How to grow Plum in Australia
Plums are among the easiest stone fruit for home gardens, with spring blossom and heavy summer crops of juicy fruit for eating fresh, cooking and jam. Japanese and blood plums such as Satsuma suit milder climates, while European plums such as greengages need colder winters. Check pollination before buying, as many plums crop best with a partner.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Plum in Australia
At a glance
When to plant by region
| Region | When to plant | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | June to August | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | June to August | |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | June to August | |
| Melbourne & Victoria | June to August | |
| Adelaide & SA | June to August | |
| Perth & WA | June to August | |
| Tasmania | June to August | Plant bare-root Jun to Aug. Reliable and heavy cropping in the cold. |
| Canberra & ACT | June to August | |
| North Queensland | Not suited | Not viable. Needs winter chill coastal North QLD never gets. |
| Darwin & Top End | Not suited | Not viable. Stone fruit need winter chill. Darwin has none. |
Where to plant
Plant plums in full sun in fertile, well-drained soil, sheltered from strong wind. Avoid frost hollows and windy sites, as late frost, cold wind and spring storms damage the blossom and keep pollinating bees away.
Plums need winter chill to flower and fruit. Low-chill Japanese plums, needing roughly 300 to 400 hours, suit milder areas; European plums need more.
- Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart: excellent plum country, including European plums such as greengage. Hobart crops are reliable and heavy.
- Sydney and Perth: Japanese and blood plums such as Satsuma, Santa Rosa and Mariposa do well.
- South East Queensland and the Northern Rivers: choose low-chill varieties recommended for the subtropics, and control fruit fly.
- North Queensland and Darwin: not suited; there is no winter chill.
Choosing a variety
| Variety | Notes |
|---|---|
| Satsuma | Japanese blood plum with dark red flesh and a rich, sweet flavour; low chill; a reliable choice for warmer climates |
| Santa Rosa | Classic Japanese plum with red skin and amber, sweet-tart flesh; partly self-fertile and widely adapted |
| Mariposa | Large, heart-shaped blood plum with deep red skin and flesh; very sweet |
| Greengage | Small green European plum with an intensely sweet, honeyed flavour; needs more chill |
Many plums are self-fertile, but others need a compatible partner that flowers at the same time. Your nursery can advise on partners, and multi-grafted trees carrying two or three varieties are sold for small gardens.
How to plant
- Plant bare-root trees in winter while dormant.
- Soak the roots in a bucket of water for half an hour before planting.
- Dig a hole wider than the roots and as deep, adding compost to the backfill if the soil is poor.
- Plant at the same depth as before, with the graft above the soil, and stake the young tree.
- Water in well and mulch, keeping the mulch clear of the trunk.
Watering and feeding
Water young trees regularly in dry spells. For all trees, deep, even watering while fruit is swelling matters most: dry soil makes young fruit drop, and uneven watering can split ripening fruit. Mulch each year to hold moisture.
Feed with a balanced fertiliser as the buds swell in late winter or early spring and mulch with compost. Avoid heavy nitrogen, which pushes leaves over fruit.
Pruning and care through the year
- Prune in summer after harvest, in dry weather with more dry days forecast. Avoid pruning in late autumn and winter, when silver leaf and bacterial canker infect cuts most easily. Young trees can be shaped in early spring after the buds open.
- Plums fruit on a mix of one-year, two-year and older wood. Shape free-standing trees to an open goblet with three or four main branches.
- Thin young fruit in early summer to one every 5 to 8 cm, or a pair every 15 cm. Plums over-crop, and laden branches snap; prop up heavy branches if needed.
- Remove mummified fruit and cankered twigs, which carry brown rot into the next season.
- Net the tree against birds as fruit colours.
Harvesting
Plums taste best ripened on the tree. Pick them when they are fully coloured, slightly soft when gently squeezed and part easily from the branch. Fruit ripens gradually, so pick over the tree several times.
Handle them gently, as they bruise easily. Keep ripe plums in the fridge for up to a week, or halve, stone and freeze them.
Growing in pots
Dwarf or compact plums can be grown in a pot at least 50 cm wide, in quality potting mix, with regular summer watering. Check pollination needs, as a potted tree may still need a partner nearby.
Using it
Eat plums fresh, or use them in jams, preserves, sauces, crumbles and tarts. Blood plums make richly coloured jam.
Companion planting
Keep the root zone of young trees clear of grass and weeds. Low flowers and herbs at the canopy edge bring in the bees plums need at blossom time.
Good companions
- Nasturtium A low flowering cover for the canopy edge that brings in insects; keep it trimmed back from the trunk.
- Garlic Takes little room at the sunny edge of the fruit tree bed.
- Chives A small herb whose flowers draw bees at the bed edge.
- Marigold A small annual flower for the edge of the canopy that brings in pollinators.
- Comfrey Leaves can be cut and laid under the tree as a mulch that feeds the soil; it is hard to remove once planted.
Keep apart
Avoid planting these close to plum.
- Walnut A very large tree that shades fruit trees, and walnuts are widely reported to release a compound that holds back some nearby plants.
Pests and diseases
Fruit fly, birds and brown rot take the most plums. Pruning only in dry summer weather protects the tree from wood diseases.
Pests to watch for
- Queensland fruit fly Sting marks on ripening fruit that then rots with maggots inside. Net or bag fruit, use traps, and destroy fallen fruit.
- Birds Pecked fruit as it colours. Net the tree.
Diseases to watch for
- Brown rot Blossoms brown and shrivel in wet weather, and ripening fruit develops a spreading brown rot with fawn spores, drying into mummies.
- Bacterial canker Sunken, gummy cankers on branches, shoots dying back in spring and small holes in the leaves.
- Silver leaf Leaves take on a silvery sheen and affected branches die, with a dark stain inside cut wood. Cut out affected branches well below the stain, in dry summer weather.
Common questions
Do I need two plum trees?
It depends on the variety. Some plums, such as Satsuma in many areas, set fruit on their own, while others need a compatible partner flowering at the same time. Check the label or ask the nursery.
When should I prune a plum tree?
In summer after harvest, on a dry day with dry weather forecast. Avoid late autumn and winter pruning, when silver leaf and bacterial canker infect the cuts.
Why are my plums splitting?
Uneven watering while fruit ripens, such as heavy rain or watering after a dry spell. Water deeply and evenly while the fruit is swelling and mulch to hold moisture.
Why are my plum tree leaves silver?
A silvery sheen followed by dying branches is silver leaf, a fungal disease that enters through pruning cuts and wounds. Cut out affected branches in dry weather. Drought or cold can also cause a temporary false silvering.
When are plums ripe?
When fully coloured, slightly soft when gently squeezed and parting easily from the branch, usually from December to February.
Should I thin my plums?
Yes, if the tree sets heavily. Thin in early summer to one fruit every 5 to 8 cm, which gives bigger fruit and stops branches snapping.
Can I grow plums in Brisbane?
Yes, with low-chill varieties recommended for the subtropics, such as Satsuma types sold for warm areas, and good fruit fly control.
Sources we checked: RHS: How to grow plums; RHS: Silver leaf; RHS: Bacterial canker; Agriculture Victoria: Brown rot of stone fruits; Daleys Fruit Tree Nursery: Plum varieties and chill hours.