If you were looking forward to a bountiful plum harvest in Bellingham this fall, you aren’t alone if your gathering efforts seem fruitless.
Local plum trees might produce less fruit for a variety of reasons, and the exact cause is impossible to determine, said Lynn Loveland, a horticulturist at My Garden Nursery. But calcium deficiencies, pruning blunders or a lack of pollination could all lead to a less-than bountiful harvest. This year, the chilly, wet spring could be a particular culprit when it comes to pollination shortage.
When it’s dreary outside, pollinators tend to tuck themselves away, leaving blossoms unable to produce fruit, Loveland said.
“When it’s cold and wet and rainy, where are our bees? They’re not out,” Loveland said. “It just makes the chance of pollination a little challenging.”
But a cold spring isn’t always the reason plum, and other fruit trees, have less fruit in the fall.
In the face of climate change and extremes like drought, disease and harsh weather, the future of fruit trees in the Pacific Northwest is uncertain.
Generally, local nurseries sell fruit trees that tend to do well in Bellingham’s climate, and the specialists there can help assess whether fruit trees need a little extra help.
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