I grew up on a 100 acre farm in Mississippi. We raised cattle and had wild plums and dewberry bushes all over the pasture. The plums were small, about an inch across but they were sweet and full of flavor. My mother made plum jelly and plum cobbler every summer. I spent many hours out picking wild fruit and eating as I went.
Mark, You have inspired me for the last two years to get off my lazy butt & clean up my garden and start growing again. These last two years have been great getting back to nature. Thanks for all the tips that you’ve given and inspiration I needed to start growing again. 👍
I had a tonne of fruit on the plum trees this year - and they were beautiful! The tree did what you said - the branch broke but this was early in the season and I left the branch but there were heaps of plums and all the plums ripened and not a bug. There's nothing better than plums. I love them!
my grandmother has a a couple of plum trees, I used to always get the plums when they were green rather than let them ripen, the sour taste in green plums is just the best thing ever! And like you said, add a little salt and it's just a perfect snack. My mouth is literally watering as I'm writing this, can't wait for summer!
We have heavy clay soil and planted our plum tree about 3 feet from a steep little hill. I mulch them with dropped leaves from our oak trees. So far so good!
The good thing about having the overripe fruit is your animals get to enjoy some too. Though i feed my soured figs to the tree. That's my way of fertilizing my tree.
You probably know, but for those who don't, wasps and fruit fly love to lay eggs in figs. Check the bottom before harvesting, any dark marks that feel softer is likely to be penetrative point. Discarding on the ground nearby will encourage the pupae to get back to the fruit. Discarding well away from the plant will lead to their demise
I find myself watching this channel as an escape from most RU-vid political silliness. But I also find watching this channel as enjoyable. Thanks Mark.
In my suburban backyard I've got 5 plum trees. As a new gardner I thought my cautious pruning and never thinning was burdening the trees. I grew LOTS of plum...s and the birds had the extras. I don't feel like such a bad plant parent now and I also got some new care tips. Thank you!
Thank you! Here in North East America, I don’t believe I’ve ever even considered growing plums. Your videos are a true inspiration for me to give it a go. Hoping to have several bellies worth by next year! - thumb up -
I am glad to see your tiny mature plum tree...I am two years into a tiny tree edible orchard and it is nice to see what will come! I am youtubing my journey as well and at the very least I will have a nice record of my progress!
You're content is on another level! You have an amazing garden, mark! I've learned so much from you and have about 10 trees in my own orchard now here in wa state, usa. And a large veggie garden just getting started , adding more beds for year 2!
How timely! I just planted 4 plum (or plum-cross) trees up here in the PNW of North America. I've never grown them before, but I have many, many fruit and berry trees & shrubs of different types. I like that close weave netting _much better_ than the monofilament netting sold as "bird netting" here in American DIY stores.
Seedums work great too! Try sweet violets around the borders of perennial beds to keep grass at bay. Many varieties of Thyme work great in lieu of grass and pollinators love the flowers🥰
I like how you've kept your Plum tree small. I'm a big fan of the small fruit tree concept talked about in "Grow a Little Fruit Tree" by Ann Ralph. I have over 20 fruit trees and have found that to be really helpful.
Yah, dwarf rootstock is a real boon. We had 70-year-old apple trees on the acreage I grew up on and harvesting fruit from a 30+ foot tree was a royal pain (and somewhat dangerous). Dwarfed stocks make everything so much easier from pruning to picking.
@@mjk9388 it’s a fruit I don’t want to do without now. Lov3 them. I got the non astringent variety so no risk of waiting for that perfect ripen point. Astringent variety can be tricky.
I live in an urban area with no space of my own to grow a garden but I love your videos Mark. Your voice is so friendly and warm and the information you provide is both insightful and inspiring. I hope one day I can have my own garden so I can bring some of your lessons into my own life!
Agreed on thinning, for a backyard grower it doesn't matter so much. However, I do slightly thin my peach trees, they're always looking for an excuse to fall to pieces.
What a great idea to keep the tree this small so that covering is easy. I’ve got 2 plum trees (Victoria Plum and Greengage) but I’ve been eating ketogenic over the last 18 months which means no more plum eating for me lol! Having said that I might just eat a couple again when they’re ripe this autumn...
Graden experts tells alot about things but the basic things noone tells.. Selfdependent is what you are teaching the world..! Happy to see the hardwork u put in and also can see the satisfaction in ur Face..! Good luck..! Love from India..! 🙏
Thinning out the fruit do work, especially for growing bigger fruits. sometimes just to get the fruit to mature. However, that depends on the fruit. Thin out the fruit works well on some species of mango. If you have too many fruits maturing on a single branch or tree, they might all not mature before the season finish.
I just found this old video because today I bought a combination plum tree. It has three different plum branches spliced/grafted on to it. I live in Rocky Mountain House Alberta and the tree is guaranteed to grow zone 3. I am so excited! Last year I bought a sour cherry tree and it survived -50 C this winter. I am so happy its covered in little buds. I am building a sort of greenhouse (portable car garage) with lots of insulation so the two trees will be better protected. Mark was a load master on an aircraft I think and he had an accident where he got caught up in some strapping and wound up outside of the plane being bashed against the fuselage. He was caught by his arm and it damaged him badly. Glad to see my fav Oz gardener happy and healthy!
