Trees

Question

We have a fruitless Plum tree which flowers in spring and was doing good up until a couple of yrs ago. Colorado experienced an early cold winter. The spring after the tree only grew leaves on about a quarter of the tree the rest of the tree was bare. This spring the tree has only grown flowers on a couple of the branches. Could u help diagnose the issue?
2- yes ago W also planted three Emerald Green Arborvitae Smaragd. Two died and one was dead except on one side. We thought we just purchased bad trees and returned them and got two more trees, and replanted them. Needless to say all three are now dead. Now we r wondering if maybe the Plum tree has something that has spread to the other trees

Thank you in advance.

Christal Lopez
Thornton, CO

Answer 1

Your Plum Tree sounds as if it suffered winter damage and if a tree is stressed it is more likely to suffer from pests or disease.
Trees do die from particularly harsh winters and there is really not anything that can be done.
If the branches break and snap they are dead. If you can scratch the bark and still see green, they are still alive.

Harsh winter weather can easily damage Arborvitae and especially new plantings.

Here are some articles that will help you.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/plum/plum-tree-diseases.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/arborvitae/growing-arborvitae-trees.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/arborvitae/fertilizing-arborvitae-trees.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/arborvitae/winter-damage-to-arborvitae.htm