Blog: glut of plums proves too much for tree
My Japanese blood plum, Lizzie, has finally snapped under the weight of this year’s crop – but can you fix broken plum tree branches? Many fruit trees are at risk from branches breaking under the strain of bearing a bumper crop, but plums are the worst affected. Many plums, including Lizzie, tend to be biennial fruiters. One year, they’ll carry so much fruit that they’ll wear themselves out, producing hardly any the next year.
In my defence, I did thin what I could reach, but the majority of the fruit was high in the canopy, and I’m banned from ladders in case I fall off. Proper thinning reduces strain on branches and leads to bigger, better fruit with fewer diseases.
Prune or save the branch?
I thought I’d got away with it until we had one rainy and windy night, which proved too much. A large limb has snapped about halfway through, so it is intact on the underside. This means the cambium, which carries nutrients and water to the branch, has kept it alive.
If a branch has half or more of the bark intact, it is possible to save it by taping. Depending on the size, bind the wound with grafting tape or any other strong tape. I once used Sellotape on a tomato, and it worked! Secure it with cable ties or a large rubber tree stake tie and prop it if necessary. If you’re lucky, the branch will heal after a few months.
Be very cautious about letting heavy crops build up here again. If the branch is healthy, regard it as a cosmetic addition, so the tree doesn’t look unbalanced.
Broken plum tree branches – beware of silver leaf disease
Of course, if you’re unlucky, pests and diseases may enter the wound. The number one enemy of stone fruits is silver leaf, a fungal disease caused by Chondrostereum purpureum. Leaves turn silver on an infected branch, followed by the branch dying back. Spores are most active from September to May.
I’ve decided to bite the bullet and cut off the damaged branch. I’m going to have to treat the tree as if it is being restored and spread the pruning over several years, so there are not too many unproductive watershoots produced.
Whatever you decide to do about your broken plum tree branches, make sure your tools are clean and sharp!
