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Plums & Damson not flowering

TheveggardenerTheveggardener Posts: 1,057
in Problem solving
I have two Plum and one Damson trees in my garden. Call from over the fence by my friend have you had any blossom on your trees this year. Turns out her Plums and Damsons haven't blossomed again this year, this is the second year. Before we both take the saw to them has anyone any idea as to why they haven't blossomed and is there anything we can do? 

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    The most likely reason is drought.  Did you suffer from lack of rain during the latter half of last year?  Have you fed them?
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • TheveggardenerTheveggardener Posts: 1,057
    Hi BobTheGardener, yes we had a very long hot summer, although I did water them it is mostly likely I didn't water enough. As for feed yes they were fed, I'm a bit worried as the apple tree's are in full bloom and they were fed and water the same. Also my friend over the back has the same problem, this will be the third year of either only 4 or 5 flower's or none at all.
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    All of my plum varietes have now finished floweriing but fruit set looks poor due to a cold snap when they were in full bloom.  They also lost a lot of flowering buds over the winter to bullfinches and pigeons, just in case you have those around.  As far as I'm aware, there is no spreading disease which could affect plum trees in a locality and which would only prevent fruiting.  Does the young foliage now on the trees look healthy?
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • TheveggardenerTheveggardener Posts: 1,057
    BobTheGardener, yes the foliage is healthy and the few flowers that were there have gone and no bulge to indicate fruit. The cold snap came just as the flowers bud were ready to burst. We have a lot of Blue Tits so it might have been due to them but they didn't attack the apple tree's, no Bullfinches. Will rig up some netting to keep them off next year but let the bee's etc in.
  • petetrish66ti6hgyPeFpetetrish66ti6hgyPeF Posts: 3
    I always hang lots of strands of silver paper and thread black cotton through the branches of my plum trees to deter birds. If you see lots of raggy areas where there might have been blossom buds it's a fair bet they've been damaged by birds. 
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