Non-motoring > Why no plums on my tree this year ? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: henry k Replies: 17
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New Wed 10 Jul 13 13:03 
 Why no plums on my tree this year ? - henry k
We have two plum trees that usually produce a good crop of fruit each year but not this year.

Our fairly young Victoria plum tree has fruit only on its north side and these look normal.

Our older very large cherry plum appears to have a single plum on it.
It had the usual fantastic display of blossom so I can only assume the bees went AWOL.
Normally I would have buckets of plums.

Any one else seeing these sort of effects or has any other explanation ?

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New Wed 10 Jul 13 13:07 
 Why no plums on my tree this year ? - Zero
Strangely, my pear tree that rarely manages to crop, is groaning under an abundance of growing fruit.
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New Wed 10 Jul 13 13:11 
 Why no plums on my tree this year ? - -
Our Damson tree produced nowt last year but looks like a bumper crop this year.
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New Wed 10 Jul 13 13:12 
 Why no plums on my tree this year ? - madf
>> Strangely, my pear tree that rarely manages to crop, is groaning under an abundance of
>> growing fruit.
>>

+1 - for my plum and pear trees.. and apples as well.

A lack of fruit usually is caused by frost killing off the flowers/small fruit.
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New Wed 10 Jul 13 13:13 
 Why no plums on my tree this year ? - Lygonos
I'm no horticulturist, but I think fruit only develop after the flowers are pollinated.

All our fruit trees are doing ok including the quince bush.

Maybe your plums are diseased.

:-)
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New Wed 10 Jul 13 21:18 
 Why no plums on my tree this year ? - henry k
>> I'm no horticulturist, but I think fruit only develop after the flowers are pollinated.
>>
That is my understanding
>> All our fruit trees are doing ok including the quince bush.
>>
My ancient apple tree has a few apples. Now I have to net it to keep the green tree rats from destroying them. They have started already. :-((
>>
>> Maybe your plums are diseased. :-)
>>
We did have brown rot a few years ago but no sign of it at present.

Both trees look very healthy. I have to prune them ( at the correct time) as they are both still growing.

I feel pretty certain it is a lack of bees but still a little odd that fruit is only on the north side of our smaller tree.
Neighbours will not get any Victorias this year
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New Wed 10 Jul 13 13:16 
 Why no plums on my tree this year ? - sooty123
All do with the spring weather, well for pears anyway. Last year was very poor for pears, 2011 was very good. If it's a cold spring it reduces their growth saving energy till later in the year.
As to the plums was it cold and dry in your neck of the woods, above av rainfall in early summer?
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New Wed 10 Jul 13 14:36 
 Why no plums on my tree this year ? - devonite
My Comfrey patch is usually the first thing to flower and therefore usually awash with many different type of Bumble-Bee, this year, none! - likewise my broad-beans, awash with Bumbles, this year maybe one or two very small (newly-hatched?) Bumbles bumbling. No Bees = no fruits ;-( maybe a "hungry" winter here at the "Hovel"!
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New Wed 10 Jul 13 15:17 
 Why no plums on my tree this year ? - Fenlander
Whatever it needed in conditions seem to have been met for our "new to us" Yucca which has twin 4ft tall flower shafts covered with white flowers about 80% out now. If only I could put my hand on a decent camera I'd upload a pic....
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New Wed 10 Jul 13 15:20 
 Why no plums on my tree this year ? - Alanovich
Don't pull the fronds out when they go brown. I did, and my 7 foot tall yucca in the garden died. Rather, the crown fell out completely, but it started sprouting new fronds from the bottom. Weird. Whatever the opposite of green fingers is, I've got that.
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New Wed 10 Jul 13 15:56 
 Why no plums on my tree this year ? - madf
Lots of bumbles here. And lots of tree bumbles in bird houses annoying garden owners..

Going to rescue one this evening from the post holding up a washing line. Lady's 4 year old too scared to go outside...


Second one to be collected this year (third call) - I am on the bee swarm collector's list at local town hall.. so get free bees and lots of calls about bumbles. Some I am unable to deal with - last night call about honey bees 10 meters up in air under flashing of a chimney. I don't do heights or building work.

Last edited by: madf on Wed 10 Jul 13 at 15:57
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New Wed 10 Jul 13 16:02 
 Why no plums on my tree this year ? - bathtub tom
I was thinking it strange that I hadn't noticed any bees this year. They're usually all over the clover flowers that I laughingly refer to as my lawn and the lavender.
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New Wed 10 Jul 13 16:13 
 Why no plums on my tree this year ? - Ambo
I don't know about plums but apple trees sometimes seem to have an off year for no obvious reason.
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New Wed 10 Jul 13 16:36 
 Why no plums on my tree this year ? - DP
I have seen more bumble bees this year than during any other year in recent memory. They are everywhere in my neck of the woods.
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New Wed 10 Jul 13 18:00 
 Why no plums on my tree this year ? - madf
>> I have seen more bumble bees this year than during any other year in recent
>> memory. They are everywhere in my neck of the woods.
>>

Same here. Not just me.All the local beekeepers I know are saying the same.
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New Wed 10 Jul 13 18:19 
 Why no plums on my tree this year ? - Roger.
Same here in North Notts/Sth. Yorks. Lots of Buff Tailed B. Bees.
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New Wed 10 Jul 13 19:35 
 Why no plums on my tree this year ? - corax
Plenty of bees here, and numbers increasing with the warm weather. Everything on my allotment is thriving compared to last years disaster. And if my stuff is doing well, hopefully the farmers crops will be doing well this year, and the food prices 'might' go down.
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New Thu 11 Jul 13 10:50 
 Why no plums on my tree this year ? - Mapmaker
You need a gynaecologist, Henry.

Redheads are the best... ;)
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