Why are my plums so small!!

LJW_2

Hope somebody can advise. the plum tree in my garden has been there for many years, over the last 2 at least the plums are really small!! I know the tree has never been pruned, does it need it or do I need to do something else??

Lotus-eater

Firstly, are you sure that the plums are getting smaller in the last two years? I think this is unusual, although I'm far from an expert on plum trees. Is it all of the tree, or one area? Does the tree look fine apart from the fruit?

Plum trees normally cope with huge crops, so I doubt that thinning the crop will help as it might on an apple tree, but if you have had very heavy crops, it's worth trying.
Again, I don't think pruning will help, but if you do want to do it, do it straight after it has fruited. If it is really overcrowded it is worth a go.

Try posting here on the feeling fruity section.
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/index.php

shopaholic2006

sorry can't help with the op's qestion, but i do have another one myself. My friend has a plum tree many years old, has been healthy and produces good crops every year, however this year it had a good yield growing but for some reason they have all shriveled leaves and all, and the tree looks dead, any ideas??
Thanks

Ken68

Hi LJ....had to drastically thin the fruits on my Victoria this year, massive crop.
Even then am having to support branches. Probably ideal growing weather.
Prune in the summer only, silver leaf problems otherwise, and I even snip off the resulting growth, think they are called milk something.
Goblet shape is what to aim for and cut out inward growing branches when small. Not too late for heavy pruning but would spread this over a couple of years.
Edit...Ooops....see I've been doing it wrong.
http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_diary/fruit_veg_mini_project_march_2d_plum.asp

foxgloves

Hi,
I had this problem with greenagages one year.....there were hundreds on the tree, but absolutely titchy. A gardening magazine suggested drastically thinning the fruits out so I picked off about 4 lbs then found that the remaining ones did get to a normal size.

katiel

I don't know that this helps with the small plum issue, but if your tree is looking ill, it might be bacterial canker. Apparently plum trees all over the country have been hit hard this year, and there doesn't appear to be much you can do except cut out the affected parts. If your branches are showing signs of splitting and oozing it could be this. (I was at a talk on plums given by the fruit department at Wisley yesterday - hence the need to show off my new-found knowledge whether it's helpful or not!)