Many gardeners face the same problem: the plum tree is covered with flowers every spring, but by autumn there is not a single fruit. The neighbors are whispering, and you think that you are doing everything wrong. Actually the problem is in the soil. The author of the Zen channel “Ideal Vegetable Garden” (12+) spoke about this.
Most gardeners spend years and years of effort and money on fertilizers, watering and even hand pollination, but there is no result. The reason is almost always the same: too acidic soil. In such soil, plum roots cannot absorb phosphorus and calcium, and without these elements, the ovaries simply do not form, no matter how much they bloom.
You can understand that the problem is acidity by several signs:
- The first is a test with a strip or pH meter. The soil is taken from under the tree to a depth of 15–20 centimeters, diluted in water, and the indicator is lowered. Red or orange color indicates high acidity.
- The second sign is abundant flowering, but almost complete absence of ovaries.
- The third sign is that the leaves turn yellow ahead of time, brown spots appear, although watering and fertilizing are in order.
- The fourth is thick moss around the trunk. Moss loves an acidic environment, but it harms plums. If at least three of these signs coincide, the cause is definitely in the soil.
November is the best time to fix it. The tree is already at rest, the sap flow has slowed down, and any interventions will not harm. In a couple of weeks, you can completely prepare the soil for spring flowering.
First, measure the acidity at several points around the plum and record the result. This will be needed for control in the spring. Then take dolomite flour. It gently reduces acidity and provides magnesium. For a tree trunk circle with a diameter of two meters you need approximately 200–300 grams per square meter. Add two kilograms of wood ash. It also deoxidizes and enriches the soil. The earth is loosened to a depth of 15 centimeters, flour and ash are scattered evenly, lightly mixed with a rake and spilled with 40–50 liters of water. After this, the tree is treated with a solution of copper sulfate. You need 50 grams per 10 liters of water to protect against fungus. At the end, the tree trunk circle is mulched with peat with a layer of 5 centimeters.
Already in spring the soil will become loose and the sour smell will disappear. During flowering, two to three times more ovaries are formed. The fruits will be large, sweet and hold tightly to the branches. The leaves will acquire a rich green color, and fungal diseases will recede.
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