Plum Tree Pruning Help

Hi All, I planted a young plum tree in March and it's put on a tremendous amount of healthy growth; the new shoots are between 12" & 30" in length, it even has a handful of plums too.

The question is do I just leave it to it's own devices or do I 'summer' prune it (cut back the new growth), I believe summer pruning isn't as important as it is with apples and pears but would it still benefit the tree?

When I bought it from the nursery it had already been pruned back previously by them so it is developing a nice shaped tree already.

Thanks in advance

 

Hi
A tree I know lots about :yess:

Its already had a good start so idealy prune early spring early summer ALWAYS ON A DRY DAY as this helps stop the spread of a nasty disease called "silver leaf" as this is normaly caught through pruning at the wrong time of year IE winter !!!! so only prune late spring summer .


New shoots can be cut down to 5 or 6 shoots so count from the new growth were it has started this year count 5 or 6 leaves and cut to a outward facing bud, at times to keep the balance of the shape of the tree looking good somtimes you will leave the shoots longer but with all fruit trees aim for the goblet shape as this helps with letting the air and light through .
I would sugest as the trre is new is to put some canes in to support the branch with fruit on as it may not be able to carry the weight and end up braking the branch.

Put this in centraly and use some thin rope to suport the branches

Hope this is useful

Spruce

 

Thanks Spruce, the weight of the fruit on the new growth shouldn't be a problem as they are almost on last year's wood/ beginning of the new growth so there's plenty of strength in that part of the tree.

I did read something on the internet about leaving the pruning for the first year if it's a new tree, is this true or should I reduce any long growths now to shape the tree as you say?

Sorry for the questions but I know fruit trees are always best if looked after correctly from the start..:thumb:

 

Hi
INTERNET they probably meant a tree younger than yours

Thats why you are a member on here to ask questions and help others just like the rest of us

Start shaping now you cant do any damage, plus this will help develop the fruit spurs for next year .

Its looking good already

is it Victoria ???

Spruce

 

Hi again, many thanks....yes it is Victoria :thumb:

 

I disagree about pruning this year, I would let the poor thing establish itself before sending it into shock by pruning. It`s trying to expand it`s root system at the moment, it doesn`t want the stress of trying to replace cut wood as well.

 

Hi Dai

He will only be taking the ends of the long branches hes not going to do it all over, I doubt it will go in to " shock" or "poor thing" as it looks realy healthy , most people leave it late to prune new trees and have to take out whole branches , with this method it causes less stress and keeps the tree more in shape all over.
But with the forum you will get diffrent methods so I take on board what you have said

Spruce

 

I still don`t see the point of pruning a newly planted tree, it is totally unnecessary.