Hi Erica, By a “plum” I’ll suspect you mean a “Japanese” Plum..? They’re ripening now, have thin, often tart skin, very juicy (messy to eat) and tasteless varieties of the same can be found in grocery stores most times of year. There are also “European” plums that are often dried to become “prunes.” They are Dark blue with yellow flesh and ripen later than the Japanese (though I’ve read they originally came from China) plums…

Let’s talk “Asian” (‘Japanese’) plums: my “favorite” is Satsuma http://www.portstocktonnursery.com/imag ... 20Plum.jpg

Plum pollination chart: http://www.fruit-tree.com/plumpollen.html

The problem with “one tree” is that ‘plums’ need pollen from another similar variety of plum to pollinate and set fruit. If you live in a city neighborhood there’s a chance you’ve enough ‘plum trees’ around to pollinate it… I don’t, thus have relied on “Shiro” (another Asian plum) to pollinate my Satsuma. Many of us in the Home Orchard Society graft, including myself; thus we graft pollinators directly to our ‘base tree.’ In fact, my best producing “Satsuma” plum is actually a secondary graft on the Shiro (base) tree. But I love the Satsuma’s so much I’ve also a ‘stand alone’ tree.

You could take the chance that there are pollinators in your neighborhood, but if your new tree didn’t produce after four years I’d blame lack of pollination… The HOS gives lessons on both Bud Grafting and Bench Grafting & Top Working. Our Budding workshop has just passed (I believe), but come March of next year we’ll likely give our annual Bench Working lessons; Bench Working is grafting a scion (one year two-bud dormant shoot) to a small ‘Rootstock’ (the trees eventual roots). That would allow you to make your own tree – if we had and sold plum rootstock at that event -- which I don’t believe we do.

But two weeks later, at our annual “Cutting (Scion) Exchange," we will have many varieties of dormant grafting pieces of plum (and many-many other varieties of fruiting wood) as well as the rootstocks to place them on. ...But no DIY lessons... And I plan to be there, along with several other grafters to, for a small fee, graft ‘new trees.’ There’s an entry fee, and you buy the rootstock as well, but altogether it’s a much better deal than buying a ‘custom grafted’ nursery tree. And – you get to say you 'watched that tree made!’

Also – I generally teach the “Top Working” portion of our yearly grafting classes. We have two beginners classes before that I highly recommend to understand the concept (both have a modest cost). Top Working is grafting a new variety to an existing tree during the dormant season. Though ‘Stone fruit’ is known to be tricky to graft, I’ve found Asian plums relatively easy, or at least quite successful.

So – you may buy and plant a potted tree any time, including ‘now.’ Here are my favorite sources: http://www.onegreenworld.com/ http://www.raintreenursery.com/ & http://www.portlandnursery.com/ …in my favorite order…

What I’ve been known to do …watch Bi-Mart in the spring, snag a cheap ‘Satsuma’ plum tree in a bag; plant it and immediately graft a pollinator or two on it by ‘replacing’ one or two of its limbs, generally the same diameter as a one-year scion stick… But that sounds like cheating doesn’t it? Are you totally confused yet..? If so, let us know – there are likely other opinions around here too " title="Wink" />