Method 1 Pruning Young Plum Trees
- Prune at the right time. You can prune the tree while it is dormant in winter or in summer. ...
- Cut the tree to size after planting. It's important to prune a young tree during its first dormant season to encourage good growth and a suitable shape.
- Create a scaffold whorl. ...
- Create more scaffold whorls in the third year. ...
- Keep pruning the trunk. ...
When is the right time to prune a plum tree?
The best time to prune the plum tree is from the middle of June until August. Choose a period when there is no rain or fog in the forecast as heavy moisture in the air after pruning makes the plum...
When should I prune a cherry or plum tree?
They're quite straightforward to prune:
- In the first spring, cut back side shoots, leaving four buds on each. ...
- After the first year, continue to cut back the side shoots as above every summer (around mid-August). ...
- Once your tree has grown to the desired height, prune any new growth of the central stem back to one leaf each year.
When do you prune plum trees?
To minimize risk of infection when you prune a plum tree at planting, keep these tips in mind:
- Do your initial pruning in late winter months or early spring before bud break. Choose on a dry day when there will be fewer fungal spores in the air.
- Make clean, sloping cuts to keep water from pooling on pruning wounds.
- Watch carefully for silvering or frost damage as spring growth comes in.
When should I prune my Trees?
When Should I Prune My Trees?
- Prevent Storm Damage. Tree Pruning is very important during the fall and early winter seasons. ...
- Help Improve Your Overall Tree Health. When routinely pruning your trees, you will also improve the health of all of the trees in your yard.
- Fertilization. ...
- Keep The Appearance Of Your Trees Looking Great. ...
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What is the best month to prune a plum tree?
Plum trees are therefore best pruned in spring or summer.Silver leaf disease is a debilitating fungal disease that affects the whole of the Prunus family, including plums, apricots, cherries, and Portuguese laurel. ... Young plum trees (up to three years old) are best lightly pruned in spring.More items...•
Should plum trees be pruned every year?
Pruning established plum trees Prune every year in early spring (April), before bud break. Remove any suckers growing from the rootstock. Rub out any buds growing on the lower trunk. Cut out any dead, damaged or diseased wood, and dispose of it as appropriate, removing it from the garden.
Can you cut a plum tree right back?
Problems. Plums can be heavy croppers, leading to branches breaking under the weight of fruit, so thinning is important to prevent damage. Branches already broken should be pruned back into undamaged wood, ideally cutting back to a natural fork to avoid leaving stubs.
Can you trim plum trees in winter?
Pruning Young Plum Trees. Prune at the right time. You can prune the tree while it is dormant in winter or in summer. Dormant pruning is pruning the tree during the late winter, when no new growth is happening and the tree doesn't have any leaves.
How do you prune a mature plum tree?
Prune them as close to the main branch / trunk as possible using a sharp pair of secateurs. If you keep on top of this task they will stop growing after a few months. Do this when the plum tree is in full growth, any time from early June to early August. It is best done on a dry dry to reduce the risk of infection.
Can you cut the top off a plum tree?
If your plum is not unreasonably tall and is basically healthy, you can leave the tree at its existing height and prune it to clear away branches that don't bear fruit. The first branches to remove are those that are dead, damaged, broken or infected.
How do you reduce the height of a tree?
How to reduce tree sizeAn all over trim in spring or summer: This is only really appropriate for some smaller formal trees, especially evergreens. ... Pruning when dormant: Usually involves shortening side-branches all over the tree to make it smaller and more attractive.More items...
How long do plum trees live?
10-25 yearsPlum | 10-25 years*
Do plum trees produce fruit every year?
Plum trees do not produce fruit every year. The most common reason for a lack of fruit on a plum tree is that it has not matured to the point where it can produce fruit. Most plum trees will need 3 to 6 years after planting before they mature enough to bear fruit.
What month should fruit trees be pruned?
Fruit trees are usually pruned in late winter (February – early March) to adjust the tree's structure. Summer pruning can also be done, but this is typically used to control or slow down growth. Removing dead, diseased, or dying branches can be done at any time of the year.
Is it OK to prune fruit trees in January?
The optimum time of year to prune fruit trees is the dormant season, December, January (best) and until the middle of February, but note summer schedule for Apricots.
Can I trim fruit trees in January?
Pruning should be carried out when the tree is dormant, between leaf fall and bud burst (usually between November and early March).
How much can you prune a plum tree?
After three or four years the tree will likely be growing tall. Prune back the trunk 12 – 20 inches at a bud each year so fruit and vegetative buds concentrate in the bottom tree branches. Every year, cut out dead, diseased, or damaged branches. Also remove unproductive shoots and any crossing branches.
How do you prune and shape a plum tree?
Plum trees are best pruned in a vase format to get a short trunk with three or four major branches to come off of the trunk at a 45-degree angle. This allows plenty of light and air into the tree. Always use sterilized and sharp pruning shears when you trim.
How do you take care of a plum tree?
How to Care for Plum Trees. Be sure to water the young trees heavily every week during the first growing season to help promote growth. Then, water regularly. It's best to water the plant deeply at the soil line, then let the soil dry out (though not completely) and water again.
How do you prune a purple plum tree?
0:362:52Gardening: Pruning : How to Prune Ornamental Plum Trees - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe goal is to cut out a lot of the random. Branches towards the top of the tree because those areMoreThe goal is to cut out a lot of the random. Branches towards the top of the tree because those are usually the more fruity branches is going to produce the more fruit.
What is the best way to cut a tree?
Use loppers to make clean, sharp cuts. Gouges and jagged edges leave the tree vulnerable to pests and disease.
