Italian Purple Plums

Italian Purple Plums...how could I have gone my whole life and not grown and harvested plums? Wow...so wonderfully delicious! These guys were already growing here at Windy Hill when we moved in, so I can't claim any responsibility for their existence.

But they are just so gorgeous! Really delightful and easy to make into plum jam or a semi sweet plum sauce.

But how to grow? If there is anything I have learned in the past year, it is that fruit trees need our help...they don't just grow bug free, disease free fruit because we stand there and look at them. I am certainly not suggesting that we should resort to non organic methods of pest and disease control, but I am saying that I have a lot of studying to do between now and next season.

Here are a couple of things I have learned about growing plums:

• They, like most fruit trees need light, good location and water
• They need to be pruned properly in the fall, remove deadwood and shape
• Feed the trees, when in bud, bloom and fruit set. Jobes has new organic fertilizer spikes you can try
• Must have adequate water...every 10 days or so. If leaves are curling, the tree is past the point of needing water.
• Use dormant oil in winter and early spring to help combat diseases and don't forget, there are organic options for pests.

Let me know if you are growing plums this season...would love to know if you have had any difficulties/successes with them. Check out Portland Foodie for more information on canning.

Comments

[Farmer Jen]

I didn't know that Jobes had organic fertilizer spikes. Thank you for telling me! I too need to learn more about nutrition and pest control of my fruit trees. I have several, including one Santa Rosa Plum. I had a nice plum harvest this year, back in July. Love your photos.

[JeanAnnVK]

Yes, the Jobes organic spikes are new, I just saw them for the first time at the Garden Writers Association conference...I had no idea I needed to pay attention to them in that way either...I tend to think, hey, they are a tree, what's to do...yeah, not so much...

good luck!

[Novembrance]

Ooh, tell me more about dormant oil. My peaches had a fungus on their skin this past summer. The fruit was still delicious, but they weren't very attractive. Would dormant oil help?

[Karen]

Out here in Marin County, California, which is just a few miles south of wine country, plum trees grow everywhere. They're all over the neighborhood, but since they're growing on other people's property, I rarely taste them.

One of these days I'm going to plunder the neighborhood plum trees...

[Geri]

Plums aren't only delicious, they're also healthy. They help digestion and prevent macular degeneration and give you gorgeous legs. If you're interested in learning more about them read this http://www.newrinkles.com/index.php/archive/did-you-know-plums/