Due to one life issue and another, I did not get my two plout trees pruned or picked last month, a Dapple Dandy and a Flavor Grenade. Our winter rains had not started yet so I decided to pick what fruit was still worth keeping (about half of it) and pitch the rest over the fence for the deer. I also picked up any mummies and did the same with them. Then I pruned to size.

Wouldn't you know it, last night it rained. Not a lot, but the first of the season. Now I am concerned about eutypa dieback, given that open wounds and water are the primary means of transmission. Now I have not seen any eutypa on plums in my garden, but I have had it on an apricot which I subsequently removed and replaced. I have read that plums can get eutypa but it is apricots that are most highly susceptible. Pluots have both plum and apricot in their ancestry, so I am wondering how vulnerable they are. And if they are at risk, what can/ought I to do about it? I have considered painting the wounds with a liquid copper fungicide. Would that help? Is the next day too late?

Rosefolly

My reference says Eutypa does not occur on plum, prune, peach, or nectarine. It is a major issue on apricot, sweet cherry, and grapes. Since pluots are basically plums I won't be too concerned.

One treatment mentioned was flaming the cut surface with a torch for 5-10 seconds. But this is intended to seal the wound before infection not after. Using copper might help and probably won't hurt.

Rosefolly