buds didn't blossom this year

9 years ago

I'm on the California Central Coast. I have a Bavay's Green Gage that's 5 years old and an Italian Plum that's about the same age that have never set fruit buds. So I got really excited this winter when I saw lots of dormant buds. Alas, not a single one ever turned into clumps of blossoms--the buds just sat there, un-swelled, unchanged. The tree is otherwise totally healthy, pest and fungus free, and grows normally. I fertilize it every spring with compost. One thing that was weird this January was that it was abnormally warm and sunny for weeks; could that have anything to do with it? I have a few other European and Japanese Plums and they did much better, in the same orchard, however, that's why this is so mysterious. Any suggestions?

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Comments (6)

mrsg47
9 years ago
Hi! I have both of those trees and I'm in RI. It took seven years before my Italian prune plum set fruit. The first year it did I had about 22 plums of which half dropped off during June (June drop). Also, the plums were rather round in shape, I thought it was odd. As it turns out the tree was just maturing. This is now year nine and I have lovely clumps of ovate-shaped Italian prune plums on my tree. As for the Bavay, my replacement Bavay went in only three years ago as a whip, so I will not expect any blossoms or fruit for at least three more years. The two trees are exceptionally slow in blossoming and hanging onto fruit. These trees tell you when they are ready! The wait it worth it though. Mrs. G
christinepi
Original Author
9 years ago
Do your trees actually have buds, or not even that? That's what I find so weird: there were so many buds, but they never opened! Just looked dry and unmotivated.
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Suzi AKA DesertDance So CA Zone 9b
9 years ago
That is just weird. Central coast. Is it too foggy and cold for plums? They love heat. Maybe you need to find a variety that does ok in cooler conditions.

Do your neighbors have plums? If so, see if you can find out what variety they grow.

I have an unknown plum that came with this house. It does bear fruit, but I'm ready to kick it to the curb for a known variety.

What I never knew was that stone fruits need a lot of spray a few times a year to prevent disease. We learned, like you are trying to do.
mrsg47
9 years ago
What is your zone? Google growing plums in your area for varieties that will grow. I lost my first Bavay to borers. Not a pretty site and sad, I'd had the tree for three years. Spray is a must for me where I live. Mrs. G
christinepi
Original Author
9 years ago
The thing is that I have other plums (Stanley, Early Laxton, Imperial Epineuse, Inca, French, Shiro) that are doing well or even producing like crazy. So what's that about? Why are they happy when others aren't? I'm zone 9, in the Bay Area's fog belt; but we get a good amount of sun once the fog burns off after 11am during June-August.
christinepi
Original Author
9 years ago
And I just found this for Zone 9:

"Another green fruit that is near the top of its category. Bavay's Green Gage is not large, not pretty, not popular, but sooo good !!" a sweet, rich flavor. Fresh off the tree, cooked or dried, it is the European plum to which all others should be compared. This is a variety for the cold country folks - and the colder the climate, the better this variety does. A great zone 5a choice - and it could go to 4b."

So cold temps wouldn't be an issue with this one. Puzzling.