Is the plum tree planted too close to our building? Should I prune it way back or remove the tree?

Question

I planted a Satsuma plum tree in a niche at corner of our house. It is about 3 ft. away from the walls. Tree has grown to about 18 ft. tall and very broad with branches reaching over into the neighbor's house and brushing and bending against our walls that I am now wondering if it will grow under and eventually damage our foundation.

Answer 1

If you don't really want the tree anymore, get rid of it. It will start damaging the foundation and depending on the spread (shade) it makes, it may already be causing problems such as moisture or cracks. You would be better off with an ornamental that close to the house. They don't usually grow that big and can be pruned and shaped.
Good Luck

Answer 2

Did you plant it to harvest the fruit? If so, then you need to prune it from the inside. Think of a cup, you're making a cup with the branches, so that it will bear fruit, but the branches won't spread wide. A cup allows the sun to get at the inner flowers and fruit. This is also a good technique to prevent the branches getting too heavy and snapping off.

You did plant it too close to the house. It has to be at least 6 feet from the house.

You can transplant it, but make sure you don't damage the roots and the new hole must be double the root ball. Transplant in the spring, after the frost and use a mixture of leaf mulch, peat moss and mushroom manure to fill in the hole.

Always make a "fertilizing donut" around your tree. This is a mound of mulch (leaf, mushroom manure, etc) circling the trunk about three feet out. This puts the nutrients where they belong, at the roots, because the trunk doesn't suck up water.

Answer 3

planting any kinda of tree close to your house can upset your foundation.try pruning it back a lot this fall. and good luck