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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. Cut off suckers and watersprouts at their source.
What is the best time to 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.
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.
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 tall should a plum tree be?
Most plum trees will reach 16 feet (5 m.) at maturity or 14 feet (4 m.) if they are a dwarf variety. If you live in a more northerly climate, you may consider planting your plum tree in a location where it will have protection from cold winds, as they are prone to late frost damage.
How much can you prune a plum tree?
Cut off one half to one third of one-year-old shoots from the previous season to avoid overproduction of fruit. Head back scaffold limbs and upright limbs to a manageable height. Non-dwarf plum trees can grow twenty to thirty feet tall, so cut back tree height so you can pick plums.
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.
How do you train a plum tree?
Initial training The angle of the main stem slows the movement of sap and encourages more even growth. Trim any side shoots back to three or four buds in March to April. Prune the leading shoot by one third to a suitable bud and thereafter prune in summer. Tie the cordon to a bamboo cane fixed to the wires.
How do you prune a Santa Rosa plum tree?
How to Trim a Dwarf Santa Rosa Plum Tree Cut the tree back immediately after planting. Allow the tree to grow for the summer before choosing three or four branches to become permanent scaffolds, or the primary sideways branches of the tree. Wait to prune the tree again until late in the winter after planting.
What shape should a plum tree be?
Young plum trees (up to three years old) are best lightly pruned in spring. The most popular way to prune is to create a ‘bush’ shape with an open centre – like a goblet or wine glass. This means that light, air and sun can get to the developing fruits.
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 Pollard a plum tree?
Old, overgrown plum trees can be brought back to their full glory through renovation. With good pruning over the course of a few years, an ageing plum tree can be rebalanced and go on to produce healthy crops of fruit.
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.
What is the lifespan of a plum tree?
Plum | 10-25 years*Jun 22, 2018.
How tall and wide does a plum tree get?
Plum Trees With Burgundy Foliage cerasifera) can grow to a mature height of 15 to 30 feet and canopy width of 15 to 25 feet but usually grow to 15 to 25 feet tall with a canopy width up to 20 feet.
What happens if you prune a tree too much?
Over time, continued over pruning may lead to branches that are too weak to tolerate wind or ice loads, or the plant may simply exhaust itself trying to replenish its canopy. The plant may become extremely weak, allowing a variety of pathogens and insects to invade.
How often do plum trees bear fruit?
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.
Why are my plums so small?
This is due to the fact that the tree has produced such a copious crop that it’s just plain done and needs an extra season to gather its resources before it can fruit again. Thinning the plum eliminates this problem and promotes annual fruit set.
