The first pic is of my Italian Prune Plums. Boy I sure could use some of Mamuangs bread bags! The second picture are my first Reine Claude de Bavay Green Gages that have survived. The Bavay was a whip just four years ago!
The third picture is of Mirabelles de Metz plums that are very scant this year.
Mrs.G,
That is fantastic! Do you plan to thin the Italian prunes at all? Talking about abundant.
I love plums but have waited quite a few years to plant as they are not as easy as pears and apples for me. Your description of your E. Plums convinced to give them a trial. I will need to wait a while to find out.
Wow- that’s a lot of plums. My Euros are all younger and none has more than 5 plums. The 3 with fruit are a 2nd year Bluebyrd, and 3rd year Senaca and Castleton.
Here’s the massive (3 plums, 1 bagged) load on Castleton.
Mamuang, no I will not thin as of yet. The Italian Plum has a true June drop for me so I will wait until they start turning color. Every branch on the tree is like this and it has taken almost 9 years to get there. This is proof that it can happen.
My orchard is only 10 years old this year. It was surely worth the wait!
Bob after year four the plums started to become more abundant for me. First five, then 22, then upwards as they aged. These plums make the best tarts and jam. And, are great fresh eating off the tree.
This is one tree I usually entirely net.
Bob - please let us know what they taste like. I planted my Castleton last year per Alan’s recommendation. Then, I moved it to a sunnier location this spring. I know I set it back doing that but hopefully it’ll be better in a long run. Alan also said it’ll fruit sooner than most other E. plums. That’s the good news.
Nothing in my yard grows fast due to poor soil but that’s the only space I have to grow my fruit trees.
mrsg47, your plums look good.
Beautiful plums Mrs. G! I can’t wait (lol, with hope anyway!) to have such great stone fruit set!
A quick question on tree netting: does the netting interfere at all with light penetration? You still get good ripening?
A quick question on tree netting: does the netting interfere at all with light penetration? You still get good ripening?
The answer is no. I use the green netting from American Nettings. It is excellent and the plums can be sprayed through it as well. The netting does not get stuck on branches and is easily recycled as long as you remove it from the tree after the fruit has ripened. No interference with sun. Thanks!
Neat! This is another step I would consider, if it allows proper ripening and spray application through the netting.
Thanks for the info Mrs. G! I will have a look at the American Nettings site today too. I still am getting my head around the idea that all the hard work I have done in planting/growing will need a more integrated management and even MORE work if I want to keep up with crop sizes in years to come.
Here is my cherry trees being net. I let vandalay get over8 ft. Black Gold is open and short at 6 ft. I have a new Black Star cherry in there, planting too close. Need to move it out next year.
When I spray sulfur, I just get inside the net and spray.
Beautifully shaped trees and I love the sizing you’ve managed. Is it a total of four in the planting?
How does the netting affect branch growth? I could almost see that it may help spread distal branches more horizontal. Is that what happens?
Mamuang great job again!!! How tall are your trees?
Brethil, hang in! The netting will bend the branches downward, which I personally do not mind. If you do not remove the netting after harvest, branches will grow through the netting, then you will have to prune the new growth before removing the netting. My trees are approx. ten feet tall and 8’ wide.
First of all, my apology to Mrs. G. I did not mean to hijack her thread.
Brethil - They are 3 trees in there. The BG and Vandalay are about 10 ft apart, Then, last year, I planted Black Star in the middle but further up the yard. Bad idea, too close.
The netting has affected the branches to spread out really well. It’s unintended but worked out beautifully. I will need to take Vandalay’s central lead out next spring (the taller and closer one). Too tall. The second tier branches also block the sun from the Honey Crisp apply behind it.
Thanks, Mrs. G. and Brethil -,
BG is about 6’ tall. Vandalay is about 8-9 ft. I leave the netting there over a months out of laziness.
Very nice. I ill be doing that chore this coming weekend
What type and weight of netting is that?
Mike
Thanks, Mess.
Hubby ordered it. I believed it is 30 x 100 ft. It is expensive so I try to take better dare of it.
Last year I covered blueberry bushes and J. Pluxm with it. Something, either a squirrel or a possum bit a big hole in it. So, watch out for them, too.