Source: wikiHow
Growing your own plum tree in your backyard is a gratifying experience. After planting, watering, pruning, and maintaining your tree, it will bear delicious plums to reward you for your work. With regular care, your plum tree will continue to bloom and produce plums for years to come.
- 1 Choose a type of plum that will thrive where you live. European plum trees will grow in most climates. Japanese plum trees need warmer climates. American hybrid plums are the hardiest and can survive even in cold, harsh conditions.
- 2 Pick a European type if you have space for just one tree. Japanese plum trees and American hybrids need to cross-pollinate, which means you’d need a second tree to produce fruit. If you have space for only one tree, go with a European plum tree. It will also grow well in most climates.[1]
- In general, Japanese plums are sweet and juicy, with red skin. European plums are very sweet and purple. American hybrids vary in appearance and taste, but many are similar to Japanese plums.[2]
- 3 Start with a grafted plum tree for the best plums. A grafted plum tree is a young tree that has been attached to a root to improve its growth. Grafted plum trees produce delicious fruit. You can grow a plum tree from a plum seed, but the fruit may not taste the same.
- 4 Choose a planting site with well-drained soil so your tree will grow. Plum trees grow best in rich soil that isn’t constantly wet. If the soil retains water, it might cause your tree’s roots to rot. Check the drainage by digging a hole 1 foot (0.30 m) deep and filling it with water. If the water drains within 1 hour, the site has good drainage.
- If your planting site doesn’t have good drainage, choose a different spot in your yard. You can also install gutters and drains or regrade your soil to redirect water.
- 5 Make sure your planting site gets 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day. Your plum tree will need 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day to grow. Avoid spots where frost might settle and spots that experience high winds.[4]
- Give your tree at least 15 feet (4.6 m) of space all around to grow. If you’re planting multiple plum trees, space them at least 18 inches (46 cm) apart.[5]
- 1 Plant during spring for the easiest experience. If you live in a region with cold winters and hot summers, wait until the spring to plant your plum tree. It will be easiest to dig the hole for your tree, and your young tree’s roots will adapt to the soil well.[6]
- 2 Dig a hole slightly deeper and wider than the tallest, longest roots. Try not to bend the roots so they can spread and grow. Your trees roots will grow outward. Make sure its longest roots have room to grow and form a stable base for your tree.[8]
- 3 Loosen the soil in the sides of the hole so the roots can spread easily. If the soil in the hole is too compact, your roots will have trouble breaking through and growing outwards. You can loosen the soil with the tip of your shovel or a handheld tool like a trowel.[9]
- 4 Check…
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