Plums are one of the first fruit trees to flower, bringing a welcome sign of spring, but watch out for the frost. The branches can be covered with light net curtains, or similar material, when frost is forecast.
victoria-blossom
The plum blossom is borne on bare branches before the leaves appear. They are particularly vulnerable to frosts :
- the flowers have no leaves to protect them
- the early blossoms appear when the nights are still cold
vic-plum-blossom
The frozen flower buds are badly damaged if the sun warms them up too quickly. So it is important to plant the plum trees:
- in a sheltered spot protected from frosts
- away from frost pockets
- where the sun will not reach before 9.30am on a March morning, giving the buds time to thaw out slowly
victoria-plum-flower
If the blossom is frost damaged, no plums will develop. Hopefully, we have not had any frost this year while the Victoria plum has been in flower, so we look forward to a good harvest!
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