Opal Plum Tree

Important! Upon Arrival:
 
Keep moist and cool. Fruits and berries are shipped in dormant form so they can be transplanted out once the soil can be worked in the spring. Light frosts will not damage the plants as they are in the resting stage. If you are unable to plant immediately, the plants can be stored for a short period of time. This should be a dark, cool (but not freezing) location such as an unheated garage, fridge or a cold cellar. Ideally they would be stored as close to 2°C or 35°F as possible. They should also be kept moist, but not wet, until they are planted.
 
Planting:
 
Plum trees thrive in rich soil but avoid extremely heavy or poorly drained soils or frost pockets. Be sure to keep them well watered for the first summer at least. Choose a sunny site with good air flow to reduce the possibility of disease pressure.



 

Dig a hole wide and deep enough to accommodate the entire root system without bending the tap root and with the roots spread out into the hole to prevent matting. Position the tree so that it is straight and backfill with topsoil only, tamping down the soil with your foot as you go in order to make good secure root-soil contact. Only plant the tree at the depth that it was grown in the nursery – most fruit trees will have a discernible “soil line” which will illustrate the maximum level the soil should reach the tree. Any higher than this and you risk girdling the tree. When in doubt, ensure that the graft union is ~3” above soil line.
 
Do not add amendments such as compost or peat moss to the hole as this will make the soil in the hole too rich and discourage the roots from finding their way out into your soil.

 

Once your tree is planted, add a 2-3” layer of mulch over the root area to help retain moisture and suppress weeds, being careful not to allow the mulch to come into contact with the base of the tree itself. Always allow for 1-3” of space between your mulch layer and your tree to avoid girdling. While it may be tempting to add fertilizer or manure to your freshly dug hole before planting your new tree, PLEASE resist! Fertilizer or manure in close contact with the root system could chemically burn the roots and potentially kill the tree.
 
Water well after planting.
 
Pruning in Year Two and Beyond:
 
Summer pruning in July-August slows the growth of the limb being pruned and causes some of the buds to change from vegetative buds into fruit buds for the next season. Any pruning done before the tree starts to bear should only be to train the tree for its proper desired shape.
 
When pruning any tree, try to follow the 5 D’s of Pruning. The first 4 D’s mean that you can confidently remove any branches that are Dead, Diseased, Damaged, or Dangerous (any branches that pose potential danger to people or surroundings in the area). The final D stands for Design, and this is the stage when you would be focusing on the overall shape of the tree. Ideally you want a central leader with a nice open form that allows for lots of sunlight and air to circulate.
 
Never remove more than 1/3 of the branches at one time, or the tree will respond with many tiny branches known as waterspouts.
 
Orchard Aftercare:
 
We cannot stress enough the importance of grass and weed control on young trees. Grass can rob young trees of nutrients as they struggle to become established and grow. Also, tree roots are prevented from moving into soil that is controlled by grass roots. Trees are stunted by the competition and the results are apparent for several years, if not longer.

 

Prevent this from happening by following these instructions:


Mulch offers such a great advantage that it would be a mistake not to use it with your orchard and berry plants. In addition to enhancing the structure of the soil and providing fertility as it rots, it suppresses weeds and grasses that steal soil nutrients, prevents erosion from wind and rain, keeps soil cooler, helps delay spring bloom in cold climates, and helps retain soil moisture. It also encourages earthworms along with other soil organisms and protects against rapid freezing and thawing of the ground.

Spread a 2-3” minimum thick layer of wood mulch in a 2-3 foot radius around the tree annually in the spring. Spoiled hay, leaf mould, shredded bark, composted manure etc. are great alternatives to wood mulch.

Avoid mounding it up against the trunk, as it attracts rodents and the trunk area beneath the mulch remains too moist, rotting the trunk’s bark.
 
Preparing for Winter:
 
Tree guards are great protection for young trees from rabbits and rodents looking for food in the winter and are highly recommended.

If you are using tree guards, we recommend removing them for the summer. Leaving the guards on creates a damp environment in behind the guard and the tree trunk. This can cause cankers and other health issues. In addition, earwigs and other bugs make their home behind the guard.

Your tree needs to be protected from wildlife. The most fool-proof method is creating a cage around each tree using a wire mesh that is ideally 6ft/2m high. A couple of stakes will stabilize the cage.
 
Tips for Reducing Pest and Disease Pressure:
 
Orchard Hygiene. Clean away last year’s fruit tree leaves, fallen and mummified fruit which may harbour the spores for next year’s fungus infections. Unless your composter is “hot” enough to destroy disease pathogens, bury or bag and remove each season’s leaves and wasted fruit. When thinning, pick off bitten fruits e.g. curculio-bitten fruits have crescent-shaped wounds. Pick up fruit drops because they are likely pest-bitten fruits that harbour worms. Each fruit you pick up now means one less pest for next year.

Break the Fungus Cycle. Scab fungus overwinters in the soil under the tree and relies on raindrop spray to launch it back onto the tree come spring. Interrupt this cycle and bury the spores by laying new straw, wood chips or mulch under your dormant trees.

For Bacterial Canker on cherry and plum trees, use a sharp knife to cut out the infected tissue. Removed all the dark coloured cambium until healthy tissue appears.

Black Knot. When Black Knot infects a small branch, cut away the branch 5 inches below the site of the infection. Burn or bury prunings away from the area to prevent reinfection. Severely infected trees should be removed entirely.

Dormant/Horticultural Oil. This is a product that should be used to help prevent all manner of insect pests and diseases from overwintering on your tree and break their life cycles before the summer.  Spray in early spring before the buds open and when temperatures are above freezing, and carefully follow the instructions on your product.

Sticky Barriers. Paint a ring of Tree Tanglefoot a few feet up the trunk to block ants, Gypsy moths, tent caterpillar larvae, canker worms, and other crawling insects.