[Lardman]

  My tree - its gone.

We had heavy (very heavy) rain last night and my full ladened 20ft damson tree has snapped itself off at trunk level about 3ft off the ground.  Im gutted. For anyone else out there with fruit tree loaded with fruit - get some props under the branches !

The trunk itself is split as you would expect, whats my best option ? I'll grab some pictures when I can bring myself to go outside again 

[tode]

Best bet  =  cut off cleanly, and next year it'll grow out from the trunk.  Just keep one or two of these new growths.

[Lardman]

Will it regrow from so low on the trunk ? The top of the split is around 3ft, the base round 18".

It must be at least 20 years old, I feel so ashamed that its happened on my watch. Looking at the trunk where its snapped though, it seems someone has pruned it there, is the dark wood rot?

[tode]

It should do: I wanted to get rid of mine, which was about same size, so cut it ff at ground level:  it still keeps coming up despite repeated be-heading   

[gillie]

Can you see a graft on the trunk? if so, has the tree broken above it, at it, or below it?

Often trees break at the graft, which is a weak point.  If it has broken at or below the graft I would have the tree out and spend many happy hours deciding what to put in its place.

Things happen and like every other species some individual trees last longer than others.

Gillie

[8doubles]

It does look like there was an area of rot which weakened the trunk.

Do not cut it off yet as there may be enough trunk left to bring the fruit to ripeness.
I had one branch nearly break off the victoria plum tree last year and that branch produced the best fruit . You can trim it afterwards.

[Lardman]

Can you see a graft on the trunk? if so, has the tree broken above it, at it, or below it?

No graft - The gardens here border an old orchard and from what I gather all the fruit trees were self seeded from those in the orchard.

Do not cut it off yet as there may be enough trunk left to bring the fruit to ripeness.

Im afraid I can't leave it like it is - it was a mature tree around 20ft tall with the same spread, its currently sprawled flat over the garden. I suppose I should be grateful there was nothing but plants under it when it fell.

[madcat]

Such a waste of fruit!  Try to prop up or manage to keep as much as possible on the trunk until they are ripe ....   

My parents had a couple of older damson trees that did this - tidied up and cut clean, they were away again next spring.  The problem was to have the discipline to prune it into a tree, not let it go into a straggly bush.

[RichardA]

I am no expert so offer a personal opinion only. Looks as if tree has been split for some time and damaged wood is evident. If you can leave it a few weeks then fruit should come to ripeness. If not then dig it up/cut it out. As new tree would be as long coming to full fruiting as any fresh growth off the trunk of this suspect self seeded variety would be then I would personally plant a new tree of proven type and stock but not in exactly the same spot. As tree has 20 foot spread now then with planning you could get two or more new trees in or fans or espalier etc. Or simply replant somewhere else. Make the situation manageable etc.
I am progressively clearing an old orchard, keeping and pruning some trees, outing others and planning and planting to get balance of veg areas, polytunnel, soft fruit etc. Hard to condemn a fairly good older tree but in time better and better ones will be put in place and will be in exactly the place I want them. Same for you I suspect once you bite the bullet and see opportunities not a sad loss of a friend.
Sorry about your loss though
R

[Lardman]

I couldn't lift it to get anything propped under it  I've had to take the saw to it... By the time Id removed anything that was face down or damaged from the fall there was very little worth saving.

Theres 1 leader coming from above the split around 12ft tall with a few fruit on it, and a few suckers or seeded trees around the base that were slightly damaged but should be movable.

Looking at whats left I think you may be right Richard - Im pretty sure it had rotted after being fork had been badly hacked. I doubt I'll still be here by the time anything I plant, carries the amount of fruit that did.

[Swing Swang]

Shame - still the wood should burn sweet once it's been well-seasoned.