Thanks Mark for another great video. I followed your advice this year and tracked down a gulf gold plum from Daleys after having a plum variety for the past 5 years that wasn't getting the chill hours it needed in my subtropical area so I wasn't getting any flowers or fruit. One other thing worth mentioning is that the gulf gold is one of the few varieties that is partially self fertile meaning you only need the one tree to get fruit. Most other plums need a second variety close by to cross pollinate with or the flowers will just fall off and you won't get any fruit set. If you only have room for one plum then the gulf gold is ideal but if you have space then get a gulf ruby as well to get a bigger crop. (wish I knew this 5 years ago!!) Thanks again for your great videos!!!!!
Mark, we have had a blood plum growing for about 3 years. This was our first year getting a decent amount of fruit from it. Around 3 of our branches snapped though due to the weight 😩
What a nice haul! Thank you for the video on plums, I am wanting to plant a few native wild plums this spring (I'm in the US) and that time is fast approaching. The tips you gave are great.
Hi Mark - around here we have the opposite problem, we're limited by late spring frosts damaging buds / flowers, but have no problems meeting chilling hours. Currently, I have 5 plum trees in the yard, a mix of european plums, Japanese and some american seedlings / hybrids. Stone fruit are really tasty. Cheers...!
Thanks Mark. I just bought my first plum tree. A Stanley plum, Central Georgia, US. This is very helpful. Excited also because I am ordering my first Birdies raised bed. Been watching you for years, so happy to start this journey finally ❣️
I have never seen that color of plum before! I just planted a plum tree last year and can't wait to taste it next year - mine is a European blue plum. :-)
In America here... I am trying to use a lot of ground ivy as a natural mulch. It seems to be working well on my serviceberry tree, and I can even grow potatoes among it. I also often cover the ground ivy with cardboard and then regular mulch so that it breaks down. I like ground ivy, though, because it never grows tall so you can easily walk on it and not really have to mow it.
So much effort!! Good for you Mark :) - I sometimes forget the advantages of living in a colder climate... especially in the cold seasons - but there's less pests and diseases also because of that. That jam and sauce look AWESOOOOME!!
Growing up in Melbourne I had a plum tree outside my bedroom window. My brothers and I spent hours in summer perched up in that tree eating our fill of delicious red plums!
An hour after posting the video... you already have 3633 views! Wow! Thanks for the growing tips. We only have 2 plum trees on our property. Got fruit for the first time in 2019. Best wishes from Kate in Olympia, WA - 2/6/2021.
G’day everyone, it’s nice to see you Mark! Been tough times here and I’m sorry if I’ve missed any of your video’s. Everyone please stay safe and and keep well!!!
Great info. Mark! I'm pretty crazy about that dwarf variety. Something to consider in the future. Seeing you sweat makes me look forward to the summer.☀️ Thank you for what you do! 💜🤗
Mark, have you ever grown muscadines? They would grow great in your area. Im growing a variety called Southern Home that tastes exactly like a standard table grape, and it LOVES the heat.
like the hair cut you beautiful bastard you :) You inspired me to start growing once winter is over here in Upstate NewYork guess what im going to plant for my first ever garden experience? the old faithful..... The.... POTATO !!!!! Cheers m8 stay smiling im going to enjoy the video now got here early
@@timzel Yeah this jolly boy has a bunch of videos on potatoes lol so im going to give them a go. I heard theyre easy and hey im part irish! For the homies in ireland
@@Crispedkillah I’m in WV so we’re pretty close zone wise. I always plant my root crops Memorial Day weekend. Then a week or two later tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and beans. And a week later everything else. If it’s a long cold winter/spring ya may wanna move the dates back a week or 2. However the longer your plants have in the ground growing, the better your crop will be.
Those plums look great. 2 things that make perfect sense: not to thin the fruit out & not to hop under nets constantly looking for those few ripened ones, I'm guilty of both, thx so much for that advice. Sumo wrestler... that's a ripper! Cheers
From Lil Giant Purchased some land in West Florida. 20 years ago was orange orchard. Only couple of trees still alive. Do you know what kinds of fruit trees, fruits grow well in Florida? Do plums? Strawberries, mulberries, raspberries, blackberries, apples? Thinking will make it all organic homestead. Moving there in few months. Know NOTHING about fruit. Have grown few gardens in my time. Know NOTHING about Florida.
Thanks for this Mark. I planted two green gages (type of plum) in 2020 and a Victoria Plum in 2019. Super looking forward to them giving me fruit, if I get half as many as you have in that bowl I'll be very happy. :)
Please do your worcestershire sauce recipe! Waiting on sooo many recipes you’ve said you’ll put up on your second channel. Would love to know how you preseeve more of your food :) Love love love all your videos Mark, you’re my favourite tv time x
Yep you had me at Tip #1. Birds got all my plums, apples and peaches this year. Save for 3 apples that were hidden in long grass and half the apricots because they ripened earlier (Although the Toowoomba mouse plague got the other half). Oh well, it's my first year getting fruit so I'll know for next year :) Thanks Mark!
If your climate has limited chilling hours, plant the tree away from structures to avoid radiant heat from keeping the tree warm over your cold season.
