Yellow Damson from seed?

[peter]

How difficult is it to get a seedling from a Yellow Damson?
What is the best technique?
How true do they reproduce?
Is they a better (free) method and if so, what is it?

[Nature's Babe]

Hi Peter, this sounds like a greengage, I have not come across a yellow damson, but that might be my lack. From seed it would of course be on its own roots, so it might grow a lot bigger to it's natural size,but it may have been cross pollinated so might not breed true. Most trees are on dwarfing rootstock these days. If you know the tree it came from and wish to replicate the same fruit it would be better to strike a cutting. On it's own roots it would be stronger and more vigorous and grow to it's natural size, ok if you have lots of space, but if you wish to restrict size then you will need to graft it on to a suitable rootstock.

[Geoff]

"Hi Peter, this sounds like a greengage" or a Bullace

[oldherbaceous]

One for free, "a torch and a spade".

[peter]

NB, I am already well aware of rootstocks etc, I was asking about tips on getting seed germination, as I want a couple and my wallet is on a diet.
Cutting, mmm, maybe, any tips for Gage/Bullace/Damson?

OH, I'd be tempted if I could see any suckers, but these are 15'+ in housing development shelter belts and I don't recall seeing anything higher than whips being planted.

Spent the day finishing rugby club new rooms by helping to hang pictures interspersed at the end by watching England try to loose a rugby match to the Welsh, my (mildly intoxicated) way home on foot carefully passing a selection of these trees. My dad always called them Damsons, yellow or purple, in hedges, never quite reaching golf ball size but usually large marble or true gobstopper size, Gage or Damson, its still a stone fruit, yes?
They were tasty and I have a handful of stones available.........

Amongst other considerations, do the stones need to pass through an animal, or be frosted in order to germinate?

[Nature's Babe]

Peter this link gives the pros and cons and a guide to growing from seed and also taking cuttings, they do suggest a cold period before planting seed, I hope you find this helpful

http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_6737297_propa ... trees.html

[Marken]

Hi Peter,
I am wondering if the yellow damson you are referring to is a mirabelle or a myrobalan plum? They are approx large marble size, a clear yellow colour often flushed with small red spots. I know this does not answer your propagation question but it may go some way to an identification.
As an aside, a plum tree growing in the garden threw a sucker a few years back. I let it grow and this year it fruited to produce yellow plums. A serendipidous event!

[adam-alexander]

Hi Peter,

I agree with Markan, these are probably Mirabelle - I can send you some pips from my neighbours tree if you wish. They are quite a tart fruit but you can make a fair marmalade type jam from them.

[peter]

Given as I originally said, that they are dotted through "native/natural" tree shelter belts planted as whips I very much doubt they are a named variety of anything.

Also as previously stated I have the stones, I'm just after germination advice.

[Marken]

I would plant the stones in a well drained compost, one to a pot, and cover to prevent mice from taking them. Then stand the pots in a corner for the winter. In the spring the frost will have done its work and you should have a crop of germinated seedlings. Alternatively plant enmasse in the ground and transplant as they germinate. Either way they will need the cold weather to break dormancy.
Do remember to protect them - last year I left out about 100 stones in an open container to stratify in the autumn. The next time I looked a few weeks later, every stone was gone, presumably a feast for some little rodent!

[peter]

Marken, thank you.