Plum tree damage and repair?

[oldtimer]

The weight of the crop on one of the main limbs of a fairly new plum tree has has caused it to break away without fully detaching itself. I have used a tree support pole to hold the limb up and have gorilla taped the broken joint to the main stem.

Is the tree likely to repair itself?
What action should I take now and in the future?
Should I remove the unripe plums that caused the damage? If so what can I do with them?
I've read about putting them in a paper bag with a banana to ripen, but is there anything else I can do? I'm reluctance to waste nearly half of the tree's crop.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

 

[Mesquite]

It might be possible for the tree to heal itself but it will be a weak point for a long time. Short term it'll be an open wound for possible diseases.

As for the offending plums, reducing the amount on the tree will help the strain on the damaged area and you can either make jam from what you've picked (you might need some extra sugar) or pickle them.

 

[Erbswurst]

I would cut away what's already broken and shorten the rest to a symmetric shape.

It surely broke because you didn't shorten the twigs enough.

Don't make the lower branches of cherry and plum shorter than the higher ones. With bad luck they could die. Both are much more sensible in this case than the apple trees.

 

[Kadushu]

Plums are particularly vulnerable to fungal infections so tidying up any wounds and treating them with a fungicide, if possible, is a good idea.

 

[Nice65]

All the above. Definitely remove at least two thirds of the plums, the branch can’t support them in terms of water supply. Sour green plums make a great pickle, like lime pickle with lots of spices for papadums. Do that with them, it’ll be good.

Personally I’d remove the branch completely, leave the wound untreated and let the tree fix it. Trees compartmentalise damage by closing vessels to prevent infection getting in. It can work against them too, sometimes a tree will take on a fungal pathogen and react by closing its vessels and killing itself, Dutch Elm disease being a good example. Take note to install props or thin fruit by a third next year. Good year for Prunus spp, I’m seeing a lot of sloes already.

 

[Robson Valley]

Remove the broken branch. Apply "tree paint" to the bare wood. It is typically used in heavy pruning anyway. Try ripening the fruit in a bag with a banana. The principle is that the ripe banana gives off ethylene gas which promoted fruit ripening. Apple storage facilities have means to remove ethylene so the stored crop lasts longer.

 

[Nice65]

Remove the broken branch. Apply "tree paint" to the bare wood. It is typically used in heavy pruning anyway. Try ripening the fruit in a bag with a banana. The principle is that the ripe banana gives off ethylene gas which promoted fruit ripening. Apple storage facilities have means to remove ethylene so the stored crop lasts longer.

No to tree paint, it seals in moisture and pathogens, just let the tree do it’s thing.

 

[Robson Valley]

I want the paint to seal in the tree sap moisture. I don't want to find the vessel elements with air blockage. Tree Paint is formulated to be toxic to bacteria and fungi. Here, it seems to be a practical and economic measure in both nurseries
and working orchards.

 

[Erbswurst]

Unsure in details, but I also think that such tree paint is outdated.

So far I am informed we generally returned to the with gardener knife cleaned cut without other treatment.

It's also my own impression and I have seen a lot of fruit trees.

 

[gra_farmer]

I want the paint to seal in the tree sap moisture. I don't want to find the vessel elements with air blockage. Tree Paint is formulated to be toxic to bacteria and fungi. Here, it seems to be a practical and economic measure in both nurseries
and working orchards.

I agree with @Nice65, let the tree sort its self out, I used to manage 60ha of mixed top fruit and the said cancar paint that contained copper sulphate was more of an issue than help, we stopped using the paint in 1998.

Unsure in details, but I also think that such tree paint is outdated.

It was generally accepted that the cancar paint was not that suitable overall across top fruit growers, unless the trees were >15 years.

I also have not seen the paint in years, and would not use it even if still available. We still have standards (about 100 or so) that are older that 130 years on the farm.

 

[Robson Valley]

That's nice. One part of an earned postgraduate degree was research into the wood anatomy and wound responses of stock/scion grafts in apples and other species. Our tree paint must not be formulated as yours was.

 

[gra_farmer]

That's nice. One part of an earned postgraduate degree was research into the wood anatomy and wound responses of stock/scion grafts in apples and other species. Our tree paint must not be formulated as yours was.

There was a number of different paints, as you state for grafting, others for in field damage as stated in the thread. I have been away from the industry for 7 years now, so things mostly have changed and new products made. But I have kept in touch with the fruit growers consortium as an advisor and in field paints have not been touched on for years. I will bring it up with the consortium when next in touch with them, there are > 2,000 members so will get an answer....or 2,000 answers

@Robson Valley Everyone has there own experience, I am not knocking yours as you obviously experienced in the area.

To the thread original request, my advice (without seeing photos) is to prune the damaged limb, reduce weight of the fruit across the tree and support where needed. There is good advice in the thread and it sounds like a lot of people have top fruit

 

[Toddy]

I found that a damaged plum tree sprouted new branches, near but not on, the damaged site. A fence panel blew out in a gale and damaged our tree.

The problem was picking which branch to leave to grow to replace and re-balance the tree.

If it's damaged because of the weight of the fruit then I think that's a pruning issue. The tree needs to be stable enough to bear fruit. Pruning back helps the tree support the fruit you allow to develop without tearing the branch from the tree.
Plums become very sturdy as they age though, and will bear a lot of fruit.
We live in the upper Clyde valley and there is a long history of plums here, old trees are still worth pruning and produce really good crops.

I have a copy of the RHS pruning book, but they now have a website and there is an article on pruning plums.

Plums: pruning / RHS

Plum trees do not require as precise pruning as apples and pears, but still benefit from initial training and the thinning of old wood to ensure they produce as much fruit as possible. Plums are pruned in early spring or mid-summer to avoid infection by silver leaf disease.

www.rhs.org.uk

 

[oldtimer]

Thanks all, for the advice. Tree has now had professional attention. Branches shortened where possible to relieve weight. Damaged limb has been propped and will be lopped after fruit ripens.

Your advice helped me to have a meaningful discussion with our gardener.