For plum lovers, the 4-in-1 plum tree is a dream come true! This unique tree produces not just one, but four delicious plum varieties all on a single tree. From sweet red plums to aromatic Italian types, you can enjoy a diverse harvest from spring through fall from this compact tree.
In this complete guide, let’s explore the benefits of the 4-in-1 plum and how to care for this fruitful tree in your backyard.
Overview of the 4 Varieties Grafted onto 1 Tree
The 4-in-1 plum tree offers a delightful mix of European and Japanese plum varieties grafted onto one tree trunk Here are the 4 types you can enjoy
- Santa Rosa: Sweet, firm, reddish-purple skin with amber flesh. Mid-season harvest. Self-pollinating.
- Laroda: Mildly sweet, purple skin, rich yellow flesh. Early harvest variety. Needs a pollinator.
- Italian Prune: Sweet, high sugar content, purple skin & amber flesh. Late harvest. Pollinates with Santa Rosa.
- Shiro: Sweet, juicy, yellow flesh. Early harvest. Pollinates with Santa Rosa.
This hand-grafted tree yields plums over an extended season, giving you months of fruit from a compact 12-15 foot tree.
Benefits of Growing a Multi-Graft Fruit Tree
The 4-in-1 plum tree offers several advantages over single variety trees:
- Extended harvest: Enjoy plums from summer through early fall with staggered ripening.
- Pollination: No need to plant multiple trees – the varieties pollinate each other.
- Space saving: Compact tree produces high yields without taking up acres.
- Variety: Delight in different plum flavors and uses from one tree.
- Less maintenance: Only one tree to prune, fertilize, and care for.
Multi-graft trees are perfect for suburban lots or gardens with limited space. And you’ll reap bushels of fruit with minimal effort!
Climate Conditions for Optimal Growth
Plums thrive in zones 5-9 The 4-in-1 tree needs
- Chilling Hours: 400-900 hours below 45°F during winter dormancy.
- Sunlight: At least 6-8 hours of direct sun daily.
- Soil: Well-draining loam or sandy soil. Neutral to slightly acidic pH.
- Water: 1-2 inches per week. Avoid overwatering.
- Temperature: Prefers 40-85°F. Protect from frost.
Provide these conditions, and your 4-in-1 plum will flourish! Shelter young trees as needed and watch them grow.
Step-by-Step Care Guide After Planting
Follow these tips for robust growth and abundant harvests:
- Weed Control: Mulch and clear weeds/grass within 2-3 feet of the trunk.
- Fertilizer: Feed with organic compost or 10-10-10 fertilizer in spring and summer.
- Pruning: Train branches while young. Prune annually for shape and airflow.
- Pest Control: Monitor for plum curculio beetles, aphids, scale. Apply organic treatments promptly.
- Winter Care: Wrap trunk and paint branches white to prevent sunscald.
Proper pruning and fertilization will maximize your yields over the long-term.
Pollination Needs of Each Plum Variety
To set bountiful crops of plums, the 4-in-1 tree relies on its varietals to pollinate each other:
- Santa Rosa: Self-pollinating
- Laroda: Requires another European variety like Italian Prune.
- Italian Prune: Pollinates with Santa Rosa or Shiro.
- Shiro: Pollinates with Santa Rosa or Italian Prune.
As long as you have Santa Rosa and one other variety, your tree should bear loads of fruit. No need for a secondary pollinator tree!
Expected Growth Rate and Yield
- Year 1: Tree establishes to 5-7 feet tall. No harvest.
- Year 2: Growth to 8-10 feet tall. Possible small harvest.
- Year 3: Full maturity at 12-15 feet tall. Yield 30+ pounds!
- Year 4+: Peak production of 50+ pounds of plums per season.
Prune judiciously in winter to maintain an open shape. Thin excess fruit in early summer if overcrowded. Then get ready for bushels of juicy plums!
Harvesting Guidelines for Tree-Ripened Plums
- Check plums daily when close to ripe. Harvest when fully colored.
- Gently lift and twist plums off tree. Don’t yank or branches may break.
