About this episode
Ken Asmus of Oikos Tree Crops in Kalamazoo, MI has spent decades developing beach plums that taste great and are genetically diverse (rather than grafted clones). He talks about growing beach plum "communities." Dig deeper into plums in this article . ABOUT Orchard People, formerly known as the Urban Forestry Radio Show from germination in January 2016 until December 2023, has grown over the years, thanks to the collective knowledge and collaboration of the monthly guest experts, organizations, and community from around the world. The host of the Orchard People radio show and podcast is Susan Poizner of the fruit tree care education website www.orchardpeople.com . HOW TO TUNE IN TO OUR PODCAST The show airs on the last Tuesday of every month on RealityRadio101 at 1:00 PM ET! While it’s no longer live, you can still watch or listen anytime—and catch the recorded podcast anytime afterward. Video Podcast: Watch the recorded episode anytime on our YouTube Podcast Playlist . Audio Podcast: Download the podcast and listen on your favorite app after it airs. NEWSLETTER Do you want to learn to grow fruit trees successfully, organically and beyond? Sign up for OrchardPeople.com's FREE monthly newsletter at https://orchardpeople.com/sign-up/ BOOKS Susan is the author of four books on fruit tree care. Learn more here: https://learn.orchardpeople.com/books COURSES Susan is also the creator of five-star rated premium online fruit tree care education at: https://learn.orchardpeople.com ARTICLES For more information on this topic, click on the links below: How to Prune Fruit Trees: https://orchardpeople.com/how-to-prune-and-train-fruit-trees/ Fruit Tree Pests and Diseases: https://orchardpeople.com/protecting-fruit-trees-from-pests-and-diseases/ How to Feed Fruit Trees: https://orchardpeople.com/how-to-feed-fruit-trees/ The Best Fruit Trees to Grow: https://orchardpeople.com/best-fruit-trees-to-grow/ How to Graft Fruit Trees: https://orchardpeople.com/how-to-graft-fruit-trees/ These show notes may contain affiliate links to products. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. Thanks for your support! (00:00) - Genetic Diversity in Plants (01:35) - Introduction to Beech Plums (01:48) - Guest Introduction: Ken Asmus (02:48) - Growing Beech Plums: Tips and Insights (04:08) - Beech Plums vs. Other Plums (08:00) - Pest and Disease Resistance (16:40) - Pollination and Propagation (23:15) - Beech Plum Communities and Cultivation (26:19) - Challenges with Yellow Beech Plums (28:07) - Defining Plant Communities (30:15) - Hybrid Plants and Their Issues (30:44) - Listener Questions and Answers: Consider Diversity for Production and Growing from Seed (32:42) - Propagating Beech Plums from Seed (34:32) - Making Jam and Jelly from Beech Plums (37:06) - Ken Asmus' Legacy and Vision (43:05) - Market Potential of Beech Plums (44:42) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts