Why Green Plums Are Falling: A Guide to Saving Your Harvest

The dropping of fruits before they ripen on plum trees is one of the most common problems faced by gardeners and fruit growers. This situation leads to harvest loss and raises concerns about the overall health of the tree. In fact, fruit drop can be considered perfectly normal at certain rates as part of nature's self-regulating mechanism. However, if there is excessive and continuous fruit loss, the various environmental, biological, or care-related factors underlying this situation must be carefully examined. Accurately identifying the root cause of the problem is the first and most important step to take in order to achieve a healthy and abundant harvest.

Fruit trees go through an intense fruit set process, especially in the spring and summer months. During this period, the tree blooms and tries to form much more fruit than it can support. However, since the tree's water, mineral, and energy resources are limited, a natural selection process kicks in. The tree begins to drop weak or shaded green fruits to direct nutrients to the healthiest fruits and increase its own chances of survival. Therefore, a certain amount of fruit drop seen in early summer is considered an indication that the tree is functioning healthily and balancing its yield.

On the other hand, far more green plums falling to the ground than expected could be a sign of a serious problem. Adverse weather conditions, such as late frosts, severe winds, or sudden and excessive rainfall, are the primary environmental factors causing fruits to detach and drop. In addition, inadequate watering or prolonged periods of drought cause the tree to become stressed and abandon its fruits to survive. Low nutritional value of the soil, especially the deficiency of essential minerals like potassium and phosphorus, weakens the fruit's structure, preventing it from staying attached to the branch. All these environmental stress factors cause the tree to halt the fruit development process halfway.

Biological factors and pests also play a major role in the dropping of unripe plums. The plum tree is highly susceptible to various fungal diseases (such as brown rot or leaf curl disease). Such diseases cause rotting and dropping, starting from the fruit stem or the tissues in the branch. Furthermore, harmful insects like fruit flies, aphids, or scale insects suck the sap of the fruit, disrupting its structure and paving the way for it to drop. In addition to insect infestation, improper pruning of the tree, tangled branches, and the inability to provide adequate air circulation are significant maintenance errors that invite diseases and compromise fruit health.

Implementing a systematic care program is of great importance to save your harvest and solve the problem. First, you must ensure that the tree is receiving sufficient water from the soil, particularly avoiding drought during the fruit growth period. Conducting a soil test to identify missing vitamins and minerals, combined with proper fertilization, can significantly increase fruit set. Applying protective treatments against diseases and pests in early spring and regularly inspecting your garden make it easier to detect infestations at an early stage. Finally, pruning the tree correctly to optimize sunlight exposure and airflow will ensure you receive more resilient and healthier plum harvests in the coming years.