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Here is a link that might be useful: your link

That goo is how plum trees react when stressed, it is probably becuase of the pruning. It might get better when the tree recover from the loss of foliage. Pruning of plum trees should be kept to a minimum, but pruning companies wont tell you that becuase they want to work and make money.

jean001a: Thanks for making the link active :)

Huggorm: Thanks for the encouraging message for my morning. Yeah, I wish the pruning companies actually prune to keep the Tree healthy as opposed to make only money. That said, what can I do about the bark split and the borers? A person in local nursery said that I should seal the bark split.

Early in the spring, before the late California rain kicked in, I purchased Kellogg Fruit tree fertilizer and spread it around the trunk area. Should I be doing anything more to get enough nutrients for the tree to get healthy?

About the goo, should I be doing anything - cut and remove it or cover it with pruning sealer or something?

I'm not sure I'd take it personally :-)) Plum trees do have a somewhat limited life expectancy and yours is a very mature specimen. I would say it is getting close to its end and I seriously doubt its decline is anything to do with your "neglect".

The 'goo' is gummosis, a common affliction of many trees in the Prunus genus and symptomatic of a range of problems, one of which is bacterial canker. There is really nothing to do at this point but attempt to maintain the tree in as good health as you can manage. No need to apply anything to the bark split - that has been there for some time - and no need to remove the goo .Additional fertilizing unnecessary. Just periodic deep watering as required in your dry times.

The tree could continue on for a number of years before removal is necessary. Take some time now to determine what you'd like to replace it with.

if it performed spectacularly last summer..

what possessed you to think it needed food ..???

all these years with nothing.. and bammo.. you think its a hungry child ...

trees are not children.. they dont need to be fed.. nor clothed.. nor educated ...

that said.. a LITTLE of this or that.. wont matter...

but between that.. and the pruning.. you are on the verge of loving this thing to death..

most trees.. survive.. on benign neglect.. and its usually us.. that screw them up ...

the only thing they ever need.. is water after transplant ... period ...

good luck

ken