READER’S QUESTION

WE HAVE had a Kirkes plum on dwarfing root stock for some years but fruiting is poor. We have a Victoria in the same garden. What would you recommend as a pollinator? And how far can it be from the Kirkes tree? Sheila, Lincolnshire. ‘KiRKes’ plum is self-sterile and cannot produce fruit unless crosspollinated. ‘Victoria’ is self-fertile but will crop more heavily if it can cross pollinate. Plums which are compatible with ‘Kirkes’ include ‘ Czar,’ ‘Blue Tit,’ ‘Giant Prune’ and ‘Oullins Gage.’ ‘Blue Tit’ is a dependable cropper. But for flavour, ‘Oullins Gage’ has large, sweet fruits. either would be good as pollinators. foraging bees travel distances so if your trees are close, cross-pollination is likely.