A year and half ago I planted two bare-root fruit trees in my front yard. The area where they were planted I now understand to be the barest of baren wastelands on my whole property. Over the past year I’ve realized that NOTHING survives there…not even California natives or succulents. So, determined to save the Burgundy Plum, I carefully dug it up, trying to avoid root damage. What I saw when it came out of the ground was very telling…hardly any root growth and what had grown were tiny, string-like roots. I gave it a new home in my backyard in a veggie bed next to the new pergola, where the soil is naturally richer and has had the advantage of amendment over the past 3 years.
Well Plum lost all her leaves almost immediately. The only way that I could tell it was still alive was a slight scrape of my fingernail on a branch, which revealed bright green. After a few weeks I could see new leaves start to bud out. I was seeing a second spring.
She’s still a meek thing, having been starved of nutrients, but I’m hoping that this is a second chance to thrive. With patience I think that this plum will be a shade-providing, eye-pleasing tree for next to the seating area in the years to come.
Bountiful Backyard 
WOW!!! I am amazed that this little plum tree has survived! Great Job. Maybe next year you will have a tree full of Plums.