Help! I think my plum tree is dying

[timstan]

Hi. We have a plum in our garden that is at least 30 years old, probably older. We have had a few problems over the last couple of years with some brown leaves and rotting fruit but generally we have always had a really good crop but the tree is really struggling this year. It has no fruit, over half of the leaves have died and the rest are brown and nearly ready to fall. I am really worried the tree is dying. Does any one have any advice on what we can do to save there tree?

 

[Oliver Buckle]

The leaves in the first picture look like powdery mildew, is it like a white powder on both sides of the leaf? It is a disease of stress and there are two possible causes that come to mind. Firstly, I don't know which part of England you are in, but the South has been very dry, have you watered it at all? Secondly, if it has not been pruned the center of the plant gets congested and air flow is restricted.
The poor tree really does look in a state, but I would start with a good water with a bit of feed in it and spray with a solution of a table spoon full of bicarbonate of soda to a gallon of water, you might have to move on to commercial fungicide, but this often works. If you do use commercial fungicides beware, fungicides are often very nasty, read the label thoroughly.
As with any fungal disease pick up any debris and burn it.

 

[Chuck]

Hi. We have a plum in our garden that is at least 30 years old, probably older. We have had a few problems over the last couple of years with some brown leaves and rotting fruit but generally we have always had a really good crop but the tree is really struggling this year. It has no fruit, over half of the leaves have died and the rest are brown and nearly ready to fall. I am really worried the tree is dying. Does any one have any advice on what we can do to save there tree?

You say the tree is at least 30 years old. If so, that is an old tree. Common plums normally live to between 25 and 30 years. Your tree is probably just showing its age.