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Dying branch on old plum tree

trowel and errortrowel and error Posts: 15
in Fruit & veg
I have a large 20 year old plum tree and have just noticed a large 8 inch diameter central branch is dying.  Should I saw off the branch now or wait until the plums are picked in August.  I don’t want to introduce silver leaf disease which can be contracted if plums are pruned at certain times of the year.

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  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited May 2020
    Depends on what it is dying from really as some diseases spready rapidly (eg Fire blight) so you would weigh-up the pros and cons once that has been determined. It might actually be Silver Leaf in which case similar advice would apply.  Easiest thing is to cut through a few branches which are well into the dying areas (so will be removed later anyway) and examine the cut wood.  If there are diagnostic symptoms such as any staining, either inside or on on the surface of the wood after removing the bark, I would do it now.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
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