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Strutter
06-11-2002, 06:51 PM
Are wild plums good for deer? I found a few trees on my farm and they have lots of green plums on them and was wondering if I should fertilize and prune the trees.

Thanks,
Strutter
GSP
06-11-2002, 08:42 PM
Strutter, what part of the state are you finding wild plums? I have some seeds and I'm trying to get some tickets started in Morgan County. I see a lot of these tickets in Kansas. I've run deer out of them while bird hunting. Out there you will find ripe plums laying in piles. I'm sure deer here would work them over. The birds really love them, not only for food but mostly for cover and a dusting area.
Strutter
06-12-2002, 02:50 PM
My farm is in Garrard Co. I am going to check these trees out more the next time I go to the farm. These are more of a tree than a thicket. I think I saw 3 of them together. I am going to work to improve them now that I know the critters like them. I did read where they make a good thicket that all animals make use of. Might make a thicket someday if these do well.

Strutter
GSP
06-12-2002, 04:00 PM
I'll bet if you have 3 together and they are producing fruit, you'll have a thicket soon as long as nothing is crowding them. My dad told me there used to be a lot on our farm but they are all gone. I'm trying to get some re-started on a bluff that really doesn't grow much. The ones I saw in Kansas grew about the same size as a crab apple and formed thickets sometimes as big as a 1/2 acre. I can tell you this no man nor beast is going into one to run birds out of them!

(Except maybe a German Shorthair. They may be tough enough.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>)
GSP
06-12-2002, 04:05 PM
One other thing you asked about fertilizing. The ones I saw were always growing in areas that were rocky and not used for farming. They didn't get any fertilizer, but they have got a lot better soil there than we do too. I hope CSS or one of them can help you with that one.
I'll bet turkeys would eat them like candy.
Good luck
Valley Station
06-13-2002, 05:37 AM
Wild plums also make pretty good preserves and cobblers.