So I have a Methley plum coming. I have tried methley once before here and the top died over the first winter. The rootstock came up, and was grafted to Toka. Is there an issue with burying the graft union, or have any of you tried this? If the top winter kills in a harder winter, at least it could come back from the roots. My growing zone is 5a, but most winters the ground is around 7a as all the snow insulates it so well. Many years globe artichokes and cardoons are biennials for me.
Burying plums that deep will stress the roots to find air. It will spend a lot of energy growing up as roots like to be just under the soil. Often growing into the mulch. Not much of a chance coming back up as few active nodes if any that low. Some plants like figs will grow back but I never heard of plums growing back.
Remember when you plant stone fruit you want the root flares above ground. Mounding a couple feet is a good idea too.
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If a typically single stem/trunk fruit tree is dying to the ground in the Winter it’s probably too cold to grow it. Isn’t Toka supposed to do fine in Zone 5 having come out of a cold weather breeding program like a hundred years ago?
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Yep. I have 2 Toka trees and they have had no problem. Also, Waneta, Superior, Lavina, Purple Heart, Pipestone, Kahita, Pitsin #5, Tecumseh, La Crescent, and Black Ice have as of yet had no problems. Grafted several other varieties yesterday.
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