[Umbrian]

Not quite sure where to put this post but I am sure our "slave" will move it if necessary!. The recent snow has done more damage than I first realised and today I discovered that one of my fruit trees, a lovely plum that I do not know the name of but which bears medium sized ,green skinned and yellow fleshed plums, is leaning heavily and the root area, "behind" the lean, mounded up. It was planted as a small young tree about 9 years ago and has a trunk of 42cm. diameter. The spreading branches start at a height of 75cm and I really cannot imagine how this has happened as the tree looked strong and sturdy and cropped well last year. It is in the same area as the Olive that was split asunder and so I can only assume that a "snow tornado" ripped through this area of the garden. My problem is - do I try to save it by putting in strong stakes and gradually pulling it back to an upright position or is it beyond help? The roots are not exposed but the tree will be heavy and so it will be quite an undertaking and my fear is that it will always be vulnerable in the future.

[David Bracey]

You must try to save it, 9 years with good fruits.  You will probably need help to bring the tree upright.  Once it is, tamp the soil down around the roots which were exposed or lifted.  Add more soil if necessary.  Finally take a strong stake and drive it at an angle (+/- 45°)to the tree in to the soil with the wide end of the angle facing into the wind. (on the side away from the prevailing wind) Fasten the trunk to the stake.  Repeat if necessary hgiher or lower.

[Trevor Australis]

By all means follow David's sage advice but also consider some hard pruning of the top growth and branches once any danger of frost and cold is past. You will lose any fruit for the coming summer but you will also reduce any stress on the damaged roots below ground that you can't see, and likewise reduce stress on the branches and trunk that may have unseen fractures. The pruning will give the tree a chance to repair any internal damage that may have occurred. tn

[Alisdair]

To add to all that good advice, we had a similarly prized apple tree (Pixie, our best keeper, crisp till April) knocked over by a gale. When we had pulled it back upright, in addition to David's angled stake we put in a couple of strong stakes about one and a half metres apart beside it and nailed a strong piece of timber across it, against which the trunk could rest. I think that helped a bit too.
Our tree certainly lost some root, so Trevor's top pruning would be good - I wish I'd taken more off the top of ours, as it hasn't fruited nearly so well in the three years since.