Talkback: A plumb job - Talkback

10/08/2007 at 17:08

I'd put splitting down to heavy rain following a dry period. I'm not sure what part of the country you live in, Dawn, but fruit splitting can be a problem with many fruits, including tomatoes. The fruit's skin grows quite slowly, and if heavy rain causes the plant to take up moisture quickly the fruit swells causing skin to split. I hope this hasn't happened to all your fruits, and you manage to enjoy a few.

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11/08/2007 at 12:44

I would agree with the you. I was disappointed with my damsons. Very good crop but little flavour.

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13/08/2007 at 19:53

So sorry you have been disappionted. Our plums have been very tasty and we have had a bumper crop. One thing puzzles me though.... we have an apple tree next to the plum (with a heavy crop), there is a branch which has 2 plums growing on it. - No, I haven't had too much 'plum juice'!. Both trees are more than 15 years old and I have never seen this before. I would be most grateful for an explanation, I can take some pictures if needed.

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18/08/2007 at 18:30

Best year so far (out of 3 after inhereting my tree during a house move). Last year the (Victoria) plums were plentifull but small and tasteless, this year there was a better June drop resulting in fewer but tastier fruit. Suprising after the tree had its feet in 3" of water for a week during the recent floods!

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20/08/2007 at 11:47

Sam, please do send us a picture to gwletters@bbc.co.uk as we'd all like to see this. If it is true, I'm at a loss to explain this. Plums belong to the genus Prunus while apples belong to Malus, and while both are members of the family Rosaceae I'm pretty sure you can't get plums growing on an apple tree or visa-versa. I'll get back to you one I've seen your picture.

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30/08/2007 at 13:45

Hi, I live in Derby and over the past two years have created a wild garden for insects and animals alike. My family are the lucky ones as we can sit out under a scoth pine, listen to the trickling water from our ponds, watch the numerous dragon flies, hear the bees buzzing around us and laugh at the squirels as they prance up and down the garden. All this on an estate just 3 miles from the city center!

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01/09/2007 at 19:59

We resisted interfering with a busy wasp nest throughout the summer and have now been rewarded by an insight into the most intricate and amazing construction of the nest. the wasp was the Norwegian wasp common in Aberdeenshire and we first notice the football shaped nest in a shrub in July.

We placed a notice to warn visitors to Beware. Occasionaly our German Shaperd accidentally caused a bit of excitment in the nest but took warning and no-one ever got stung. We noticed that all activity at the nest had completely ceased a few days ago, so in the company of our three grandchildren, we investigated by pruning the bush to free the large orb. Inside we found deserted quiet and wonder........ My message is leave wasps alone.

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09/09/2007 at 19:59

Hi all, We moved to our new place in the Clyde Valley in 2004 and inherited an ancient orchard as a consequence. Over the last few years the trees have been less productive and in general dying. Is there any way I can rescue these wonderful old trees?

A few orchard owners have come together under the guidance of Scottish Natural Heritage to for the Clyde Valley Orchards Group, so any advice you offer will be passed on to my neighbours.

Many thanks Andy www.orange-house.co.uk

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10/09/2007 at 15:50

Fascinating to read about Graham and Janet's Norweigan wasps. I always keep clear of wasps having experienced a nasty reaction when stung a few years ago. Now I carry an Epipen (adrenaline) around just in case! Andy, do try and get your fruit trees identified. If they are old and rare varieties then it would be a great shame if they died, and you should try and get them propagated into new trees. Perhaps a fruit nursery or the RHS Fruit Officer could offer further advice.

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10/09/2007 at 17:08

Our plumb tree has fruited heavily but like last year the plumbs have often had a single grub in the flesh. I would like a recommendation on a suitable spray and how and when to prune.

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11/09/2007 at 21:24

I live in Swindon, Wiltshire. I've been picking wild plums that grow in many of the hedgerows in and around the area. I'm not sure of the variety, the fruits are about the size of a large cherry and are either apricot orange or dark purple. They do make good eaters though I usually use them for jam. This year though I have noticed that despite looking just as good as normal there are fewer fruits, they two taste bland and potatoey.

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14/09/2007 at 21:32

John, your plums are being eaten by plum moth larvae. I don't spray my fruit (or anything else I eat for that matter) but do hang pheromone moth traps in my tree to attract and catch the male plum moth. Do try this next year. I also use pheromone traps to catch codling moth to prevent attack of my apples.

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23/09/2007 at 18:51

I have a Victoria Plum tree about five years old, the crop of fruit was so heavy it has broken several branches. If i saw them off at the break what do seal the wound with also there are three main branches one of which crosses over a path way in the garden will it be alright to saw this off also. Some advice please. philip@pentrebroughton.co.uk

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28/09/2007 at 00:09

How far apart would you suggest planting purple sprouting? Thanks in advance.

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04/10/2007 at 10:23

I have a large Victoria plum tree which fruits every year - but they vanish before I can pick them, overnight up to 20 plum's disappear without trace. Who's eating my plum's ?. any help would much appreciated. Thanks

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04/10/2007 at 23:56

Hi Adam and all, I should have mentioned that the trees we have are mostly Victoria Plum with a few Damson, and these both seem to be the fruit that are suffering quite badly. We started off with around 86 VP trees but we have lost or are losing quite a few, and we had 3 damson trees but these bore very few fruit this year and look as though we won't have them next year, unfortunately. It has been mentioned to me that the trees are just "done", but it would be a shame to lose them. Many thanks, Andy

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08/10/2007 at 23:09

We have grown an orange tree from a pip and it is now about 10ft tall and looking rather sorry for itself. We live in the Birmingham area and wonder whether we could leave the tree out during the winter or is it better to bring it indoors in the conservatory. Also any ideas as to why it has gone very limp with yellowing leaves this year. It has always been very healthy in previous years. Thanks for any advice in anticipation.

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01/01/2008 at 00:00

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04/01/2008 at 00:00

Just got round to reading some of the comments. I'm really surprised that people had such disappointing plum crops. We inherited a Victoria (i think!) when we moved here and it has cropped spectacularly and the fruit has been delicious. We had in excess of 100lb of fruit from one tree!

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04/06/2008 at 18:28

I planted a plum tree and it showed no signs of growth, though on inspection it didn't look dead, so I left it. I went to my allotment this week and there is growth, but it is coming from the base of the trunk. There are lush green leaves at the bottom, but nothing from the rest of the tree. Has anyone got any ideas. I really don't want to lose the tree!