Author Topic: Low chill plums with a juicy texture?  (Read 738 times)

LostBoy_Dani

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 25
    • USA, California, 10A
    • View Profile
Low chill plums with a juicy texture?
« on: March 10, 2023, 10:49:54 AM »
Hi all! I'm a new gardener in SoCal in zone 10A. I've been looking for a plum tree, but am getting some mixed info online and from local nurseries. I was going to try for a Santa Rosa, but am now hearing that they may not be as low chill as previously thought, and have been unreliable producers. Does anyone have varieties that can live with very low chill hours, and has a juicy texture? Texture is honestly more important than taste for me with plums, if I'm not needing to eat it over a sink I don't want it haha

Thanks for your guidance!

mangoba

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 239
    • US - Mediterranean
    • View Profile
Re: Low chill plums with a juicy texture?
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2023, 07:18:46 PM »
Hi all! I'm a new gardener in SoCal in zone 10A. I've been looking for a plum tree, but am getting some mixed info online and from local nurseries. I was going to try for a Santa Rosa, but am now hearing that they may not be as low chill as previously thought, and have been unreliable producers. Does anyone have varieties that can live with very low chill hours, and has a juicy texture? Texture is honestly more important than taste for me with plums, if I'm not needing to eat it over a sink I don't want it haha

Thanks for your guidance!

How much chill do you get? Shiro is considered low chill and quite juicy when ripe.

LostBoy_Dani

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 25
    • USA, California, 10A
    • View Profile
Re: Low chill plums with a juicy texture?
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2023, 02:27:17 PM »
Hi all! I'm a new gardener in SoCal in zone 10A. I've been looking for a plum tree, but am getting some mixed info online and from local nurseries. I was going to try for a Santa Rosa, but am now hearing that they may not be as low chill as previously thought, and have been unreliable producers. Does anyone have varieties that can live with very low chill hours, and has a juicy texture? Texture is honestly more important than taste for me with plums, if I'm not needing to eat it over a sink I don't want it haha

Thanks for your guidance!

How much chill do you get? Shiro is considered low chill and quite juicy when ripe.

We got a much higher number this year than usual (I think like 500?), but most years we have been getting around 300.

1rainman

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 461
    • Florida
    • View Profile
Re: Low chill plums with a juicy texture?
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2023, 04:04:47 PM »
I live in south Florida. We used to have a supposed low chill hour plum. It never did well. Too hot here. It got one plum once. California summer is not as hot so might do better. But yes they over sell them. Plums and apples just don't do well in hot climates.

palingkecil

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 400
    • Los Angeles
    • View Profile
Re: Low chill plums with a juicy texture?
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2023, 02:48:36 AM »
Pluots do really well in my yard, which is mostly hot and dry zone 10A, and I like it better than my Burgundy plum, Emerald drop plum, and Santa Rosa Plum.
Pluots are as juicy as plums, but with more complex flavor, and their texture stays nice and crunchy even when they overripe, unlike plums that will turn soft and mushy.
Dapple Dandy and Flavor Queen fruit heavily just 2nd year in the ground, and I just bought another Flavor Grenade. Call or email Bay Laurel Nursery, they have a great selection of pluots, low prices, healthy trees, and good customer service.


Rispa

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 300
    • Houston, TX
    • View Profile
Re: Low chill plums with a juicy texture?
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2023, 09:18:00 AM »
Pluots do really well in my yard, which is mostly hot and dry zone 10A, and I like it better than my Burgundy plum, Emerald drop plum, and Santa Rosa Plum.
Pluots are as juicy as plums, but with more complex flavor, and their texture stays nice and crunchy even when they overripe, unlike plums that will turn soft and mushy.
Dapple Dandy and Flavor Queen fruit heavily just 2nd year in the ground, and I just bought another Flavor Grenade. Call or email Bay Laurel Nursery, they have a great selection of pluots, low prices, healthy trees, and good customer service.
Can you list all the ones you have? I was reading about Flavor Queen and I'm suspecting the pollinators needed for that one is different than those commonly listed

palingkecil

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 400
    • Los Angeles
    • View Profile
Re: Low chill plums with a juicy texture?
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2023, 02:15:15 PM »
Pluots do really well in my yard, which is mostly hot and dry zone 10A, and I like it better than my Burgundy plum, Emerald drop plum, and Santa Rosa Plum.
Pluots are as juicy as plums, but with more complex flavor, and their texture stays nice and crunchy even when they overripe, unlike plums that will turn soft and mushy.
Dapple Dandy and Flavor Queen fruit heavily just 2nd year in the ground, and I just bought another Flavor Grenade. Call or email Bay Laurel Nursery, they have a great selection of pluots, low prices, healthy trees, and good customer service.
Can you list all the ones you have? I was reading about Flavor Queen and I'm suspecting the pollinators needed for that one is different than those commonly listed

I got multi grafted pluots from this nursery:
https://www.groworganic.com/products/multi-grafted-constant-harvest-pluot-standard-no-1-size
They sold out but you can pre order for summer/fall 2023.
So they pollinate each other. The tree was big and fruit the 2nd year, but I am a little aware because it is on citation rootstock, but so far the tree is thriving and full of flowers now.
As many people mentioned, Flavor King is the most shy bearer of all pluots, it is the same case in my yard. Last year I got almost 100 pluots from my Dapple Dandy, and about 50 together from both Flavor Queen and Flavor Supreme, but only 2 pluots from Flavor King! And either a racoon or my gardener stole those 2!
So I cannot comment on the taste of Flavor King. Dapple Dandy and Flavor Queen are both very juicy especially when I pick them later, but they don't turn soft like plums. They both are very delicious! Flavor Supreme has a little acidic kick, and quite juicy too.
This year I bought a bare root Flavor Supreme from Bay Laurel nursery, I like them because they offer nemaguard rootstock  which is supposed to be better for dry climate.
Flavor Grenade pluot can be pollinated by Dapple Dandy or Flavor King. I chose Flavor Grenade because many describes it as  flavor bomb, and it is a heavy bearer.

If you still want a plum, get a Satsuma, it gets higher point than Santa Rosa for most people for the taste. It is a heavy bearer too.