Pear Tree in Clay Soil

[jazzmini1959]

Hope someone can help ! I am eagerly awaiting an allotment plot after 2 years of waiting and I have a Plum (prunus) Marjories that I am hoping to transplant to the plot. Is this suitable for clay soil (which is what is prevalent on the allotment site) or should I leave it happily growing in my ph neutral soil in my garden ?

All assistance gratefully received !

Rob from Bristol

[zazen999]

Confused. Pear or Plum?

[VirginVegGrower]

Both I think...

[northepaul]

Any idea of the rootstock?

[FB.]

Pears and plums tend to need more moisture retention in the soil than apples, so they are more tolerant of heavier (clay) soils.
Even though they are more tolerant of heavy soil, they still will not do well if they get waterlogged, which deprives the roots of air.
If waterlogging might be a problem, plant the trees on a mound (say six inches high and a couple of feet across), which will keep the base of the trunk (and where the trunk joins with the main roots), clear of the water.

Apple rootstock MM106 prefers cool moist soil but is particularly prone to root rots in saturated/waterlogged soil.
Apple rootstock M9 is resistant (but not 100% immune), M27, M26 and MM111 are partially resistant. M25 is intermediate (neither noticably resistant nor noticably prone to root rots) but it is so vigorous that it can sometimes outgrow diseases if it has only occasional or mild flooding.

[jazzmini1959]

Confused. Pear or Plum?

Oops - sorry ! Should have read 'Plum Tree in Clay Soil'. :-(