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["Michelle Horner" <shelly2@wi.rr.com>]

I need a little advice.   My Italian plum, a Stanley,  that I planted in '95 and finally started bearing gangbusters the last 4 years, is not looking too good this spring.  My European plums and cherries are all in prime blossom right now.  I think "Stanley" usually blossomed before these??  It looked good in the fall.  It is loaded with blossom buds.  But I seem to notice it looks like the finist branches look dissecated.  And that look now seems to be working its way inward toward the larger branches.  The color of these branches in grayer than the live stuff.  I keep doing "scratch" tests--and I keep finding more and more dried branches.  I would guess its a loss--but any input on why?  I don't see girdling--I guess I should check a little further underground.  Observations??

thanks.

Michelle Horner  zone 4/5 SE WI

 

PS.  I think my Goldcot Apricot dodged all the frosts last week, and in spite of the cold, the pollinators found it--I think I'll have a load of apricots--yipeeeeeee!!