Average Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa Plum

The Santa Rosa Plum grows perfectly in the Southern San Joaquin Valley.  Perfect.  Hot, long days all summer long don't even dent this tree's performance.  In fact, those hot days encourage the Santa Rosa to thrive producing sweet, juicy fruit. 

Dave Wilson is my grower of choice.  Here's their descriptor:

Most popular plum in California & Arizona. Juicy, tangy, flavorful. Reddish-purple skin, amber flesh tinged red. Late June in Central Calif. 300 hours. Self-fruitful.

The 300 hours means the requirement of hours below 45° F needs to be at least 300 hours.  That's the chill hours. Those chill hours help the tree go into a nice, deep sleep and produce fruit that will set and develop good quality.  No problemo here in Bakersfield.

Each year since planting the deciduous trees, the Santa Rosa has been the first to break bud.  2013 is no exception.  Here's the accumulated history:

• February 20, 2009
• February 14, 2010
• February 24, 2011
• February 11, 2012
• February 16, 2013

For statistics freaks, today (February 17) is the average date for the buds to break on Santa Rosa.  Hope the fruit will be above average.  Once the trees are in full bloom, then fertilization will begin.

March usually brings winds in the valley.  The winds thin the fruit naturally.  Sadly, last March the wind about knocked out the entire crop.  I can't stand the wind.  Dust, dirt, broken limbs, birds' nests knocked down, Valley Fever spores.  It's just a mess.  Let's all hope that the winds won't be so vicious this year.

Here's to an average or better than average year for Santa Rosa.