Plum fruit is popularly considered “Aloobukhara” in India. The plum trees commercially cultivated are medium in size, usually pruned to 5-6 m in height. Without pruning, the plum trees can spread across 10 m and reach up to 12 metres high.
Native American plums are tart and small, and Japanese plums are red and popular. Damson plums are dark blue and are a subset of European plums, commonly green. Prunes are a European plum fruit with additional high sugar content, allowing plums to dry without fermenting at the pit. Cherry plums are wild plums or small natives. Plumcots and pluots are hybrids between apricots and plums.
How to Grow Plum Fruit in India
This blog is vital for you when you are in the initial stage of plum farming. Plum farming is advantageous for every farmer. Consequently, you should also need to know some factors. When you start the processing of tilling the crop, then you require the tractors and implements. You should be aware when selecting a tractor because the tractor is the last segment for generating a high yield. You can buy the used tractor in India in a budget-friendly with popular models because brands deliver the best tractor. Apart from this, you can pick the brand tractor tyre, including front and rear tractor tyre that are adequate for every kind of farming. Let’s look at additional facts about plum farming.
Climate for Growing Plums
- Plum fruits thrive in full sun and can withstand partial shade, but the yield will be less.
- Plums need well-drained deep soil that is moisture retentive. Prepare the planting site by working in an abundance of aged manure or commercial organic planting mix before planting.
- Farmers should prefer slightly acidic soil for farmers with a pH from 6.0 to 6.8.
- Do not plant plums in sandy soil or waterlogged. Plums do not like wet feet.
- Avoid planting the plums in low spots with cold air or frost in spring. Blooms are vulnerable to frost and should be protected.
- The best location for a plum tree is a northern exposure that stays cooler for a longer time in spring and encourages late bloom.
- However, Contact the nearby Cooperative Extension Service for plum fruit varieties that thrive best in your region. A nearby garden centre will carry plum fruit varieties for your area.
Choosing the Right Plum Tree
- We can significantly divide the plums into three types: American, European and Japanese.
- American and European plums will produce anywhere apples grow.
- European plums grow best in Zones 4 to 9. They are late blooming and are generally not damaged by frost. Plums can tolerate clay soil, but loamy soil is best. They originated in Europe, and subspecies of European plums are bullaces and damsons.
- Japanese plums are semi-hardy; they grow best in Zones 6 – 10; some plums will grow in zones colder than Zone 6. Japanese plums originated in China.
Plum Tree Pollination in India
- Damson plums and European plums are usually self-pollinating. Moreover, American plums require cross-pollination.
- Japanese plums also need cross-pollination with few exceptions. (Self-fertile Japanese plums produce a larger crop when planted with a pollinator)
- American and Japanese hybrid plums generally require cross-pollination by a Japanese or American variety.
- Farmers must flower two plums at the same time for cross-pollination to occur. Some plums grow early in spring, other plums grow in mid-spring, and still other plants grow late in spring. Late and early flowering cultivars will not cross-pollinate because the plum flowers are not open simultaneously.
- During the flowering of plums, contact the nearby Cooperative Extension Service for a list of recommended varieties.
- Suitable pollinators should grow within 100 feet of each other and flower simultaneously. A good strategy is to plant two-three diverse varieties of either American, European or Japanese plums to ensure pollination.
Rootstock of Plum Tree
It determines the height of the tree. Dwarf plums flower 8 – 10 feet tall; semi-dwarf plums 10 – 12 feet tall; standard plums fruit can grow to 20 feet tall or more.
The fruiting stems or wood of a plum tree are commonly grafted onto a rootstock suitable for the soil. It will grow in and can withstand usual diseases. Growers choose the rootstocks ideal for the area where a tree will be sold. Here are popular plum rootstocks: ‘Myrobalan’ can produce a tree 20 feet tall: ‘Nemaguard’ requires well-drained soil and resist soil pests; ‘Pixie’ dwarfing rootstock that produces trees about 10 feet tall.
Plum Tree Yields
- Dwarf plums can produce 30 – 50 pounds of fruit each year.
- Semi-dwarf plums can provide 75 – 100 pounds of fruit each year.
- Standard trees give 100 – 150 pounds of fruit each year.
Planting Plum Vegetables in India
- Plant the plum bare-root trees in early spring as soon as you can use the soil while the trees are still dormant.
- Plant container or bolted and Burlapped trees in spring or early summer before dry, hot weather arrives. In mild-winter regions, farmers can plant plum trees in the fall.
- Prepare the planting site in the sun, protected from the prevailing wind.
- Work the well-rotted manure or compost into the soil.
- Again dig a pit half as twice and deep as wide as the tree root. Apart from this, pour one cup of fertiliser into the bottom of the hole.
- Attach a tree stake before planting and drive the stake in the ground at least 2 feet deep to the hole’s edge.
- Set the plum plant in the hole so that the soil mark on the stem from the nursery pot is at surface level or an inch or two more profound than the surrounding soil. Remove all burlap and twine from Burlapped and Bolted trees. Moreover, spread the roots in all directions.
Plum farming needs the most core equipment, which plays a significant role in agro-processing. Equipment, harvesters and tractors are the main sectors in plum cultivation. Tractors play the leading role in mounting the equipment. Thus choose the Good Year tractor tyres for the best in the field while buying the tractor tyre for your tractor.
For the above facts regarding plum farming in India, stay tuned with us.