Greengages splitting

twopenny

So it's a dwarf tree planted 18mts ago and this is it's first year with fruit.

Not too many and evenly spaced they were doing well but, like the plums, they seem to be hard green skins and not ripening.

The temperatue with this heat wave can be 35C in the back garden but they are in a spot to get enough sun but shade from late morning onwards. Bright though.

2 days ago I used the hosepipe on it though it wasn't showing signs of distress.

Tonight I see that several have split.

Would this be like tomatoes where uneven watering can cause them to split? Was I wrong to give the tree a soaking around the roots?

sheramber

Most likely  the soaking causing the fruit to swell quickly and skins  splitting.

 https://fruitforum.wordpress.com/2007/07/29/why-are-my-greengages-splitting/

  

Farway

Agreed, the it's soaking wot's dun it

My cherries went the same way after heavy rain. Given unable to control rain fall I think the only solution is keep well watered once the fruits form, easier to say than do in my case given it's down the bottom of the garden

twopenny

Ditto Farway. It's not easy to soak tree roots as you don't know where they are.

Ho hum, some splits are scabbing over so hopefully they will eventually ripen.

It's exasperating watching from blossom to ripening - my first ever greengages which I love.

Farway

twopenny said:

Ditto Farway. It's not easy to soak tree roots as you don't know where they are.

Ho hum, some splits are scabbing over so hopefully they will eventually ripen.

It's exasperating watching from blossom to ripening - my first ever greengages which I love.

I've been the same this year with the plums, cold spring for blossom etc, the June drop turned into an avalanche and every time I look it seems yet another one [still green] is showing signs of immanent death. This will be about fourth year of plums and they are gorgeous ones, fingers crossed for both of us