Why dispose of cuttings?
Dispose of all cuttings to avoid transfer of disease.
How to keep a tree from crossing over?
Cut branches that cross over other branches. Each season, the tree is likely to produce new branches that cross over existing branches. It's important to prune the tree carefully so that no crossover branches remain. Crossover branches crowd the tree and prevent sunlight from filtering through the branches. They also inhibit air flow and can leave the tree vulnerable to disease and pests.
Why use a sealer when pruning?
Pruning sealer can help protect the cut areas from disease, especially if you are pruning during a rainy season.
Why do you remove fruit?
Too much fruit is your problem. Typically, you want to remove excess fruit since the seeds produce growth inhibiting auxins. Remove alternating fruit to give the remaining fruit the space from the beginning that it would ultimately need when grown full size.
Do plum trees need a mate?
Your plum tree needs a mate. Find out the variety of your tree and then get another variety that is suitable for cross-pollination.
Can you remove dead branches from a tree?
Dead and diseased branches can be removed any time of year, since taking them off won't affect the growth of the tree.
Why do plum trees bloom later?
The European plum tree blooms later, so there is less chance of frost damage, and is more often self-fertile (but always ask at the nursery before buying), eliminating the need to grow another tree as a pollinator.
Why do you prune a tree in summer?
You prune in summer to restrict the size of the plant and open up its interior (canopy). Opening up the canopy of the tree (and restricting its size) through pruning, will, in turn, help in a number of ways: It promotes good air circulation, which reduces the chances of disease.
How to prune back scaffold whorl?
Prune back the limbs in the first scaffold whorl by half again, as well as the limbs in the second scaffold whorl. Because the latter are younger, this halving will still leave them shorter than the limbs in the first scaffold whorl. The result is a Christmas tree shape.
What is a silver leaf plum tree?
It is a radical pruning in which the trunk (leader) is headed back to about 30 inches tall. The concern here over healing especially regards a fungal disease to which plums are susceptible, known as "silver leaf" ( Chondrostereum purpureum ). Silver leaf exploits pruning wounds to gain entry to a tree's branches.
What is the disease that plums are susceptible to?
The concern here over healing especially regards to a fungal disease to which plums are susceptible, known as "silver leaf" ( Chondrostereum purpureum ). Silver leaf exploits pruning wounds to gain entry to a tree's branches. It results in silvering of the infected branch's leaves. It can eventually kill the branch.
How to cut a scaffold?
Reduce the length of each of the four scaffold branches by about half (but make sure each is left with at least a couple of buds). Cut right above the outermost bud that will remain. Reduce the height of the leader by a foot or two, making your cut just above a bud. From this uppermost bud, the new leader will emerge.
How long does it take for a plum tree to produce fruit?
It can become about 15 feet tall and should start to produce fruit three to five years after it is first planted. European plums are sweet and flavorful. The fruits can be eaten fresh, canned, or dried to produce prunes. Pruning the tree properly is essential for quality fruit production.
Why prune a plum tree?
Pruning fruit trees encourages a good size and shape, keeps the tree productive and helps remove dead and damaged wood. Many fruit trees, such as apples and pears, are pruned in winter, but plum trees can be susceptible to silver leaf disease if pruned at this time.
How to grow plums on a dry day?
How to grow plums. Remember to always prune on a dry day, using clean and sharp tools, such as secateurs or a pruning saw. Always cut just above a bud and sloping away from it.
Why is my plum tree not producing fruit?
If your plum tree is unproductive or is only producing fruit every two years (known as biennial bearing), the cause may be lack of moisture at the roots, or a late frost affecting the flowers in spring. Heavy pruning can also affect cropping, as fruits are produced on one- or two-year-old shoots.
Where to put summer prunings?
Leafy summer prunings can be added straight to the compost heap where they’ll rot down quickly.
How to keep a tree in good health?
Keep the tree in good health by cutting out any older branches that are weak, damaged, competing or crossing. Prune away any older branches that growing into the centre of the tree. The aim is to create an open, goblet shape.
How often to prune your plum trees?
There are several rules of thought on how often to prune your fruit trees.
What is the purpose of pruning a plum tree?
1. To develop a desired shape. Pruning your plum tree helps to balance out the branch structure and give it a characteristic shape. Bush and pyramid plums come immediately to mind, fan training is another aspect of pruning whereby the tree is trained against a wall or fence, with horizontal wires to hold the branches.
How to prevent spreading diseases on plum trees?
Make sure to clean your pruners and other hand tools as well, to prevent spreading diseases, by dipping the blades into a solution of isopropyl alcohol for about 30 seconds before moving onto the next tree. Watch out for thorns on plums and use the right pruners or hand saw for the job!
How long do plums take to produce?
So, when a bountiful plum harvest is yours for the picking, take advantage of it and preserve as much plum jam as you have jars and pantry space for. Plums are known to produce a generous crop one year, then they take a year off of fruiting – or sometimes 2!
How long does it take to prune a fruit tree?
A clear cut with branch removed. Once you get the hang of it, you can prune a single fruit tree in 15 minutes or less, depending on size of course.
What is fan training for plum trees?
Bush and pyramid plums come immediately to mind, fan training is another aspect of pruning whereby the tree is trained against a wall or fence, with horizontal wires to hold the branches.
What is the easiest tree to prune?
Apple trees are among the easiest, and most forgiving, trees to prune, but plums are just as easy. Learn how to trim one and the rest will be easy, as the base principles of pruning are the same. One simple step that often goes missing is this: prune your fruit trees on a dry, sunny day.
