How To Revive A Dying Plum Tree (Solved)

It’s frustrating to see your tree die. Especially when you’ve worked day and night to see your beautiful plums grow.  Thus, it’s necessary to save your plum before it dies.

So, how to revive a dying plum tree?

To revive a dying plum tree, remove pests with chemical or organic sprays or kill them with insecticidal soap and water. Also, remove fungi-affected fruits and branches and spray them with fungicides. Lastly, adjust the watering schedule, fertilize, and use well-draining soil.

We know this isn’t enough to revive a dying plum tree. So, read along to know about it.

Reasons And Solutions For Plum Tree Dying

Plumtree gets sick for various reasons. Either they face bacteria or a fungus attack. They also get sick due to unwanted pest attacks. 

So, let’s know about all the reasons and solutions for plum tree dying.  

1. Plum Sawfly 

The plum sawfly lays eggs in the plum fruit that produces brown marks on the exterior. 

The insects are difficult to control using organic ingredients. These insects live by consuming the nutrients of the tree. Thus the tree dies eventually.

Solution

Hence, growers find chemical sprays as the most effective method. Another method is to turn over the soil around the tree in February and March. 

This brings the bugs to the surface so that birds can eat them.

2. Aphids

This is another bug that attacks plum trees, causing leaf curls. The leaves develop spots and turn brown and curl. 

Solution

Chemical contact sprays and systematic sprays are most effective in treating the problem. You can also spray insecticidal soap and water on the leaves to kill these insects.

3. Scales

Scale insects attack plum trees and look like dark peas growing on the branches and stems. They’re usually brown or purple.

Solution

From May to July, the eggs hatch, and it is an excellent time to use sprays. A plant oil wash treatment works well in the winter months and is also found at your local garden center.

Reasons And Solutions for Plum Tree Diseases Causing Death

Brown Rot

A fungus causes brown rot in the fruit in the rainy season. The fungus enters the fruit, causing raised grey or brown spots to appear. Certain plum trees are susceptible to this rot. 

The first thing you’ll notice during springtime is the wilted and discoloured blossom. It can spread to the branches, causing rot. 

To treat this, remove the flowers, branches, and fruits by pruning thoroughly. Then, spray with a copper fungicide to prevent further spread.

Phytophthora Root Rot

It will cause a plum tree to wilt and die. The leaves start to become dull and turn into red, green, purple, or yellow. 

The upper roots start to darken. At the same time, the bark begins to show discolouration, both in the inner and outer layers.

Solution

With this disease, the tree needs good drainage. One solution is to remove the soil around the roots and let what is known as the crown tissue dry. 

Calling a professional is an excellent show strategy to solve this problem.

Black Knot

Black knots are swelling in the branches. These knots change colour and have a velvety appearance. They become black as the disease progresses and can destroy the branches. 

Solution

If your tree is suffering from black knot disease, use a fungicide. But, you should take suggestions from an expert.

We recommend you use fungicide in the spring season. Here are some top picked fungicides for you.

Plum Pockets

A plum pocket is a fungus that spreads through the air and water by spores. It infects the fruits. This causes them to develop white marks and the plums wither and die. 

It starts in the spring and does not affect your crop until the following year.

Solution

When the fruit is infected, it must be removed or destroyed. This includes fruit on the ground. In addition, thick clusters of branches should be pruned regularly.

Spray the tree regularly with fungicides recommended by your garden centre in November and March. This helps prevent fungus from growing next year.

Cankers

Cankers cause dark, recessed areas on the trunk and branches. In addition, they often leak amber liquid. 

As this disease progresses, it can cause the tree to wither and die. 

Solution

Prune and remove dead branches near the canker. This will stop the disease from spreading any further.

Finally, disinfect your pruning shears after use. The trimmed branches should be burned with fungicides.

Wilted Leaves

Wilted leaves occur on the upper plum tree because it does not receive enough water. This happens more often to plum trees in containers and plum trees. 

Solution

Suppose you see this, water more frequently. You should also move the trees in containers to a more shady spot. 

But sometimes providing more water might worsen the situation. The solution is to stop watering until the soil dries out.

I hope you’ve figured out the reason why your plum tree is dying. Then, follow the solutions to revive appropriately. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: How long do plum trees live?

Answer: On average, plum trees live for around 10 to 15 years.

Question: Can cankers kill my entire tree?

Answer: Cankers can choke off the part of the tree above them. So, if the cankers attack your plum tree at the very bottom, it can kill the entire tree.

Question: Where do plum trees grow best?

Answer: Usually, a sunny spot is best for a plum tree to grow. For its best environment, the soil should be fertile and well-drained.

Parting Words

Congratulations! You’ve accomplished reviving your dying plum tree. I hope this article helped you to know all about how to revive a dying plum tree.

One last tip, urea fertilizer is essential for baby trees. They also need vast amounts of water daily. So you should give around 4-5 liters of water every day.

Let us know if you have any confusion in the comment section.

Till then, take care of yourself and your tree.