Is my plum tree dead?!

[Seahorse]

About a month ago, I recieved three bare root fruit trees in a special offer. I planted them all right away and the apple and apricot are both now doing well, with leaves and blossoms. However, the plum tree is showing no signs of life at all. Is it worth hanging on to see if it comes back to life? I don't mind waiting if this is fairly normal but as space is at a premium for me, if it's a goner, I want to get rid of it and plant something else!

I'm a very new fruit gardnener, so any advice will be much appreciated!

[TPeers]

Try scratching the bark on one of the braches with your thumb nail - if the wood underneath the bark is green the tree is alive and just being slow, if it is brown repeat the test lower down the tree.

If the wood is brown the tree is probably dead but it could be the branches have died back and not the main trunk, hence testing lower down.

Hope all is well

Terry

[Seahorse]

Thankyou Terry. I've just been out and done that and I reckon it is indeed still alive! (Although I'm also thinking what a numpty I am not to have thought of doing it myself, lol!).

Thanks again

Claire

[TPeers]

Great! Glad it still seems to be alive.

Try to remember to water all your new trees regularly this year - they won't have developed a decent root system as yet and a prolonged drought could see them off!

Best of luck

Terry

[NOG]

Plum scares easely....just by planting it it could get shocked and not do anything.

You need to be very nice to plums.

If you cut them back too much they will not fruit the next year. If you cut them back at the wrong time they will die.

I would give it lots of feed and loads of water......If I had a bare root I would put it in a bucket of water over night before I planted it out....but too late for that now.

[Seahorse]

Ah - I'll know next time I guess!

Sorry to sound daft but what should I feed it (and the apricot and apple?). I'm trying to be organic wherever possible.

Claire