You did something called topping the tree, which is removing all of its main branches and leaves. This is starvation because leaves are the site of photosynthesis and food. The tree may die eventually from lack of food and root decay. The new shoots it starts to grow will be flimsy and weak, and could easily break in a storm.

This method is acceptable only if you are going to remove the tree all together, the tree poses significant danger to people or property, or it is under a power line.

Hack job is right. This kind of "pruning" does permanent damage to the structure of the tree and creates wounds which may never grow over. The vaseline is a good way to hold moisture in and encourage decay in the cut stems. The new shoots that grow will be more weakly attached than the limbs that were removed and very susceptible to breakage under wind, snow, or ice loads.

I'm sorry to be so harsh, Larry, but this is considered the worst kind of pruning. I would recommend taking a class or getting a good book on pruning before you get out the saw again.

--Bob

Oh I have good knowledge of pruning, on a small scale(shrubs etc) but was just sick of the mess this thing makes. I could just get rid altogether but 1) I dont have a chainsaw and wouldnt want to use one if I did and 2)I wanted to see how it would shoot, and thus add to my experieence.
Surely this is just pollarding, which I see done all the time on big old trees round here.
I know Im gonna get lots of shoots next year but I plan to reduce the amount on each stump to 2 or 3 so as to get a new not too dense framework. Its only a small tree in a small garden, no power lines nearby, didnt even need a ladder to do it(I hate ladders!)

Not pollarding. That's done when the branches are 2 inches in diameter, not larger. You were correct the first time; your tree qualifies as a hack job.

Actually, no reason why you shouldn't let the dog eat the plums (dogs are well adapted to eating fruit) . . . unless you wanted to keep them to eat yourself (which is what I'd do!)

Resin

Well eating one plum might be ok if your an adult dog but she is a young pup with a sensitive digestive system and the plums were not fully ripe-the tree makes too many and the branches bend right down so when you walk past you get whacked by a heavy branch and more fall off! Honestly there was a huge pile of fallen rotting plums down there,all had to go in my compost bins-its gonna be quite acid in there!(no one eats the plums apart from me) This tree was so dense and thick with crossing branches all over the place; I'm amazed how it keeps going!

My concern is the time of year you did it - just when it's probably thinking about dormancy, and I wonder if by the time it gets really cold, you'll have a batch of new baby leaves just ready to succumb to the weather, rather than having been hardened off months earlier.

Lucy,yes i thought about that too but i also read that plums need to be pruned after harvesting.any later and the tree is susceptible to silver infection. i could have done it in the spring or early summer i suppose but i wasn't sure what to do back then. Now I'm just fed up with it and want it gone really,just not been a great year plant wise.

I would suggest that you rent a chain saw, or, if you don't want to do it yourself, get a handyman with a chainsaw, and put the poor thing out of its misery!

You can, with a little effort, dig out the stump and roots (using loppers and/or a hacksaw on the roots as you go), and then plant something you will be happier with in the spring, or even in the fall, supposing you get the stump out in time - I am not sure of the proper planting times for you! Or, you can pay the aforesaid handyman to dig it for you. The only thing I would wory about is the possibility of sprouts from the no-doubt extensive root system - mowing, or a careful application of herbicide should take care of them.

I am sure you can decide on, and plant, a variety of tree that gives you pleasure, instead of aggravation every time you went near it or thought about it. And if you ask, you can get LOTS of suggestions from GW members!

Well i'm leaving it as it is to see what happens-what I've done is basically pollarded it,which has been done for many years to produce new wood each year. I won't be planting any new trees or doing any more major work in this garden as we will have to move in a couple of years.