Plumless Victoria

We have a Victoria plum which was here when we moved in. It looks like it's about 5 or 6 years old now. It's in a reasonably sheltered spot, but this area does get some strong wind at times. We are also about 500 feet above sea-level. Mostly mild winters, although the last one was terrible. In 3 seasons, we haven't had a single plum off it. That is to say, it sets some fruit, although not more than 20 or so, they get to about three quarters of the way to maturity, and then they disppear overnight. No sign of them on the ground and they won't have been sweet enough to tempt animals at that stage. Any ideas? I am beginning to suspect that plums don't like altitude, although that doesn't explain where they went if the tree just dropped them.

 

No expert on plum trees here Laurad as you will see.
In my last garden I planted a Victoria plum - probably in bad ground in a bad place.
It only ever made 1 plum - and it blew away in a storm :(
My father - in - law had a plum tree in his garden and it made so many plums he had to put props under the branches to stop them from breaking :thumb:
I'm sure the experts will be along to help you with your plum tree.
Hope you get loads of great plums next year.

 

Poor pollination this tells us Bees are in trouble

 

It's not all about bees Colin.
When I had the problem with my plum tree my garden was alive with bees - all kinds of - yellow bottoms, red bottoms, orange bottoms, black bottoms, honey bees, bumble bees.
11,000 swarming bees !
The problem was with the tree and maybe the rubbish it was growing in - pure clay.

 

Sounds like the plums have been taken rather than dropped. As to what or who is taking them I haven't a clue. We've two plum trees and I've never noticed any animals or birds going for the plums on the tree, though birds will peck at fallen ones but tend to prefer fallen apples. Could it be kids?

Twenty or so plums on a 5-6 year tree isn't too bad, though might be improved with feeding. We've a Victoria on pixie stock that is now about 3 years old and we got a couple of dozen plums this year. Our 20 year old fan trained Victoria has produced a massive crop this year after two very poor years.

 

The genus bombus are great pollinators but the Andrena and Honey Bees are declining

 

Thanks for your thoughts. It won't be human scrumpers - we are quite out in the sticks - nowhere near the road or to families with children. We never get kids wandering about here. I think the most likely explanation is poor nutrition, so that the tree is giving up and dropping the plums. Or the height above sea level isn't helping maybe.