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How to Grow Plums Canada | Care, Pests & Disease Control

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Plum (Prunus domestica)

A bowl of freshly picked plums — “2015-365-207 Plums! Plums! (20042200642)” by cogdogblog is licensed under CC BY 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons

2 sources cited · Verified

The short answer

Site
6+ hours of sun, soil pH 6–6.5
Biggest risk
Silver leaf

Plums (Prunus domestica) — Deciduous tree, 5-10 years to full maturity.

This crop carries an unusually heavy problem load: 7 diseases and 9 pests are documented for it, so most of the effort in growing it well goes into prevention.

Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural sources — see References.

Diseases

Silver leaf
moderate

Chondrostereum purpureum

Named directly on the crop's own growing-guide sources.

Peach leaf curl
moderate

Taphrina deformans

Named directly on the crop's own growing-guide sources.

Bacterial canker (Prunus)
moderate

Pseudomonas syringae pv. morsprunorum

Named directly on the crop's own growing-guide sources.

Blossom wilt
moderate

Monilinia laxa

Named directly on the crop's own growing-guide sources.

Honey fungus
low

Armillaria spp.

Shared with the already-published apple and pear -- named directly by RHS or NC State Extension for plum too.

Shared with the already-published apple and pear -- named directly by RHS or NC State Extension for plum too.

Brown rot (apple)
low

Monilinia fructigena

Shared with the already-published apple and pear -- named directly by RHS or NC State Extension for plum too.

Pests

Webworms
moderate

Hyphantria cunea (fall webworm) and related species

Named directly on the crop's own growing-guide sources.

American plum borer
moderate

Euzophera semifuneralis

Named directly on the crop's own growing-guide sources.

Plum curculio
moderate

Conotrachelus nenuphar

Named directly on the crop's own growing-guide sources.

Plum aphid
moderate

Brachycaudus helichrysi

Named directly on the crop's own growing-guide sources.

Brown scale
moderate

Parthenolecanium corni

Named directly on the crop's own growing-guide sources.

Plum moth
moderate

Cydia funebrana

Named directly on the crop's own growing-guide sources.

Codling moth
moderate

Cydia pomonella

Named directly on the crop's own growing-guide sources.

Bullfinches
moderate

Pyrrhula pyrrhula

Named directly on the crop's own growing-guide sources.

European fruit tree red spider mite
low

Panonychus ulmi

RHS names fruit tree red spider mite as a pest risk.

Quick Facts

A bowl of freshly picked plums — “2015-365-207 Plums! Plums! (20042200642)” by cogdogblog is licensed under CC BY 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“2015-365-207 Plums! Plums! (20042200642)” by cogdogblog is licensed under CC BY 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Factor Value
Soil pH 6 - 6.5
Sunlight 6-8 hours direct sun
Soil texture Loam or sand, or organically rich soil (RHS; NC State Extension)
Drainage Moist but well-drained or well-drained; good drainage (RHS; NC State Extension)
Lifecycle Deciduous tree, 5-10 years to full maturity (RHS)
Edible parts fruit

At a Glance

Dried plums, known as alu bokhara — “Alu bokhara” by ferdous is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Alu bokhara” by ferdous is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Prunus domestica Plum Silver leaf Peach leaf curl Bacterial canker (Prunu… Blossom wilt Honey fungus Powdery mildew Brown rot (apple) Webworms American plum borer Plum curculio Plum aphid Brown scale Plum moth Codling moth Bullfinches European fruit tree red… DISEASES PESTS

Soil & Growing Conditions

A plum tree in full spring blossom — “Ciruelo floreciendo” by Juanggiovan is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Ciruelo floreciendo” by Juanggiovan is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Soil pH range

6 6.5

Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.

Growth Stages

White plum blossom of the Mont-Royal cultivar — “Fleurs du prunier Mont-Royal (Prunus domestica 'Mont-Royal')” by Maxime Laterreur is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Fleurs du prunier Mont-Royal (Prunus domestica 'Mont-Royal')” by Maxime Laterreur is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Stage BBCH Notes
Planting and establishment 0 Propagate by chip budding or grafting -- fruit stones will not produce a parent-identical tree (RHS). Plant in a sunny, sheltered spot with good drainage.
Vegetative growth 3 Reaches fruiting maturity in 5-10 years (RHS), faster than apple or pear.
Blossom and pollination 6 White blossom appears in spring before the leaves emerge -- the latest-blooming of the commonly grown Prunus fruits, which suits colder climates (NC State Extension).
Harvest 8 Fruit matures late summer to early autumn, around September (RHS; NC State Extension), eaten fresh, cooked, or dried as prunes.

Harvest & Storage

Green-blue plums ripening on the branch — “Atlas roslin pl Śliwa domowa 10855 7683” by Kuba Korn is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Atlas roslin pl Śliwa domowa 10855 7683” by Kuba Korn is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

When to pick: Fruit matures late summer to early autumn (RHS) or around September (NC State Extension), when the drupes turn their full golden, greenish-yellow, blue or black colour depending on variety.

References

  1. Full sun (6+ hrs). Soil high in organic matter, good drainage, moist conditions. USDA zones 4a-9b. Height/width 10-20ft. Propagate by grafting, root cutting or seed. White blossom in spring before leaves; fruit (blue/black drupes, 2-3in) matures in September, eaten fresh, cooked, or dried as prunes. Pests: codling moth (primary), webworms, mites, borers, plum curculio, American plum borer. Diseases: viral, fungal and bacterial diseases generally; powdery mildew, rusts, brown rot. Latest-blooming of the Prunus fruits, making it well suited to northern climates. Fruit/foliage reported toxic to dogs, horses and cats.

  2. Moist but well-drained or well-drained soil, loam or sand, acid or neutral, ideally pH 6-6.5. Full sun, sheltered, south/west-facing. Hardiness H5. Height/spread 2.5-4m, 5-10 years to maturity. Propagate by chip budding or grafting -- stones do not produce parent-identical trees. Fruit matures late summer/early autumn. Pests: plum aphid, caterpillars, fruit tree red spider mite, brown scale, plum moth, bullfinches. Diseases: peach leaf curl, silver leaf, bacterial canker, blossom wilt, honey fungus; RHS flags it as a high-risk host for Xylella fastidiosa, a notifiable quarantine bacterium not currently established in the UK. Native to the Transcaucasus/northern Iran region and GB/Ireland. Family Rosaceae.

2 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.

Frequently Asked Questions

What soil pH do plums need?

A pH of about 6–6.5. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.

What problems affect plums?

Our data links 7 diseases and 9 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.

Plan next season before the problems start

Short-season growing is arithmetic before it is technique: days to maturity against frost-free days decides what will finish at all. The Canada Garden Planner does that subtraction for your region before you sow.

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Instant PDF download · Written for Canadian growing conditions

SoilCommander Editorial Team

Canadian vegetable growing guides · Adapted for Canadian hardiness zones and frost dates

Every SoilCommander guide is written and maintained by our editorial team for real Canadian growing conditions, adapted to Canadian hardiness zones and frost-date data, with provincial agriculture and Canadian university extension guidance cited directly where a crop-specific source exists.

Vegetable Growing Guides Canada

Last verified 2026-09-03

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