I left my plums on the tree three extra days after the August downpour just to let them sweeten: what had opened on the skin wasn’t only a split
A simple split in a plum is rarely the real problem—it’s what moves in afterward that ruins the fruit. Brown rot, wasps, and flies exploit the wound left by water absorption, turning a minor crack into total loss within days. Understanding the science behind splitting helps growers protect their sweetest fruit.