Will they fruit???

[geoffmalcomson]

Hi guys, This is a double question. I have two plum trees bought from a DIY store and they have been planted now for two years. One has exploded in size, while the other isn't much bigger than when I got it but neither are showing any sign of fruiting! What am I doing wrong?

The other is I have two Fig trees growing from seed, four lemons growing from seed and an orange tree that is just showing growth. These are just from supermarket bought fruit. Should these yield fruit in the future?

Cheers for any answers! 😊

@becomingdadni

[FB.]

Regarding the plums:

Variety?
Rootstock?
Pruning?
Location?
Soil type?
Climate?
Feeding/watering?

Regarding the seedling figs and citrus:

They're seedlings so they will be unpredictable as to how soon and how well they crop.
A thread on here several weeks ago highlighted how seedling citrus can take half a lifetime to start cropping.
Edit: here's the topic: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ons_89486.html

[geoffmalcomson]

Thank you for the reply. I'll need to check the varity. The climate is pretty much rain for 10 months, snow for three weeks and five weeks of sun/not raining. The ground is new build rubble. I have worked the soil and got several tonnes of top soil transferred into the garden with fertilizer etc....I have given them some pruning of the two years.

I'm going to check the other thread about the lemons now.

Cheers! 😊

[chrisdb]

I had the same thing. I planted a Yellow Egg and a Guinevere plum 3 years ago, both on St Julien A. The Yellow Egg was in a more shaded location but with moister heavier soil than the Guinevere plum. Both were maiden trees.

The Yellow Egg exploded and hit about 3m tall in its first year. It isn't much taller now, but it's very definitely a tree with a trunk not much thinner than my wrist at ground level.

The Guinevere plum did nothing in its first year, produced some growth in its second year but also started to show signs of stress (gummosis) and just died a few weeks ago, half-way though year 3. It's now been dug up and disposed of.

I'm not sure what exactly caused one to succeed and one to fail. It could have been the difference in soil quality, or variety (Yellow Egg is old and has a reputation for disease resistance, Guinevere is a new variety). It could just be random chance.

I guess this isn't helpful, but at least you're not alone!

[Jungle Jane]

It could be that you've pruned off the fruit bearing wood. Plums need 2 year old wood or older to fruit on.

[geoffmalcomson]

I had the same thing. I planted a Yellow Egg and a Guinevere plum 3 years ago, both on St Julien A. The Yellow Egg was in a more shaded location but with moister heavier soil than the Guinevere plum. Both were maiden trees.

The Yellow Egg exploded and hit about 3m tall in its first year. It isn't much taller now, but it's very definitely a tree with a trunk not much thinner than my wrist at ground level.

The Guinevere plum did nothing in its first year, produced some growth in its second year but also started to show signs of stress (gummosis) and just died a few weeks ago, half-way though year 3. It's now been dug up and disposed of.

I'm not sure what exactly caused one to succeed and one to fail. It could have been the difference in soil quality, or variety (Yellow Egg is old and has a reputation for disease resistance, Guinevere is a new variety). It could just be random chance.

I guess this isn't helpful, but at least you're not alone!

Sounds just like my teo except that the second hasn't died. Thats been more helpful than you think! Im not alone! 

[geoffmalcomson]

It could be that you've pruned off the fruit bearing wood. Plums need 2 year old wood or older to fruit on.

I don't think I've pruned of fruit bearing wood but will it still produce in later years if I have? 😊

[Jungle Jane]

I don't think I've pruned of fruit bearing wood but will it still produce in later years if I have? ��

Yes definitely,when I planted mine I cut the main leader,I think that helps with fruit production in some way? Or stopping it reaching 3m tall,I don't know but that's what I had to do? Mines a Victoria plum.

[BUFFS]

Yes definitely,when I planted mine I cut the main leader,I think that helps with fruit production in some way? Or stopping it reaching 3m tall,I don't know but that's what I had to do? Mines a Victoria plum.

taking out the main leader promotes the growth of side shoots as I understand it, giving you more fruit buds = more possible fruit..