My 5 year old plum tree w/ 2 italian and 2 japanese varieties has produced good crops the last 2 years. This year the blossoms dried up and most of the branches look dead or have deformed and small leaves while the upper sections of the higher branches have full large leaves. I a looking for advice on how to help i.d. the problem and restore my tree. thanks !
The tree base has the same rough bark as the Friar and Satsuma, unlike the Italian and Stanley smooth bark. So I guess that the Italian varieties are on a Japanese type root stock. I have no idea of the exact type of rootstock. Till now I have had no such bloom problem and leaf emergence issues. All varieties are equally affected.
Thanks, Bruce Z.
What you describe seems exactly like what happens to my Flavor Grenade Pluot every year, and my Asian Plums some years, like this one. Your plum trees, either asian or euros, will likely get Bacterial Canker in the PNW, although I don't know where you are at. I don't know if it's the BC or Brown Rot that makes the new growth brown and wither away, and leaves older wood devoid of green growth, but BC seems the prime suspect. It could simply be the never-ending, cold, wet weather we're experiencing. In any case, this region is not hospitable to asian plums. Euro plums do better but they will also get BC, but considerably less so. Our rainless, low-humidity summers help the plum trees to stave off the BC infections, but I feel like the asian plums will eventually succumb. Sweet cherries and peaches too. Spraying for BC is a whole other topic that I avoid. I'd simply rather grow an extra fig tree or another apple than try to keep some of these stone fruit trees going. I guess this really wasn't much help.
Tstoehr; “I'd simply rather grow an extra fig tree or another apple than try to keep some of these stone fruit trees going.â€
I have several Asian plums, and other than sporadic pollination, they’ve held up pretty well …but I’ve given up on cherries and peaches and your statement above is what I’ve come to live by, too.
Thanks Viron , John, and T.
I am in Arbor Lodge area of Portland. I am encouraged to not be the only one w/ plum issues. I feel I at least have some direction...Bacterial Canker or BR. The learning has begun....I am guessing that as the tree ages it becomes more subject to the condition. I read an earlier posting about an apple problem and it was suggested that Portland Nursery did a good job to I.D. problems if you bring a sample in. It would be interesting to find some time to check it out.
Bruce Zink
[quote="zink":1q015zbg]My 5 year old plum tree w/ 2 italian and 2 japanese varieties has produced good crops the last 2 years. This year the blossoms dried up and most of the branches look dead or have deformed and small leaves while the upper sections of the higher branches have full large leaves. I a looking for advice on how to help i.d. the problem and restore my tree. thanks ![/quote:1q015zbg]
OK first here is a link[url:1q015zbg]http://plant-disease.ippc.orst.edu/plant_index.aspx?title=disease[/url:1q015zbg] you need to look at prune as well as plum to find your problem. The PNW will also show cultural (organic) solutions with the chemical ones for the specific problem you have. this is the best I can do without a picture.
Randy
Yamhill County Master Gardener
ac7nj@arrl.net
I have grown both kinds of plums for years. Absolutely crucial: don't prune in the rain. I recommend Hollywood plum as a reliable cropper, delicious as well (asian). I use compost tea and have no problems. Cherries the same but even more crucial not to prune in the rain. Pie cherries are easier than sweet.
Peaches are really tough. My kudos to anyone successfully growing peaches, apricots, and nectarines reliably in the wet PNW.
John S
PDX OR
Idyllwild
simplepress
jafar
Marsha H
Viron
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