Plums can be grown successfully in pots. Growing fruits in pots are a popular option if you enjoy growing fruits but are limited by space. Fruit trees do great if grown in pots if you take several measures. You can grow your tree on a dwarf rootstock. This would mean that your tree would be half the size of a regular plum tree. A majority of fruit trees are available in the dwarf variety. You can also find mini varieties of plum trees. Fruit trees can be grown in almost any container, including plastic containers, wooden containers, or even ceramic pots. But these containers have to be one foot wide and one foot deep at least. The perfect time you can plant your fruit trees in containers is in early spring or in winter.
Container Plum Trees
Plum trees grow exceptionally well in containers, but you must thin the fruit to keep the branches from becoming too heavy. The fruit should be thinned out so that each piece of fruit grown is about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. It is also critical to fertilize your plum tree regularly once the fruit has begun to grow.
Plum trees are incredibly adaptable. When compared to other fruits, this tree is compact and easy to maintain. As a result, plum trees are an excellent choice for people who are new to the task of gardening. Plum trees are a garden’s main attraction as the fruits they bear are beautiful and smell divine. Plums picked straight from the tree are juicy and delicious. Even though fruits that are grown on most plum trees are similar, when plums are grown in pots, theytend to appear quite different from plums grown on regular-sized trees. On the other hand, plum trees are a good choice for growing in pots because they don’t grow as large in a pot and are easier to manage than growing on the ground.
Plum Trees in Containers: How to Grow Them
To plant plum trees, choose a large container. The container should be between 18 and 20 inches long. Clay containers are preferable to plastic containers. This is because once the soil is placed within the container, it becomes quite heavy. It can also be inconvenient to transfer containers later on.
Planting fruit trees, such as plum trees, is best done between March and April. The plant’s roots grow quickly during this time period and stabilize the plant.
Place stones or pieces of an old broken pot on the surface before you begin planting.
Begin by filling the container halfway with well-drained, high-quality soil. Every two weeks, use liquid tomato feed that’s high in potassium.
How to Care for Your Plum Tree
When your plum tree first begins to grow, it may turn brown. This is due to a scarcity of water. A good way to hydrate the plant is to soak the entire pot in water.
Each spring, fertilize your prunus plant with cow dung.
This plant needs moisture, so keep it moist by covering it with a 1-inch layer of mulch.
In the spring, give your plant a light pruning. Remove all dead and broken branches to stimulate the plant’s growth of new branches and leaves. Pruning should be done in the early spring or mid-summer to avoid infection.
Don’t forget to trim the plant by removing the plant’s thin root from the lower trunk.
Fertilizer should be used once the plant has established itself. Use an appropriate amount of calcium nitrate per tree. You don’t want to encourage new growth in the fall and winter, so stop providing nitrogen to your trees.
Arrange guards or sheets around the base of the trunk of the young plant to keep it warm during the winter months.
Set up a trap around the tree to keep birds and other animals away from the fruit.
When the plum fruit is mature, remove it from the tree as soon as possible. Collect and store any fruits that have fallen from the container as well.
How to Keep Pests and Diseases at Bay on Your Plum Tree
Many pests and diseases, including Japanese beetles, plum pests, aphids, and birds, can cause damage to your tree. If your plant becomes infected with fungi, it will turn brown and silver. A good way to avoid these diseases is to cut out the infected part of the wood and burn it.
Another effective method is to break up and turn over the top 8cm / 3in of soil around the tree with a trowel in February and March. This will bring the bugs to the surface, where birds can eat them.
Takeaway
This is how a plum tree in a pot can be grown. Growing plum trees in pots may require more care and attention than growing on the ground, but the task is easily manageable if done correctly.
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