Cheshire, United Kingdom

Hi everybody. About five years ago I planted a plum tree (variety Victoria) in my garden, to create a line of fruit trees - so not far from an older pear tree and a pair of other new trees - one crab apple and one apple tree. Last spring (so March/April 2020) the plum tree had a good show of blossom and by early summer a lot of fruit was beginning to show. About the same time t leave started t yellow on some branches, those eaves ten dropped and the growing fruit started to turn brown, to shrivel and turn mushy. They also eventually dropped. This then happened on the other branches so by the end of the summer there were no leaves and no fruit anywhere on the tree.

I will watch the tree this spring in case there are any signs of life but I am working on the assumption that the tree is dead and will need to be uprooted. The three other fruit trees all remain in good health.

So my question is two-fold. First of all, does anybody recognise the symptoms of the disease that killed the tree and know if there is any treatment? The second things is that I would like to plant another tree in its place but again, I have an assumption that it would be a bad idea to replace it with another plum tree, but is it a bad idea to put any tree of any variety in the same or a nearby spot?

By the way, I am UK-based and the garden is in the wet and mild climate of the northwest of England.

Thanks for reading - looking forward to your views and feedback.

• 12 Mar, 2021