After many years of faithful service, producing lots of delicious fruit, this plum tree has to go because it has contracted Silver Leaf disease. This is fatal for the tree and it got it because I pruned the tree in winter. Most fruit trees can be safely pruned then but plum is an exception. Ideally, it should never be pruned, but if it has to be done, it should be in the summer.

It’s important to burn the diseased wood to prevent spread of the infection. Once the current tree and soil have been removed, I’ll be planting another tree in the same location.