I’ve grown tired of waiting for my two pink lady and zestar apple trees to grow after waiting an average of 2 years between the two of them. As such, I’m looking for two productive asian plums with great flavor (ideally sweet and tart), and at least moderately resistant to disease (black knot, etc.) to ensure that I achieve a good crop after waiting for a couple of years. I’ve seen very mixed reviews about the common methley, shiro, santa rosa, and stanley surrounding mediocre flavor, poor pollination/fruit development, and disease prevalence and looking into other less discussed varieties (even some of the Auburn University varieties like AU Rosa). Does anyone have any experience or insight into growing the following varieties of plums/pluots/hybrids in this region or similar, especially in regard to ideal pollinating partners: Nadia, Laroda, Flavor King, Flavor Supreme, Obilinaja, Lavina? I value a juicy sweet/tart variety, maybe something like a plum/cherry hybrid, refreshing for fresh eating.
You mentioned several issues with plums but in my opinion the number 1 issue is getting a variety that the blooms/fruit can survive the early cold weather. Spring Satin is a variety that I haven’t had any disease problems but the early cold weather eliminates most of the fruit.
I am in southern middle TN… and have AU Rosa.. for 4 years now.
It bloomed very well first year, set 100 tiny plum fruit.. then we got a frost… and all turned black and fell off.
This has happened all 4 years so far.
It starts blooming around the first of March… and here we almost always get a frost or two after that.
I am in the process of grafting it over to later bloomers.. JA Hybrids… Alderman, Waneta, Pipestone.
Seems to be my only hope here.
I have tried grafting several other varieties of J Plums to it… but they all suffer the same fate. Bloom too early, set fruit, frost… and all drops.
TNHunter
I was hoping some hybrids like Alderman and the popular Waneta and Toka would fare better, but I might need to resign myself to growing Chickasaw plums if I’m looking to have any kind of plum.
@Midazolam06.. you might try European plums.. here they bloom 3-4 weeks after J Plums.. and even later than JA hybrids.
They can take a long time to start fruiting.
I have had a Mt Royal planted since 2018.. still waiting for first fruit.
TNHunter
Alderman, Pipestone and Waneta are some of the latest blooming JA Hybrids.
Toka and Superior bloom a bit earlier than those 3.
TNHunter