I have 2 japanese plum trees, and i live in Nova Scotia (zone 5a) One of the trees has had a problem for at least the last 5 years, probably more. The other tree has never shown any sign of it. Every "expert" I have told about it says it's "plum pocket" which is a fungal disease, although none of them have ever actually see my tree. For several years I did the spraying with lime/sulphur which they recommended, with absolutely no improvement. Now I have given up on the spraying. Our provinicial government (jn it's infinite wisdom........) has eliminated the extension service that used to provide advice to home gardeners, so they're not around anymore for advice.
It doesn't exactly fit some of the descriptions of plum pocket. I'm wondering I anyone out there has had experience with this disease, and can tell me if this it what happens to theirs. Some of the descriptions I've read talk about starting off with a white "blister" but I've never had anything of the sort.
As soon as the tree finishes blooming, when the plums start to develop they're obviously mis shapen. First they get long and narrow, then lopsided, then as they get bigger they get wrinkled and spongy and eventually they are long wrinkled, swollen, green and then they start to look moldy. This all happens pretty fast. The plums on my trees that look like hey're developing normally are probably marble sized, but some of the "pockets" or whatever are 1 1/2 inches long. I'll try to attach a picture.
Anybody else had to deal with this?
