February is the perfect time to plant a bare-root fruit tree in your garden, and then wait for delicious desserts to roll in
GROWING some fruit this year? If so, why not think about planting a plum tree? Plum, or Prunus domestica, may have been one of the earliest fruit trees we humans ever cultivated. Plum remains have been found at Neolithic age archaeological sites alongside olives, grapes and figs.
They are easy to grow, hardy and require little pruning and training unless you wish to espalier or fan train them. Once established, they are very productive – and think of what you can do with their delicious bounty.
Eat fresh or preserve bumper crops as jams, chutneys or even plum brandy, while culinary plums make lovely crumbles and pies.
Now is a good time of year to plant one. It’s the dormant season which means deciduous plants are asleep – usually from November to March – and can be planted as bare-root stock which is a considerably cheaper option than containerised plants.
Less is more:
Bare root will establish more quickly in gardens than a potted variety. It’s also an environmentally friendly option, bypassing the need to use plastic pots and compost, and therefore easier and cheaper to transport.
For perfect plums, plant in a sunny and sheltered position. Because they flower early in the year, the blossoms are vulnerable to frost damage so avoid frost pockets or, if practical, protect with horticultural fleece when low temperatures are forecast.
Plum trees don’t like waterlogging but need to be moist in summer, so prepare your soil well before planting. The ideal is well-drained, fertile, water-retentive soil. If your soil is light and sandy, add well-rotted farmyard manure to improve fertility and moisture levels.
Mulches will help retain moisture in summer, and replenish the earth annually with a balanced fertiliser.
Plums can grow quite large, so when buying a tree, bear this in mind.
If your garden is small, ask for varieties grafted on to dwarf rootstock. ‘Victoria’ is one of the most popular, dating back from Victorian times. You’ll often see it in older gardens laden with its classic plum-coloured fruit.
It’s self-fertile so you don’t need any other plum trees to guarantee pollination, and it’s a reliable and heavy cropper.
Thin young crops in May so that the tree can focus its energy on less but bigger fruit. This will also reduce the weight burden on the branches which can snap when overladen with fruit.
Harvest when fruit is starting to soften on the tree. Remove any diseased fruit as soon as you spot it. If pruning is required, only do this in July and August.
Pruning a tree during the winter months runs the risk of silver leaf disease.
Another recommended variety is ‘Marjorie’s Seedling’ which is a heavy cropper and has the advantage of flowering a little later in the spring so it’s less prone to frost damage.