Q Can I take cuttings of my yellow Syston plum – a local variety?
Philip Martin, Leicestershire A
MATTHEW SAYS Plum trees can be propagated by semi-ripe cuttings in late summer or by hardwood cuttings in mid-winter. You could do this now, selecting a
strong, upright shoot of pencil size and thickness. Insert into a pot of loam-based, peat-free compost.
However, plum trees are usually grafted onto a rootstock, which controls their height and vigour. If you grow your tree on its own roots, you will at least preserve this traditional local variety, but you might end up with a tree that is less garden worthy. Instead, try calling a few fruit tree growers – there is every chance they’d be willing to graft you a new tree if you post them some suitable stems. They can use a rootstock that suits your space and soil type.