Plum Tree Remodelling

[MisterB]

Hi again all,

Another fruit tree issue.

The Plum tree on the photo has a mild lean (note, the soil slopes a bit, left is downhill).

The branch on the left snapped off completely recently, I need to tidy that up I guess, but also the tree is now even more unbalanced.

My plan is to take off the lower, and rightmost branch (hopefully I can replant /transplant this somehow ? Any help gratefully accepted :-)) to help rebalance a bit. Then stake it and gently coax it back upright? does that sound even possibly ? I've never attempted anything like this, but it is a good cropper and I'd hate to lose it.

It's an early rivers, on semi dwarfing rootstock (I think) any maybe 8 years old at a guess .if that helps.

Picture here, https://ibb.co/album/gZB3fs

Many thanks,
MisterB.

[MisterB]

I should add, any other suggestions welcome, I don't mind losing a year if it helps the tree survive.

[ameno]

It doesn't seem to be leaning all that much, and the base of the trunk seems to be upright, with the lean being caused by a curve part way up (problem leans are usually caused instead by being loose in the ground and thus leaning at ground level.
That being the case, I wouldn't mess with it too much, to be honest. Even that bare branch, assuming the wood is still alive, I would leave for now, as there is a good chance it will resprout next spring. If that branch doesn't resprout by late June next year then I would cut it off flush with the trunk, but otherwise I don't think any major work is necessary. Simply training any new growth more to one side than the other should be enough.