AGRICULTURE NEWS - Plums were introduced into South Africa in 1656. The trees require a low temperature in winter (winter chilling) to enter into a rest period (dormancy).
The minimum air temperature during this period should be between 2,5°C and 12,5°C for a period of 850 to 1 000 hours.
Plum trees prefer deep, well-drained soils, ranging from sandy loam to sandy clay loam, with an effective depth of at least 600mm.
The trees are more tolerant of heavy or waterlogged soil than most other stone fruit types. The soil should have a pH of between 5,5 and 6,5.
Read the full article here on the Caxton publication, Farmer's Weekly
