# American Plum



## chevyjam2001 (Feb 14, 2002)

Can AP be grown in a tree tube? I planted some about 3 years ago and the growth on them is very disappointing. I am sure alot of it has to do with weed competion. I was hoping to get more of a multi-stem shrub effect so I used chicken wire cages. I also haven't used roundup around them because I didn't want to risk spraying any new growth that I couldn't see among the weeds.


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## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

chevyjam2001 said:


> Can AP be grown in a tree tube? I planted some about 3 years ago and the growth on them is very disappointing. I am sure alot of it has to do with weed competion. I was hoping to get more of a multi-stem shrub effect so I used chicken wire cages. I also haven't used roundup around them because I didn't want to risk spraying any new growth that I couldn't see among the weeds.


I've gotten a couple plums established, though most died. Had best success with SMALL (2') tubes; longer tubes (4') didn't work for this species.


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## chevyjam2001 (Feb 14, 2002)

Thanks FL. Are yours single stemmed like a tree or multi-stemmed? I thought they were supposed to be more like a shrub. Then I saw the picture in the Musser Forests catalog and it looks like a small tree . The ones I have left are probably around 3'-4' tall right now. I did lose alot of trees this year from the drought.


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## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

The ones I planted were single-stemmed.

I do have some wild plums (prunus canadensis) spreading all on their own in my old fields. The older ones seem to bear fruit only in odd-numbered years, FWIW. They're edible if you skin them and get them just as they're ripe. Not sure if they've got much wildlife value; the fruit is only palatable for seemingly a few days, then they drop.

I agree that last year was a SOB to get trees/shrubs established with the drought. I spent a solid day planting shrubs and think I experienced 100% mortality.


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## Birddog8487 (Jul 10, 2006)

I also experienced high mortality from the drought last year. Probably 70% on evergreens and 40% on shrubs. I looked at planting plums. Seemed like there were a lot of other choices with more bang for the buck habitat wise so I went a different direction.

Jim


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## chevyjam2001 (Feb 14, 2002)

I was just looking to plant a variety when I got started a few years ago. I just want to try and save some of the ones I have. The ones that have died will be replaced with something else.


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## answerguy8 (Oct 15, 2001)

chevyjam2001 said:


> I was just looking to plant a variety when I got started a few years ago. I just want to try and save some of the ones I have. The ones that have died will be replaced with something else.


Dig a side-hole (or 2 or 3) and get some
water gel down there. Also it would be a good idea to lay out some type of weed barrier around your plums. I use old carpet.


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## sagittarius (Jun 2, 2004)

Tree tubes worked ok for the first year, but it got a little crowded in the tube. It seemed the leaves wanted more space and light than the tube allowed. I lost a few, but the 4" x 4' tubes I replaced with 8" to 12" diameter horse fencing, recovered and are doing very well. It allows more light, space, and air flow.


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## chevyjam2001 (Feb 14, 2002)

I used 4' chicken wire which the deer just nipped the branches that poke through or they trim the tops. I even had one taken by what I assume was a buck rubbing his antlers on the stakes. I went out one day and both wooden stakes were snapped off and the cage was never found.


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