Planted spring 2006 died summer 2010
I don't know why it happened. It's been failing for months and we've tried to save it but now it really is too late. I've had several diagnoses from people who are very clued up about arboriculture but whichever of them is right still won't be able to bring life back into my dead tree. I don't think I've maltreated it, in fact I've tended it with more care than many other plants on my allotment. The only thing I can think of is that one time I sprayed it with non-organic bug spray but surely that can't be enough to kill a tree? I mean, don't people use non-organic stuff all the time anyway? There's enough of it in the garden shop that we use. They wouldn't sell it if people didn't buy it.
Apart from the starkness of the plum's shrivelled leaves, the allotment is looking good, J's strimmed and I've weeded and tidied, and the last of the summer vegetables are still quietly producing. But when I stop working and look around I get a melancholy feeling that isn't just due to the change of season.
Not quite so happy gardening this time folks.
1 comment:
I met a council allotment officer on Wednesday. She was on the look-out for untended plots and she very kindly admired mine. She commiserated with me about the tree and suggested I send a piece off to Wisley for examination. I probably won't, but it was a useful suggestion and would most likely give me the correct cause of death.
Post a Comment