Split plum tree

[Mark_Riga]

A main branch on my Victoria plum (from Aldi) split at the trunk several years ago under the weight of fruit. It continues to fruit well with the branch resting on the fence next to it. In the winter, I noticed that the split was full of water and was wondering what, if anything I should do to it? I could drill a hole to let it drain or fill it with something. Possibly even amputate but I havn't weighed up what it would look like then.

[nickdub]

Fill it with something inert would be my first try - need to keep the rain out, else it'll rot through - some sort of physical support further up the branch will likely be needed on a semi-permanent basis - I tied some rope round one of my trees in a similar situation - looked a bit like a giant catapult afterwards.

[Mark_Riga]

Yes, when I looked at it more closely, i thought it could rot through. It is quite well supported on an old fence - but it was put up about the same time as another fence that has just given way so will need to check that doesn't need any new nails in it. Any suggestions for a good filler? would mortar be OK or garden soil, may be expanded polystyrene cups if I see any being used. May be a wedge of wood topped with woodfiller?

[FB.]

I don't think much will help now. The inner wood has been exposed to wet, fungi and woodlice for some time so the inner trunk(s) are probably already rotting. Filling the 'hole' might slow the rate of rotting but it'll still rot.

However, trees often remain alive for decades after becoming hollow as long as they don't break due to structural weakness.
The inner wood of most trees is dead; only the outermost part of the trunk is usually alive and most healthy trees become hollow as a result of fungi or creatures finding their way into the central dead wood.

I think the only useful thing you can do is keep it well-supported so it doesn't break.

[nickdub]

Yes, when I looked at it more closely, i thought it could rot through. It is quite well supported on an old fence - but it was put up about the same time as another fence that has just given way so will need to check that doesn't need any new nails in it. Any suggestions for a good filler? would mortar be OK or garden soil, may be expanded polystyrene cups if I see any being used. May be a wedge of wood topped with woodfiller?

None too sure on the filler front - I'd rule out soil as not being inert and in the ideal world you want something with a bit of "give" in it as trees always move a little in the wind - expanding foam tied down with a temporary "bandage" while it dries then trimmed and coated with bitumen or wax ? I'd be reasonably optimistic that the branch can be saved, but obviously it might be a fair bit of work. I've seen completely dead parts of wood on trees heal over with new growth bark in a few years and there's no reason why this could not happen with foreign dead material as well.

This sort of branch splitting is not uncommon on plums and where its happened on one large tree of mine I just sawed off the lower branch, because the tree was so big it could still carry plenty of fruit. Other smaller trees I have tied as previously mentioned, because they weren't so large I wanted to just write a branch off.

[It never rains..it pours]

On a similar vein I have a graft where the centre of the rootstock now has a small hole (5mm max) where it was cut off and wondering if that should be filled

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Compo-17692.../dp/B005F2BTTY

[Losos]

expanding foam tied down with a temporary "bandage" while it dries then trimmed and coated with bitumen or wax ? I'd be reasonably optimistic that the branch can be saved,

Yes you can buy a small tin of 'expanding foam' would do a good job but bear in mind that even a small tin does a lot so it would be a good idea to find some other jobs where it could be used. In my experience once you've started to use the stuff you have to use all of it 'cos it never works again (The nozzle always gets cloged) and you have to bin it. I hate waste

[It never rains..it pours]

Having used expanding foam on DIY projects, it seems to me it pushes out as sets, so would strap tree split tightly so it couldnt make split worse while sets

[fishpond]

Would the chemicals cause further problems for the tree?
I have the same problem on a Bramley which I have been pondering for years.

[Lardman]

Small stuff, Id fill with vitax medo pruning compound it's like a clay slurry and the tree with grow through it.

Id also cut the large branch off in the summer as FB say the damage has probably already set in but you can see the bark healing so you could encourage it or bridge graft the main trunk.

[It never rains..it pours]

Thanks Lardman, I have ordered some of that to try on the rootstock hole