While pruning back my resident plum tree today, I came up with a little income generation potential. Since the tree was budding out, I bud knicked the 12 to 18 inch whips I pruned and treated them with root tone. I stuck 37 of these into recycled milk jugs and juice containers of potting soil and worm casting. I did this to a few whips last year and they rooted to increase my plum row. Maybe these will too and I can sell them next spring for a few dollars apiece.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), March 11, 2002

Answers

You could send me a few whips to force the blooms!!! I bet they are beautiful. Do you make plum blossom wine?

Susan

-- Susan in MN (nanaboo@paulbunyan.net), March 11, 2002.

If my rooting is successful, of course I'll send you a few :>)

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), March 11, 2002.

Jay: I asked about this on freeplants.com several months ago. Not specifically about plums but the gist of the idea was the same. The resident expert there sez the limbs have to be grafted onto root stock. What have you learned to the contrary?

-- john (natlivent@pcpros.net), March 11, 2002.

It appears that rooting hormone can generate roots from green sprig cuttings, though not always successful.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), March 12, 2002.

Jay, I would be interested in buying 1 or 2 of your plum seedlings when they are ready to plant. I have been working on my retirement orchard and have been planting several fruit trees every year. If I can get the worm ranch going maybe I won't need to go out to work the rest of my life. lol

-- Karen in Kansas (kansashobbit@yahoo.com), March 13, 2002.