Black Knot. Worst year ever. How to avoid a repeat.
Not what you want to leave in the trees.

Bring a bucket to put them in as you remove them.

Do not leave them on the soil either.
They are not the problem but are a great indicator of soil that's too wet and wet years.

It contains a lot of inoculum (spores) or seed.
It will knock your tree down if it’s on the trunk so clear a chimney ( see the first video of the pruning course to learn about the chimney).
Clearing a Chimney will reduce the chance of getting established on the trunk.

How to cut them off.
How far back.
What to do with them (not on soil, not in compost unless it’s a hot compost I may be wrong)

Best prevention is to remove infected branches of trees nearby (cultivated and wild trees especially on cherry and plum) so look around and clean them off as well.
Can spray whey or organic fungicide.

Also knot is an indicator of excess water either in the soil or a wet year
We had the most this year since I started the irrigation 2 weeks earlier since no frost was expected (didn’t need it and it even caused problems).
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