Plant Doctor Archive

Cherry and plum trees not flowering

I HAVE a Black Doris plum, a Billington plum and an ornamental flowering cherry tree growing in my garden. All three are healthy trees about eight years old. My problem is that these trees produce hardly any flowers in spring, hence no fruit from the plum trees and disappointment at the lack of floral display from the cherry. The trees have been fertilised with general purpose fertiliser and compost has been worked into the soil around the flowering cherry. No pruning has been done. Please can you tell me where I'm going wrong?

IT sounds as though your fruit trees are growing very healthily, apart from the lack of flowers, which should be resolved by feeding with sulphate of potash. Sprinkle around the dripline and water in well. For the fruit to set you will need some good cool nights or frosts, and this would be reason for your flowering cherry not performing. They need cold winter seasons.

Prune your trees during winter to give form and open up the centre to reduce insect infestations and fungal problems. Mulch and water well during spring and summer to help with fruit production.

Reproduced with permission from the former Weekend Gardener magazine. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the RNZIH.