Plums falling off

Three years ago, I put in a Santa Rosa Plum that I brought from Lowes. I figure it was a 1-2 year old tree at the time. It has bloomed the past 2 springs and formed small green pea size plums each time but they fall off the branches in early June. Is this normal? Do I have to wait for the tree to mature some more for plums? Are the birds eating green fruit? Any ideas or similar experiances would be helpful. Gil.

No: It is normal for some to fall but not all. You have a Santa Rosa and ?. It is necessary to have a second Japanese plum for polination to occur. They are not self fertile.

You know, I never thought that I might need a second one for pollnation. That might be it, not enough bird and bee action (my life story) Thanks Farmerdill, now its back to Lowes for another tree. Gil

Just remember, it has to be a different cultivar, Two Santa Rosas won't do it.

Got Ya!!!!! Gil

Santa Rosa plums are self fertile, but will give you more fruit if it is cross pollinated. Japanese plums are better suited to warm temperate climates and zone 5a is pushing it a bit. Since yours bloomed and set fruit, something might have stressed the tree into dropping its fruit, As Farmerdill said it is normal for a tree to drop small fruit as it usually produces too many. If it dropped all, take a look at your watering schedule and/or fertilizing schedule. Did you have big temperature drop after it set fruit? A big windstorm?

I try to give the tree, and everything else, at least an inch of water per week if mother nature doesn't supply it and fertilize it in the spring with compost and bone meal..We did have a big temperture swing over Memorial Day. We went from a month of 10 degrees below normal temps (60's) to 10 degrees above normal (90's) and its still in the high 80's. Also a big thunderstorm came through here Thursday, but I think the tree had already dropped its fruit by that time. As for a differant varity of plum, I have to check the local nurserys as the dept/home imp. stores only seem to carry the Santa Rosa. Thanks again for the help Bettydee. Gil

In recents years, several nurseries have began advertising Japanese plums as self fertile with only an admonition that you get better yield with two cultivars. I have not found it to be so. If you like yellow ones, Shiro is great, among the reds, Superior and Burbank do well. In your area you may want to consider spring planting. In the south fall planting is best.
http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/crops/facts/02-041.htm#recommended
http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/horticulture/5130.html
http://www.uri.edu/ce/factsheets/sheets/plums.html
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1404.html

I got one Santa Rosa that grew and bloomed tremendously but no fruit until I got a polinator, Bruce. I got a few blooms the first year on the young tree and it was enough to do the job. Now I have four more varieties and we have plums over a two month period. This year is a bust because of an inordinate amount of rain and cold at the worst possible time. I find that most fruits and nuts I have tried have a cycle of a good year followed by only a fair harvest then back to the good.

I found some interesting plum trees in Raintree Nurseys catalog but they stopped shipping for this year. I'll have to wait till 06 to order from them. Its interesting that there is a 2 year cycle on fruit production. Oh... by the way ,I found one plum on my tree that hadn't fallen off. Its about the size of a peanut and is starting to turn a yellowish red. So at least this year isn't a total bust..... Gil

Happy Birthday Sniper :))


Susan