- Use shears on stem if plums don’t detach easily.
- Enjoy immediately, refrigerate, or preserve.
- Prevent fruit fly infestation by picking once ripe. Remove fallen plums promptly.
Avoid picking plums prematurely – they won’t ripen further off the tree. Time it right for maximum sweetness!
Top Uses for Your Plum Bounty Each Season
Beyond snacking on sweet plums fresh from the tree, you can also:
- Make jams, compote, plum sauce, and syrups for topping desserts
- Dehydrate plums or make fruit leather rolls
- Infuse vodka or gin with plum flavor for cocktails
- Bake plum galettes, pies, cobblers, and crisps
- Grill plums and serve with ice cream for a summer treat
- Ferment plums into wine with honey and spices
With your own 4-in-1 plum tree, you’ll never lack for inspiration on how to use your harvest!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the flavor profile of each plum variety?
- Santa Rosa: Sweet with firm flesh
- Laroda: Mildly sweet, juicy
- Italian Prune: Very sweet with high sugar content
- Shiro: Sweet and juicy with yellow flesh
How big does a 4-in-1 plum tree get?
The 4-in-1 plum reaches 12-15 feet at maturity. Prune annually to contain size and increase yields.
Where is the best location to plant my tree?
Choose a sunny spot with well-draining soil. Avoid planting near paved areas that radiate heat or structures that block sunlight.
Can I grow a 4-in-1 plum tree in a pot?
Yes, use a 15-20 gallon pot with drainage holes. Provide good soil, water often, fertilize regularly, and bring indoors in winter.
What causes plum leaves to curl?
Curled plum leaves can indicate aphid infestation. Check undersides of leaves and apply insecticidal soap if needed. Also curled by fungus like leaf curl plum aphid.
Conclusion
For plum enthusiasts with limited space, you can’t go wrong with the 4-in-1 plum tree! Its compact form bears generous crops of sweet European and Japanese plums over months of harvest. With ample sunlight, rich soil, proper care and pruning, your multi-graft plum will thrive for years of fruitful returns.
Full Planting & Care Instructions
4-in-1 Plum Tree s are self-pollinating. You will get fruit with only one plant. However, adding an additional 4-in-1 Plum Tree will drastically increase the size of your crop.
A unique addition to your landscape, the multi graft plum (Prunus sp. ) tree will provide you with loads of multiple varieties of plums with only one tree. It’s small enough to fit in a small yard—only 15 feet wide and 15 feet tall—and the fruit is easier to pick. The tree can grow in zones 5–9 and can handle temperatures as low as -10 degrees. Depending on the type of plum, it needs about 600 chill hours to produce fruit, so most types will do well even in warmer climates. This tree is also interesting all year round; it blooms in early spring, bears fruit in mid to late summer, and has beautiful fall color. Multi graft trees are self fertile so you only need the one tree for fruit!.
Picking a spot: All plum trees need full sun, so make sure you choose a bright area for the tree to live in. Well draining, sandy soil is highly recommended with a pH range from 5. 5 to 6. 5 (which can be easily determined with an inexpensive soil testing kit from your local nursery/big box store). Put the tree in a south or west facing spot if you can. This will help block the wind and help the tree produce fruit.
Here are the steps for planting: 1) Dig a hole that is three times as wide as the root ball and the same depth. 2) Gently comb the root ball freeing up any compacted roots and place the tree. 3) Cover part of the hole with dirt from the back, pressing down gently as you go. Water the soil to make it settle. 4) Once the hole is full, put a layer of organic mulch around the tree to keep water from running off. Do not let the mulch touch the trunk of the tree as this can promote rot and fungus.
Watering: Give your tree a lot of water once a week or twice a week for the first few weeks of growth. When you water a tree deeply, the roots grow deeper into the ground. This makes the tree more resistant to drought. A deep watering with a little more than two gallons of water is good for young trees. Each watering for adult trees will need about eight gallons. If the edges of the leaves look like they’re dying or turning brown, the tree isn’t getting enough water. If there is too much water, the bark at the base of the trunk will turn from light brown to dark brown (or almost black).
