Satsuma plums are a good source of vitamin C and iron. They are also a source of vitamin A, B-complex vitamins riboflavin, thiamin, and niacin, as well as potassium, phosphorus and calcium. The deep red flesh and dark skin of the Satsuma plum are a source of anthocyanin, which provides excellent antioxidant benefits.
Storage tips: Plums will continue to ripen off the tree. Place ripe fruit in the fridge right away, and let unripe fruit ripen on the counter or in a paper bag. Be careful to check on ripening plums — they can go quickly from unripe to overripe.
Owari Mandarin trees, also known as Satsumas, produce a bounty of juicy, easy-to-peel, seedless oranges that ripen early, through December. Because they're self-pollinating, you only need one to gain this harvest.
The ume plum is an important part of Japanese cuisine. The most popular use for the ume fruit is to make umeboshi — dried, pickled ume that intensely sour-salty-sweet and very healthy.
But for the main summer pruning, cut back all shoots by at least half, while at the same time opening up the centre of the tree by removing inward growing branches. It's as simple as that. As well as 'Satsuma' and 'Mariposa', other Japanese plum cultivars include 'Santa Rosa', 'Pluot', 'Donsworth' and 'Ruby'.
Plum trees (Prunus spp.) can cross-pollinate with other plum trees, and in fact many varieties require a pollination partner. As with any fruit, choosing the correct partner is essential to produce a good fruit set. It is a wise idea to select two different varieties of plums.
The fruit is sweet with a hint of tart making it both a fresh eater as well as the perfect plum for jams and preserves. Partially self-pollinating but will improve in the company of 'Santa Rosa', 'Narabeen' or 'Mariposa'.
Umeboshi are a good source of polyphenols, which are thought to reduce the risk of diabetes, help lower blood pressure, prevent hardening of the arteries, and boost calcium absorption.
Pollination Requirements: Burbank Japanese Plum is partially self-fertile. Plant with another Japenese variety like Santa Rosa for better crops. Hardiness: Plums are hardy to minus 30° F.
A late maturing, Japanese-type plum maturing in late August. Fruit is medium to large, reddish-purple and very firm with yellow flesh. The fruit is freestone with a small pit, and is sweet and juicy when fully ripe.
Pollinators. For cross-pollination, trees must bloom at the same time or have overlapping bloom periods. Because these plum trees are all cultivars of the Japanese plum, Prunus salicina, according to the definition of Lerner and Hirst, Shiro plum is self-fruitful.
Plant a Japanese plum tree in full sun, and make sure you provide rich, well-draining soil with a pH range of 5.5 to 6.5. Dig out a planting hole for the bare-root Japanese plum that is approximately 18 to 24 inches wide and about 16 to 18 inches deep.
Two trees of the same variety will not pollinate each other. If in doubt, and you have space for more than one tree of the same species (e.g. 2 apple trees or 2 plum trees), plant two compatible varieties.
Most plum trees are not self-pollinating, so you will need to plant at least two plum trees to bear fruit. When planting a plum tree, it is important to make sure that the variety you choose will grow well in your climate.
Smaller dwarfing trees can crop 1-2 years after planting, more vigorous stocks take longer - 3-4 years sometimes.
One of the most common causes of plum tree problems is the lack of a co-pollinator. Plums are not self-fruitful and need another of the same species nearby for pollen transfer. This is done with bees, moths and other pollinator's help. Pruning at the wrong time removes the buds necessary for flower and then fruit.
The average bearing age of fruit trees is as follows; apple - 4 to 5 years, sour or tart cherry - 3 to 5 years, pear - 4 to 6 years, and plum - 3 to 5 years.
They have some very similar characteristics, which makes them a good choice to partner in a home garden. Finding self-pollinating cultivars of both the peach and plum leads to success and harmony in your garden.
The time to begin stone fruit hand pollination is in spring, once the blossoms are open. The best tools to use are cotton puffs, q-tips or small artist brushes. Collect pollen from the anthers on the stamen tips by blotting them gently with your cotton puff or brush, then deposit that pollen on a stigma's crown.
Flowers of fruit trees must be pollinated to produce fruit. Some trees, like pecans, have separate male and female flowers on the same tree. If the male pollen is shed before the female flower is receptive, fruit set becomes a problem. Some species of fruit trees do not fit conveniently into either category.
Apple and pear trees cannot cross pollinate one another because they are not part of the same species nor genus. Apples are in the genus Malus while pears are in the genus Pyrus.
Although several varieties of plums and prunes are self-fertile, they produce more fruit if another plum is close by. Self-pollinating trees frequently make good pollinators for self-sterile trees, but Japanese and European plums won't cross-pollinate due to differing bloom times.
Plum Trees are Great for BeginnersThe Methley Plum, one of the most versatile of all Plums, sets fruit in all zones 4 - 11. The majority of all Plums will grow successfully in zones 5- 9. Plums are easy to care for and one of the easiest fruit varieties to prune to keep it small (called “size control”).
Blueberry. If they have acidic soil and a sunny spot, blueberry plants can thrive in almost any garden and are among the fastest fruits to grow. These perennial bushes do tolerate some shade but won't produce nearly as much fruit as they would in full sun.
All types of fruit trees grow well together. Spacing for good canopy development, easy picking, good air circulation and size compatibility are important considerations in choosing fruit trees for the backyard orchard.
If you're wondering about what is self-fruitful or self-pollinating and how the process of self-pollination works, self-fruitful trees are pollinated by pollen from another flower on the same fruit tree or, in some cases, by pollen from the same flower.
As they collect nectar and pollen, bees cross pollinate flowers. Crab apples will pollinate apples, and Bradford pear will pollinate most European pears. However, Asian pear will pollinate European pear only if the two bloom at the same time. Tart cherry will not pollinate sweet cherry.
