Plums for zone 3

9 years ago

The entire tops of my Superior and Alderman plum trees were winter killed. Both are sending new shoots from the graft area, but the shoots are so close to the graft, I not sure if it is the root stock or the scion wood. In any event, it looks like I need a hardier plum to plant next. year.

I also lost my Northstar and Evans cherry. Both of these are also sending up new shoots. The Evans is on it's own root stock so I may see what a shoot or sucker does.

Only one apple tree had no damage. 4 others were killed or damaged.

I thought that I had about 20% damage on my 1/2 high blueberry plants, but late opening leaves dropped that to 10% damage. Have a great berry set this year.

Boyne raspberry (very hardy) canes in a 53 ft row had about 30% damage. Today, I cut out about 1/3 of the florocanes because they were killed back to within 18" of the ground. There will still be a decent crop with the remaining 2/3s of the canes.

Even the Carmine Jewel had some top damage between 10% to 30%. I hope that we don't get too many more winters like the last one. Too cold (30 below F) / too early (mid Dec).

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Comments (10)

wayne
9 years ago
Usually around the third week in November we get into the -20's C for at least a few nights then levels off a bit so plants really need to be dormant but we had a very nice long fall before that last year.
wayne
9 years ago
Usually around the third week in November we get into the -20's C for at least a few nights then levels off a bit so plants really need to be dormant but we had a very nice long fall before that last year.
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wayne
9 years ago
Usually around the third week in November we get into the -20's C for at least a few nights then levels off a bit so plants really need to be dormant but we had a very nice long fall before that last year.
wayne
9 years ago
Sorry bad connection
Konrad___far_north
9 years ago
Any of the Ptitson plums, Patterson's Pride, Ivanvoka, Fofonoff - also known as Homesteader, Supreme, Prunus Americana [wild] good pollinator, same with Prunus Nigra, Canada wild plum, nothing wrong with the fruits,..just bitter skin, otherwise sweet and good. Evans should shoot up vigorously,..let it be multy stem if it wants and forget about it, ...let grass grow in,..[helps a little by keeping the frost out, and temp. fluctuation. In zone 3 Evans is borderline, ..grass also helps less growths and less freeze back in winter.
northernmn
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks for the ideas Konrad. Both on plum varieties and how I should handle the Evans sprouts. I like the idea of going multi-stem on the Evans.

Have you ever tried the "Black Ice" variety of plum? It is fairly new and I'm not sure of it's zone, so I'm a little leary. I did find a local source for Supreme.
Konrad___far_north
9 years ago
Black Ice I'm testing and have grafted about 2 weeks ago,..will see, hardiness would be similar to Mt. Royal plum.

There are more not mentioned,..thinking of Brook gold and red,
Dandy, Greenville, Pembina, Bounty etc..also the cherry plums are rock hardy,..Manor, New Oka, Sapa, Convoy, Dura, Wessex, Sapalta etc. Not sure what you can find south of the boarder,...I also have Sprout's Sunshine, [local] and Peach Plum.
goldenheights
9 years ago
last winter I did a test trial on my Evans covering some of them with tarp and leaving some with out.The covered ones came through the winter in great shape leafing out 10 days before the uncovered.We had a lot of snow early this also helped.They went into winter with terminal buds set.All Evans came though winter with little to no damage.Covered 20 trees uncovered 160
goldenheights
9 years ago
last winter I did a test trial on my Evans covering some of them with tarp and leaving some with out.The covered ones came through the winter in great shape leafing out 10 days before the uncovered.We had a lot of snow early this also helped.They went into winter with terminal buds set.All Evans came though winter with little to no damage.Covered 20 trees uncovered 160
goldenheights
9 years ago
last winter I did a test trial on my Evans covering some of them with tarp and leaving some with out.The covered ones came through the winter in great shape leafing out 10 days before the uncovered.We had a lot of snow early this also helped.They went into winter with terminal buds set.All Evans came though winter with little to no damage.Covered 20 trees uncovered 160