The Mystery of the Plum Tree

Andy didn’t lose only the apricot tree this year, his plum tree also died. When Kaitlin and Torben were here around the Fourth of July they helped Andy dig it up to see why.

Andy planted it several years ago, and even though it hadn’t thrived it had been hanging in there. They were hoping to figure out what happened, but they’re still scratching their heads. The roots hadn’t been eaten and were plenty moist, but no feeder roots had gone outside the hardware cloth and the soil there was dry. It’s a big mystery, but Andy will try again next year. We do like those plums!

 

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8 Responses to The Mystery of the Plum Tree

  1. Cathy in NZ says:

    nature, does some rather unusual things…maybe the fruit tree is lonely, and he was waiting for some friends to join him (maybe it’s a she or gender neutral) – sometimes trees need another just so they get fruit…

  2. Rummuser says:

    Root termites? Quite common in some gardens here.

  3. tammy j says:

    interesting! a perfect research project for you on the net I would think!
    I like plums too.
    perhaps something in the soil it didn’t like or needed?
    somebody out there no doubt has made it their life’s work to find out! 🙂 xo

  4. nick says:

    It’s a mystery why some plants thrive and others don’t. Some of our garden bushes grow like crazy and need regular pruning. Others just wither and die for no apparent reason. I think some of them just don’t like the soil they’ve been dumped in and they quietly give up.

    • Jean says:

      You might be right about the soil — we had good luck with plums in the other place we have trees. We’ll have to see what happens next year.

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