Victoria plum leaves

[davee]

I have a Victoria plum tree around six years old, last year it blossomed well and leaves looked healthy then some leaves and in parts whole branches of leaves turned brown and died off. It did manage to produce a few plums despite losing a lot of leaves. This year the plums are beginning to form but the same is happening with the leaves again and it is looking in a sorry state. I water it regularly but is this a watering issue or something else, there has only been minimal aphid attack.

[nickdub]

sounds like a a disease problem to be honest - could be something like blossom wilt which is a fungus problem.

Your tree shouldn't need extra water at that age - is it growing in a container and if so have you checked the roots and compost ?

[chillithyme]

Im having similar trouble with my plum opal, but no leaf loss just yellowing and browning. Ive just bought some seaweed fertiliser in the hope that it will help green up the leaves, and some magnesium salts which I will also apply as a foliar spray and root drench in a few days time. Im not sure if this is the right thing to do, but this is what I have started in the hope to revive it.
Maybe somebody else will have better advice.

Note: mine is grown in a pot

[chillithyme]

If it is a fungus like nickdub says, then maybe a different course of action to mine

[nickdub]

If it is a fungus like nickdub says, then maybe a different course of action to mine

No, you're right on the money feeding the leaves whatever the problem is.

I'd always also check the roots for any container grown plant - if it is in the ground though and it is a disease then there's often not much you can do further to what you are already.

[davee]

sounds like a a disease problem to be honest - could be something like blossom wilt which is a fungus problem.

Your tree shouldn't need extra water at that age - is it growing in a container and if so have you checked the roots and compost ?

It is growing in a large trough,I have checked compost and it's moist so I think the watering is about right, not sure what to treat it for, I will look further into blossom wilt.

[fishpond]

What rootstock is it on?

[FB.]

Im having similar trouble with my plum opal, but no leaf loss just yellowing and browning. Ive just bought some seaweed fertiliser in the hope that it will help green up the leaves, and some magnesium salts which I will also apply as a foliar spray and root drench in a few days time. Im not sure if this is the right thing to do, but this is what I have started in the hope to revive it.
Maybe somebody else will have better advice.

Note: mine is grown in a pot

Yellowing leaves is usually not enough water. As I mentioned on another topic last week: plums are very thirsty and most people don't give enough water to potted plants.

If you 'feed' a thirsty plant, you'll probably cause even more leaves to fall off.

[FB.]

I have a Victoria plum tree around six years old, last year it blossomed well and leaves looked healthy then some leaves and in parts whole branches of leaves turned brown and died off. It did manage to produce a few plums despite losing a lot of leaves. This year the plums are beginning to form but the same is happening with the leaves again and it is looking in a sorry state. I water it regularly but is this a watering issue or something else, there has only been minimal aphid attack.

Victoria is notoriously prone to diseases, probably because everyone grows it so diseases have evolved to attack the widely grown varieties.
It's probably suffering from one of the common canker-type diseases (bacterial or fungal).

[nickdub]

It is growing in a large trough,I have checked compost and it's moist so I think the watering is about right, not sure what to treat it for, I will look further into blossom wilt.

The problem with a tree in a container is that its very hard to get the watering right all the time, as the plant's needs differ from week to week - and too much water can also cause problems.

If its possible for you I'd advise taking it out of the container and planting it in the ground. If this is not an option, then some sort of gadget to monitor the moisture in the soil might be the next best bet.

[Gardengnomes60]

Plum tree

I have a Victoria plum tree around six years old, last year it blossomed well and leaves looked healthy then some leaves and in parts whole branches of leaves turned brown and died off. It did manage to produce a few plums despite losing a lot of leaves. This year the plums are beginning to form but the same is happening with the leaves again and it is looking in a sorry state. I water it regularly but is this a watering issue or something else, there has only been minimal aphid attack.

Hi, I purchased a plum tree from a reputable garden centre, it was brimming with blossom, after a month still in pot in garden it died, I contacted the garden centre who were very good, said it sounded like it had a desease , took it back and had a refund, was reluctant to buy another one , the leaves had just shrivelled up and no fruit had formed

[davee]

What rootstock is it on?

It is on myrobalan rootstock

[fishpond]

I would suggest that the rootstock is far too vigorous to be in a pot, trying to get the watering right would be nigh on impossible.
It needs to be in the ground.
Look up the various rootstocks in https://www.orangepippintrees.co.uk/
more specifically:-
Myrobalan vigorous rootstock
Myrobalan is a Prunus cerasifera seedling rootstock, suitable for a wide range of soil conditions. It is usually considered a vigorous or semi-vigorous rootstock, producing a tree with a mature height of 16ft - 20ft.

Trees on Myrobalan should become free-standing but may benefit from staking for the first few years in lighter soils and / or windy situations.

Like most seedling rootstocks Myrobalan is not particularly precocious, and trees should start bearing after 4-5 years.
You are trying to grow a tree with the potential to grow to at least 18ft----in a pot?
It will be constantly thirsty and hungry.

[chillithyme]

I think that you are spot on, i've definitely lagged behind with watering this year. I also think its tricky managing a plum tree in a pot, if I had the space I would put it in the ground.

Yellowing leaves is usually not enough water. As I mentioned on another topic last week: plums are very thirsty and most people don't give enough water to potted plants.

If you 'feed' a thirsty plant, you'll probably cause even more leaves to fall off.