Plum Varieties

European plums can be grown in most States, including some of those too cold for peaches. Suggested varieties are the self-fruitful Fellenberg (Italian Prune), Stanley, and Shropshire. In the Far West, Tragedy and President can be grown and they pollinate each other. French Prune is used for drying. It is self-fertile and can be planted alone.

Varieties developed from native American species of plums are available for areas with severe winters.

Japanese plums ripen from May to September in California. A succession of varieties in season of ripening is Burmosa, Santa Rosa, El Dorado, Laroda, Friar, and Casselman. Santa Rosa, and Casselman are partially self-fertile and will pollinate the other varieties. In the Southeast, Frontier and Ozark Premier can be grown. Frontier needs cross-pollination. Methley and Santa Rosa are useful farther north.

Frost-protected locations are best for Japanese plums because of their early blossoming.

Blenheim (Royal), Tilton, and Castleton are suitable apricot varieties in California. In other areas Wenatchee (Moorpark), Goldrich, and Early Golden may be used. Apricots bloom earlier than Japanese plums.

A sour cherry variety.

The home gardener who wishes to challenge the birds for his crop of sweet cherries might plant Bing, Rainier or Van. They ripen in June and July. Two or more varieties are needed for pollination.

Sour cherry varieties available are Montmourency, English Morello, and Early Richmond.

Planting

A commercial nursery is the most convenient source of trees for the home gardener. Trees are graded by height in feet, or trunk caliper in inches. A medium-sized tree (4 to 6 feet in height or 1/2 to 5/8 inch in diameter) often gives best survival and growth.

Trees should be dormant when planted. Spring planting is satisfactory in most areas providing the trees are kept dormant before planting. Fall or winter planting also is satisfactory and sometimes preferred in southern areas. If conditions are not suitable for planting at time of purchase, store in moist cellar or "heel-in" outdoors in a trench. Keep the roots moist and cool but avoid freezing.

Remove broken or diseased roots. If the roots have dried out in handling, soak them for several hours or overnight. Avoid planting when roots might be exposed to freezing. Plant the tree 1 or 2 inches deeper than it was growing in the nursery. Fill around the roots with topsoil, and tamp the soil. If the soil is dry, add 1 or 2 gallons of water to the hole. Fill the hole with soil and round off slightly.

Trees usually bear their first appreciable crop the third or fourth year after planting.

At planting time, the nursery tree usually has a single upright stem which should be cut back to 24 to 36 inches. This cut should be just above a mature bud. If there are wide-angled, strong lateral branches, select 2 to 4 which are separated up to 6 inches and spaced around the trunk. Tip these slightly. Remove or severely stub remaining laterals.

Select 3 or 4 scaffold branches during the first dormant period. These selected branches become the tree's primary framework.

Pruning should be minimal until the tree bears fruit. Unpruned trees tend to bear younger than pruned ones. However, branches which cross or interfere with good exposure of the scaffolds should be removed. An open-centered vase-type tree will give good exposure. Some secondary branches may be kept for early fruit and protection of the trunk and crotches from sunscald, but they should not interfere with the tree's basic framework.

Peach tree with well-spaced, strong scaffold limbs and open center for maximum exposure to light on the fruit-bearing surface.

In mature trees, keep vigorous current-season wood coming along to bear next year's crop of peaches and nectarines. The other stone fruits produce spurs which bear part of the fruit. Cut the tops back to reasonable picking height but change the height of cuts slightly each year. Prune to renew the bearing wood annually.

Fertilization

Most of the 12 nutrient elements essential for growth are available in nearly all soils. The tree's growth and production can tell you which ones are deficient. Leaf sample tests may be useful in diagnosing deficiencies.

Nitrogen is most often needed. A tree deficient in nitrogen will have light green to yellowish foliage and reduced shoot growth. In severe cases of N deficiency, small leaves, red specks on leaves and sometimes on fruit, misshapen and insipid fruit, and greatly reduced growth are common symptoms. Excessive nitrogen causes rank growth, poor fruit color and flavor, and may subject the tree to winter damage.

The dormant period is a convenient time to apply fertilizers. For a tree growing in sod, you need extra fertilizer to satisfy requirements of both tree and sod.

To remove competitor for nutrients and water, keep a bare area under the spread of the tree by cultivation, herbicides or mulches.

Apply a complete fertilizer (10-10-10 or similar mixture) after the newly planted tree starts to put out leaves.

Each subsequent year apply fertilizer in amounts judged necessary for the individual tree based on appearance or leaf analysis. An approximate amount to apply is 1/8 pound of actual nitrogen per year of tree age up to 1 pound per tree. Spread the fertilizer evenly in a circle slightly larger than the tree spread. Applications may be split, with part applied during the growing season. Avoid nitrogen applications after late July in northern areas.

Regular irrigation in and areas is needed, and supplemental irrigation in natural rainfall areas is desirable. A temporary drought, particularly during the month before harvest, may severely reduce fruit size and quality, even though the annual rainfall is adequate. Sod or shallow-rooted plants will show water stress before the tree suffers from lack of moisture.

Avoid frequent light irrigation. Instead soak the soil thoroughly to root depth and wait for signs of moisture stress in the indicator plant before irrigating again. Too heavy or too frequent irrigation may damage roots. Cherries are particularly susceptible to excessive moisture.

Heavier soils particularly those with considerable clay require less frequent irrigation than light, sandy Soils and are subject to slower loss of nutrients to the subsoil.