Question
My old plum tree (Black Doris) about 60 years+ (I live in New Zealand) has just begun developing new fruit (and there are a lot of plums this year!). The fruit is now about the size of robin's eggs.  A few days ago it began dropping leaves rapidly.  The leaves have circular pale to yellow spots which sometimes dry up and fall out (the spots). Can you tell me how I can help my tree.

Thank you so much.

Answer
Cath,

Many times a fruit tree will try to produce fruit during times of stress in an effort to produce seed for the next generation.  It sounds like this may be the case.  

You need to take some of the leaves to a local expert.  Here in the US we have the Cooperative Extension Service.  I am sure there is an equivalent in NZ.  You need to have a definate diagnosis performed and we just can not do this over the Internet.

Good luck

Gary