- 1). Soak the plum tree's roots in a bucket of water within one day of getting the plant. Leave the roots in the water 12 to 24 hours. The plum tree is often available with its roots exposed, without a pot or soil around it, in what is known as a bare-root tree. Hydration before planting helps the tree survive transplanting. Select a one-year-old sapling, 18 to 24 inches tall.
- 2). Dig a hole wide enough to accommodate the roots without constriction. Take enough soil out to position the tree's root crown level with the surface. Select a site that offers full or partial sun. Space multiple American plum trees 4 to 6 feet apart.
- 3). Plant the tree in the center of the hole. Backfill it with topsoil. Irrigate the sapling. Wait for the ground to settle. Add more soil to the hole, and water again. Repeat this step until the ground no longer sinks after irrigation.
- 1). Eat a few ripe American plums and save the pits. Mature plums have dark-purple skin and are usually ready for harvest around August.
- 2). Remove the vegetation and any other debris from a site in full or partial sun. Loosen the soil with a shovel. Rake the surface to smooth it out.
- 3). Rinse the plum pits under running water. Scrub them with your fingers to remove pulp clinging to them.
- 4). Dig holes 2 inches deep, 4 to 6 feet apart. Plant the seeds in early fall. The period the seeds spend in the cold soil -- called "stratification" -- is necessary for the embryo to develop in spring.
- 5). Cover the seedbed with straw mulch, dead leaves, or another mulch. The mulch insulates the soil underneath, delaying freezing. If the soil is completely dry, water the seedbed once. Begin to irrigate regularly in spring.
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