Santa Rosa Plums

[bjcotton]

This was my plum tree last week. This week all of the plums are red, but not all of them are ripe. I picked about a gallon of them today.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v499/b.../?newest=1

[cjs]

They look wonderful!! We'll be buying some this next week.

[foodfiend]

You are so lucky! We planted peach and plum trees 20 years ago and they all slowly died from diseases. So depressing... do you spray your trees, or are they naturally pest-and-disease free in the Northwest?

[bjcotton]

We have a company come out and spray them for leaf curl and bugs. They are coming on too fast though, so I just wash them, pit them and then throw them in the freezer. In years past there was always Fredia to help me and one of my nieces.

[craftyc]

Oh, what I would give for a good santa rosa plum! Used to eat them all the time growing up in Chicago, but over the years they have become harder and harder to find...when I ask at the grocers or produce market about them, I get looks like I have 3 heads.

[Gourmet_Mom]

Welcome craftyc! We haven't had any active new members lately. I hope you'll join in the discussions and become a regular.

[cjs]

welcome to the neighborhood!!

[bjcotton]

I planted that tree a few years ago. For 2 years it only carried 1 or 2 plums. Year 3 it had so many we had to prop up the limbs. A couple of years now it's only had 1 or 2 that escaped the frost. This year is another wowzer. I've got about 5 gallons it clean, cut in half and freeze for juice. I don't know where you live but I got some advice from growers that if you have a frost, go out before the sun strikes your tree and spray the blossoms with water from the hose. The water will melt the frost and the sun won't destroy them.

[esgunn]

Billy, I heard from a friend that plums are bi-annual. Is that right? Only produce every other year?

[BarbaraS]

Erin,

Biannual is twice a year. Do plums really do that? If so, at what seasons?

Barbara