An Unhappy Dwarf Victoria Plum!

[Artisan]

I am in need of some advice. I planted in a container late last summer a dwarf Victoria Plum grown on dwarf root stock. At the same time I also planted other dwarf fruit trees in containers. The other dwarf fruits are growing well but the plum looks very sad. All the trees were treated in the same way being planted in JI no3 with bark mulch. The trees were all fed in March with BFB dug into the top few inches of the container compost. The Plum is not looking well and is struggling to grow. Does anyone know what might be wrong with the Plum? I have attached some pictures of the tree so that the problem can be seen.

Whilst taking the pictures I noticed two new shoots growing from below ground level which is below the graft so I assume I will need to remove these shoots?

[nickdub]

Not sure what the problem is - could be a fungal infection for example (a bit of it might be aphid damage). I doubt there's much to be done to be honest, apart form keeping on looking after it with normal watering etc and hope it recovers

Usually I'd say yes to rubbing off the growth springing from below the graft line, but in this case you might want to let it grow out, and have something which you can buds a new scion to later on, if the top part of the tree never really comes good.

[Runtpuppy]

I agree with Nick about possible aphid damage. That's exactly how the leaves of my dwarf plum tree looked when it was infested with aphids. Patchy yellowing, leaves curling downwards and inwards, and the really poorly ones browning at the edges. Check the undersides, and squash the damn things if you see them.

[Kirk]

Do you know the rootstock?
Ask as best I know only apples are really well defined concerning the rootstocks. I have a cherry that is "dwarfing". It is 20 foot high and an equal spread and the second biggest tree in the garden. Hardly "dwarf"by any means of consideration.

My thoughts are the "dwarf" may be a case of smaller then the others but still a 12 foot tree. If all others are 18 to 25 foot then 12 foot is "dwarf". In which case it needs to be outside in the ground and not in a pot. "Dwarf" is relevant. Apples are sensible they have a reference, M number, and a height indication but are not generally defined as "dwarf".

I would say the term "dwarf" is irrelevant, if a smaller rootstock comes out what does that make yours and what is the new one? Dwarfer ?

Will say my one experience with JI3 was such that I refuse to buy or use it any more. The bag said JI3 but it set like concrete when remotely dry and looked more like old crushed building rubble.

[Jungle Jane]

I’d plant it in the ground it will do so much better,remove the suckers because they’ll take energy away from the Victoria. Too much fertiliser can be harmful (if there’s no aphid invasion?)

[devonuk]

Top tip from Bob Flowerdew: if it's aphids blast them off by spraying them as hard as you can with water from the hose. Very effective.

[Artisan]

Not sure what the problem is - could be a fungal infection for example (a bit of it might be aphid damage). I doubt there's much to be done to be honest, apart form keeping on looking after it with normal watering etc and hope it recovers

Usually I'd say yes to rubbing off the growth springing from below the graft line, but in this case you might want to let it grow out, and have something which you can buds a new scion to later on, if the top part of the tree never really comes good.

Thank you. I will follow your advice.

[nickdub]

You're very welcome - if you get a chance could you update us on how it works out for you in say a few months please ?

Happy Gardening :-)

[Artisan]

You're very welcome - if you get a chance could you update us on how it works out for you in say a few months please ?

Happy Gardening :-)

Yes, no problem to the update. Do you think the tree would benefit from being cut back or would cutting back open it up to the possibility of infection and more problems?

[nickdub]

No I wouldn't cut it at all for at least a year. If you fancy coddling it a bit and are intending to leave it in the pot the best bet would be to put it somewhere sunny but not too hot, where its also protected from wind - something like a south facing area near the house without too much shade in other words. If it has got a virus of some kind, then to be honest the chances are not good - but you never know with young trees - sometimes they look awful for a bit, and then seem to right themselves and start growing fine again. The only other extra would be to get a little hand sprayer and give it a mist foliar feed with something like liquid seaweed fertiliser every few days - that can help if the roots are struggling, as obviously it feeds the leaves directly.

[Artisan]

No I wouldn't cut it at all for at least a year. If you fancy coddling it a bit and are intending to leave it in the pot the best bet would be to put it somewhere sunny but not too hot, where its also protected from wind - something like a south facing area near the house without too much shade in other words. If it has got a virus of some kind, then to be honest the chances are not good - but you never know with young trees - sometimes they look awful for a bit, and then seem to right themselves and start growing fine again. The only other extra would be to get a little hand sprayer and give it a mist foliar feed with something like liquid seaweed fertiliser every few days - that can help if the roots are struggling, as obviously it feeds the leaves directly.

Okay, that's great. I’ll nurse the ailing baby!

Thanks again.

[Artisan]

You're very welcome - if you get a chance could you update us on how it works out for you in say a few months please ?

Happy Gardening :-)

Nickdub you asked me to let you know how the sickly dwarf plum tree was doing. Well I sorry to say that it went to the big plum orchard in the sky! No matter how hard I nurtured the tree it just did not recover. I am now in the process of replacing the tree.

Oh well I'll just to wait a bit longer to taste one of my own plums!!