Pruning: Give your tree a full year to get situated in its new home before attempting to prune. It is best to prune young plum trees in late winter or early spring, before the buds start to break. This will cut back on the possibility of “silver leaf disease†attacking the tree. More established plum trees will benefit from a midsummer pruning. Pruning isn’t very difficult but a necessity to “cut back†on broken limbs from heavy fruit production. Take off about 20% of the previous year’s growth with cuts at a 45 degree angle. Use a clean cutting tool (rubbing alcohol works great), and leave a lot of space between the strong, upright branches so that light can get through.
When you fertilize your plum tree, there are a few steps you need to take to make sure it has a healthy growing season. For trees that are three years old or younger, applying about a half cup of balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer twice, once in mid-April and again in early June, will help them grow. More established plum trees will require one annual application of the same balanced formula mid-April. Use 8 ounces for every year of the tree’s age. Because fertilizer can burn the roots of young trees, don’t use chemicals to make your soil more fertile. Instead, add compost to it.
Plum trees that are fertilized properly should grow about 1 foot to 18 inches per year. Symptoms of over fertilizing can include leaf scorching and excessive growth. If you’re noticing these issues then reduce the amount of fertilizer for the following year. After you use fertilizer, make sure to water deeply, and keep the fertilizer away from the tree’s trunk.
Harvesting: The best tasting plums are left on the tree to fully ripen before picking. Apply gentle pressure with your fingers to determine ripeness. Soft skin on the fruit means it’s ready to be picked. They should easily come off of the tree when ripened using a slight twist. Plums are best kept in the fridge as they unfortunately do not store for very long. If kept in the fridge, they may last a bit longer, closer to around 2-4 weeks.
*Tip: Birds can be attracted to the developing plums. Consider utilizing a “bird net†to preserve your plum fruit.
Estimated Shipping Time: Most orders ship immediately. As noted on the website, some items are seasonal, and may only ship in spring or fall. Once your order is shipped, youll receive an email with a tracking number.
| Amount of Order | Shipping Charge |
|---|---|
| Less than $ 99 | $19.95 |
| $ 99 + | FREE SHIPPING! |
| Mature Height : | 15-20 ft. |
| Mature Width : | 12-15 ft. |
| Sunlight : | Full Sun, Partial Shade |
| Growth Rate : | Fast Growing |
| Harvest Time : | Summer, Fall |
| Year to Bear : | Can Fruit the 1st year! |
| Botanical Name : | Prunus |
| Does Not Ship To : | AR, AZ, CA, ID, LA, OR, WA |
| Grows Well In Zones : | 5-9 outdoors |
Four Different Plums On a Single Tree
There are many beautiful types of plum trees that produce delicious fruit. And if you only have space for just one, well, the decision is a tough one. So, to make your selection easier, we decided to take four varieties from the best cultivars available.
We can’t promise you which kind of plums this tree will give you, but you will get four kinds of delicious home-grown fruit to enjoy for years to come.
Early in the spring, the 4-in-1 Plum tree bursts with color, showing off pale pink and/or white flowers that are fragrant and beautiful against a background of bright green leaves. Depending on where you live, these four cultivars bloom at different times, so you’ll have beautiful flowers for weeks on end. This tree is a show-stopper for sure. The 4-in-1 Plum grows to be only 15 to 20 feet tall and has a similar spread. It fits well into almost any landscaping design, and your harvest will be easy with a tree this size. Though this magnificent tree is self-fertile, youll want to plant more than one for the aesthetic value alone. Hardy in zones 5-9, the 4-in-1 Plum is low-maintenance, requiring very little care. This beautiful little plant grows quickly and does well in both partial and full sun. It is also resistant to disease and can handle dry, hot conditions. It certainly doesnt hurt that it has terrific autumn color too!.
Our staff at the nursery is trained to prune these 4-in-1 Plum trees in a special way so that you get the best fruit trees possible. This versatile beauty is a veritable must-have for your backyard fruit orchard. Order yours today, while supplies last.