredible, and the flavor very good, and they bear reliably. I would choose an aprium over a pluot (my personal preference).

I live in East Palo Alto, Burgundy has a lot going for it, self pollinating, very productive, and great tasting fruit. I have several of them, two are frankentrees with scions obtained from CRFG events, and this forum, are grafted to them.This creates an inexpensive way to try the many varieties of fruit that are available. This can be done with the apricot/ aprium family as well. I have a six in one ultra dwarf apple, using CRFG scions, growing in a large pot that is also doing very well. Variety is much preferred over limiting your options.

Thank you for all of the information! I feel very lucky to have found this resource.
I have several more questions related to my original query, and the answers some of you provided.

I wanted to know if anyone had a picture of the Burgundy plum’s canopy shape as a mature tree (over 10 years old). My backyard is small and since I am hoping to grow other things that won’t be shaded out by a tree, this information would be really helpful for me. Does it branch out a lot horizontally, or does it maintain a narrow, upright shape with maybe a 6 ft crown diameter, even in maturity?

Second question - I noticed on the website for the last scion exchange (where I assume I would get grafting scions for a frankenburgundy tree) that they were disallowing Aprium and I think pluot scions due to a sickness the trees were experiencing. If I do go the grafting route, does anyone know if it would be difficult to get scions for these types of fruit?

Thanks,
Sarah

I don’t know but it is possible to control this, and also control height. I really don’t care what the rootstock is as far as height, as even dwarf plants can grow 12 to 15 feet. To keep them small you can winter and summer prune. I have done this for 7 years and it works great/ You can control the crotch angles by bending branches and tying them down at the best angle. I have also done it by pruning to outgoing horizontal branches.

No just ask here. too late this season. One must harvest when dormant and even here in Michigan it’s too late. Ask me next winter. I don’t have any Aprium, but have 25 plums and pluots and I’m adding 4 more if all goes well.

Hi Drew, thanks for your reply.
I think what I was implying was that I DON’T want a tree that grows out horizontally. For example, my neighbor has a santa rosa plum with that wide, beautiful crown. I want to make sure the tree I get for my space doesn’t do that since there’s just not the space.

Hence my question if anyone had a picture of a mature Burgundy tree so I could see what shape its crown makes naturally.

Regarding grafts, yes, I know it’s too late this year! Also I don’t even have a tree yet, so I was talking generally for the next few years. I know the next possible time I might get some locally would be at the next scion exchange in January next year. If there’s a difficulty getting scions for apriums, pluots, apricots and plums due to disease, I kind of want to know before I make a plan of what to plant.

Please see the PDF link near the bottom of this page to understand what I am talking about:
http://www.crfg.org/chapters/golden_gate/scionex.htm

In any case, thank you for your offer for next year - it seems like in any case scions are obtainable through this forum despite any restrictions that might be in place.

Hi Rich,
Thanks for the info! It looks more and more like I will be doing something similar, albeit with just one Burgundy plum. It does seem like variety on one tree is the best option.
Maybe I’ll meet you one day at a CRFG event - I’m excited at the prospect of learning to graft. :slight_smile:
Sarah

@[Monardella]

I am in Livermore, not too far from you. It makes no difference if the trees you select have different rootstocks (I am assuming that you will be planting separate trees, close to each other, right?). I have several plum/plum-ish varieties: Burgundy (2 of them), Santa Rosa, Elephant Heart, Emerald Beaut, Golden Nectar, Sprite and Delight, Candy Heart Pluerry, Cot-N-Candy Aprium, Flavor Queen Pluot, and a French Improved Prune. I think that Santa Rosa and Burgundy would be my choices if I had limited space. Burgundy is a great choice if you are willing to accept a very firm plum - the color is incredible, and the flavor very good, and they bear reliably. I would choose an aprium over a pluot (my personal preference).

Monardella,
Wow, you have so many! Good to know the Burgundy is a firm plum - doesn’t bother me. Does it just never get soft, even off the tree?

At this point due to space limitations I think I will be grafting. Thanks so much for your info.

Sorry to respond separately to everyone…I’ll do a better job at replying next time!

Best,
Sarah

Hmmm…no I don’t think Burgundy softens up all that well. It may go off before that really happens. This is why Santa Rosa is a nice companion…early, extremely soft, almost liquid, and a harvest window of like ten days. Burgundy is the opposite…later, firm and a long hang time.