[Comfr3y]

evening all

The tree was planted as a bare root (victoria) about 5 or more years ago.  "someone" pruned the leader and everything else at about 4.5 feet high and it has been pretty hacked about spindly growth and a bit of rust. it's been negected, has never fruited (I'm told). I have cleared the area and leaves etc fed it. I was going to leave it in prune it in spring feed and see what happens before deciding but I've read its a bad idea to prune the leader in the first couple of years so it might be a lost cause.

if its not a lost cause then i'll leave it in and take stock but i have a feelin its dun for after reading a bit about pruning. any thoughts what say ye all - defer sentence or be off with it?

[mobilekat]

I would give it a year to see what happens

Our Plum tree at our old house got 'Pruned' and nearly killed by our old cat- who pretty much de-barked it by using the trunk to scratch on- including right through the graft etc

After I resisted the urge to strangle the cat- (who eventually died of old age a few year later!) and then made a trunk protector out of plastic bottles I gave the tree time to recover, and it went on to be an amazing little tree- giving over 30lb of fruit a year, not bad for a 6 foot high, slightly deformed and wonky tree

The only regret we had about moving house was not being able to take the tree with us!!

So if you can give it a chance- you never know!

[Nobbie]

I'd give it a year, but make sure the ground is clear of grass and weeds for around 2 foot from the trunk and mulch now and give it some growmore in the spring.

[Comfr3y]

Thanks both

I put a greaseband on it, some weed suppressant around the bottom - and see whether it likes the attention. it's alive!

on the other hand the cardoon is definately coming out......