Table of Contents
What time of year do you prune plum trees?
When to prune plums Avoid pruning plums in winter, as it increases the risk of infection by silver leaf disease to which plums and other Prunus species are prone. The best time for pruning is usually spring for young trees and mid-summer for established ones.
How far back can you cut 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.
What is the best way to prune a plum tree?
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.
What does a prune plum look like?
Prune plums might not look like much: They’re smaller, firmer, and more egg-shaped than other types of plums (see 1 versus 2, above) and their beautiful inky-purple coloring is hidden behind splotchy patches of white bloom.
How tall does an Italian plum tree get?
10-15 ft. Mature Height: 10-15 ft. Mature Width: 10-15 ft. Sunlight: Full Sun Growth Rate: Moderate Harvest Time: September.
Can you trim the top of 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. This type of pruning should be done annually.
Can you top 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 prune a neglected plum tree?
The basic principles are: If significant pruning is required spread it over two or three years. Remove dead, damaged and diseased branches (the three Ds) first. Prune away any crossing branches. Thin out the centre of the tree. When pruning at this stage, try to maintain the “balance” of the tree.
How do I make my plum tree smaller?
Prune to open up the center of the tree and remove crossing or crowded limbs. These cuts encourage a vase-like shape. To spur growth of thinner limbs, head back by two-thirds; to slow growth of thicker limbs, head back by one-half.
How do you reduce the height of a tree?
There are recommended arboricultural techniques to reduce the height or spread of a tree. Known as crown reduction, branches can be removed back to their point of origin or cut back to a lateral that is large enough to assume the terminal role.
Can you summer prune plum trees?
Pruning plum trees in spring or summer enables the tree’s pruning wounds to heal before the spores of silver leaf disease become active during the damp months of autumn and winter. Established plum trees that are more than three years old can be pruned in summer, from mid-June onwards.
How long do plum trees live?
Like peach and nectarine trees, plum trees are among the shorter-lived species of fruit tree. On average, they may only live for 20-30 years, even less if they fall victim to a storm or an invasion of insects or disease.
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.
Is a prune plum same as Italian plum?
What are Italian plums? Italian plums, also called Italian prune plums, are a European plum. They look much different than the commonly available plums in United States supermarkets. Italian plums are about the size of a large strawberry, and they have an oblong shape rather.
Are Italian plums good?
Italian prune plum trees (Prunus domestica) are an excellent choice of plum varietal to grow. Italian prunes can be kept as dwarf trees around 10-12 feet (3-3.5 m.) through careful pruning, a very manageable size. They are self-fertile, winter hardy, and the luscious fruit can be eaten fresh, dried, or canned.
How long do Italian plum trees live?
The average lifespan for cultivated plum trees is 10 to 15 years, according to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s website.
What is the difference between plum and prune?
A plum is a relative of cherries, peaches, and almonds while a prune is a variety or a type of plum. Most varieties of plums have red skins when ripe, but prunes have blue or purple skins when ripe. Prunes are oval-shaped while other types of plums are either heart-shaped or round-shaped.
Where are Italian prune plums grown?
The Italian prune tree (Prunus domestica), also called a European prune or European plum tree, is a stone fruit tree that grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9.
