greengages

[susan]

we are lucky enough to have two old greengage trees in our garden . For the 7 years we have had them they have been covered in fruit. This year the biggest lost most of its leaves early , formed a few fruit and i noticed a large hard fungus growing from its trunk, the other tree has leaves but no fruit. My husband feels we should cut the big tree down. It has many suckers at it's base and i have kept the stones from the two fruit. Does anyone know if the suckers could become viable trees, I would like to replace the trees with it's own descendants as i imagine they are a local variety as our garden was a farm's orchard until the 1960's and the trees have a trunk diameter of about 2ft so must be quite old. We also have old apple trees so any advice on maintaining these would be appreciated. Thank you Sue

[Lesley Jay]

Sue I have been reading about plums and greengages. They flower early and the blossom can be damaged by a late frost which is one reason for fruit failure. The suckers should be cut off and as these fruit trees are grafted onto another root stock, the suckers will be from the root stock and not the greengage tree. Growing from a stone can take up to 18 months for the stone to germinate and the tree will probably not bear any fruit. Also the tree might be the wild variety. You could try grafting on to a new root stock. With two trees in your garden is one the pollinator for the other?

[LadyElle]

A number of nurseries (I think Keepers are one) offer a service where you can send them wodd from your old tree and they will graft it on to a new rootstock - so giving you a new tree of the right variety.

Just a thought

Laura

[susan]

thank you for your advice. Husband feels we should stop being nostalgic and move on, but i am tempted by the grafting idea. I will let you know how we get on. It would not surprise me if they are wild as a close neighbour has about 8 greengage trees that she trims into a high hedge, she calls them bullous are they the same thing? I'm far too tight to pay for professional grafting but thank you both for tips . Sue