"Theo Markettos" wrote in message
...
Having finally picked the last of our estimated 75kg plums our plum tree
is
looking a little unhappy, having snapped under the weight:

The snapped branch obviously needs to be removed. Is there any way I can
salvage the non-snapped parts, or should I cut it back to clean trunk wood
(losing more than half the tree)? I understand now is the best time to
avoid silverleaf.

Ours did this too. Several branches snapped of and I've just cut them as
cleanly as I can and I'm hoping for the best. Branches get damaged for
various reasons in nature and trees have developed means of coping with it.
I don't know about silverleaf.




Also, what success am I likely to have taking cuttings? I read rather
conflicting reports. I dug up a 3' high plum runner, losing most of the
roots in the process, potted it up and gave it away. It seems to be OK,
though only having leaves on the bottom foot. I think we might be out of
runners though.


The problem with that is going to be the size. Or maybe not, I don't know
how big your garden is. But the fruit trees you buy are on dwarfing or
semi-dwarfing rootstocks, and cuttings will just do what they want.

Steve