Prune Your Plum Tree (continued - page 5)

Pruning Plum Trees
There are two considerations when pruning plum trees. The first is to establish a good shape. The second is to avoid any infection with silver leaf disease. The key to avoiding this infection is to prune plum trees at the correct time of year (see below). Click on pests and disease in the left hand menu for a detailed description of silver leaf disease.

To avoid silver leaf disease, prune plum trees in June when they are growing strongly, do not prune in the winter. Try to make the pruning cuts as cleanly as possible, and avoid crushing the wood. If any larger sections of branch are to be pruned, seal the cut with a protective sealer available from garden centres. Burn any diseased or dead wood.

Pruning of plum trees depends on the form wanted - pyramid, bush, standard or half standard. Pyramid trees are pruned in a different way from the other forms.

Pruning Pyramid Trees

MAIDEN

Prune in June to avoid the risk of silver leaf disease. The stem should should be cut back to approximately 60cm (2 ft) above soil level. Make the cut (point A) just above a bud. Remove (rub out) the bud (at point B) below the top bud, making sure that there at least three or four buds remaining below.

SECOND
YEAR

Prune in June to avoid the risk of silver leaf disease. In the second year's pruning, cut back the main stem by about 45cm (18 in), just above a bud (point A). Below this cut, there should be three or four buds above the branches from last year. 

Prune all the remaining branches so that they are about 25cm (10in) long. The cut should be immediately above a healthy looking bud.  

THIRD
YEAR

Prune in June to avoid the risk of silver leaf disease.In the third year's pruning, again cut back the main stem by about 45cm (18 in), just above a bud (point A). Below this cut, there should be three or four buds above the branches from last year.

Prune the branches which have grown this year so that they are about 25cm (10in) long (points B). The cut should be immediately above a healthy looking bud.

Name: jim@GardenAction
E-mail: Private
Date posted: December 01, 2011 - 10:34 pm
Message: The information on this page suggests pruning in June. Take branches back over a couple of years.

Name: Joyce Roberts
E-mail: Private
Date posted: December 01, 2011 - 02:57 pm
Message: What is the best time to prune establised plum trees that have grown way to tall to reach the fruit?

Name: jim@GardenAction
E-mail: Private
Date posted: November 20, 2011 - 09:07 pm
Message: You're right, now until late winter.

Name: john h. small
E-mail: Private
Date posted: November 20, 2011 - 07:27 pm
Message: Am told now is the time to prune old untended plum trees. ie. when the sap is down. Is this correct ? Have 3 trees on a south facing wall.Stragly !Appreciate your guidance.

Name: gill
E-mail: Private
Date posted: November 09, 2011 - 03:01 am
Message: i live in southern turkey on the mediterranean sea and my plum tree is 4-5 years old and never been pruned.we had lots of plums this year ,but would like to know when to prune it,it flowers in late april- early may and although we dont get frost here the temp can drop to 0 once or twice in the winter. any advice would be welcome as it is now about 15feet tall.

Name: Bob
E-mail: Private
Date posted: September 27, 2011 - 08:12 am
Message: We have a yellow plum tree that has not produced fruit for a couple of years is it self pollinating or is there any thing we can do

Name: paul eason
E-mail: easonx4@aol.com
Date posted: September 18, 2011 - 04:56 am
Message: we have a nice plumb tree with several split and broken branches do we still leave pruning until june or do we cut off the damaged branches now and treat against desease

Name: JOSIE C.
E-mail: gofinac@aol.com
Date posted: September 17, 2011 - 06:09 pm
Message: CAN I PRUNE A PLUM TREE ANOTHER TIME OF THE YEAR, LIKE NOW IN SEPT.,AND PRUNE JUST THE TIPS? DOES IT HAVE TO BE IN JUNE ONLY TO AVOID SILVER LEAF DISEASE?THANKS.

Name: Steve Battarbee
E-mail: scb@kbklaw.co.uk
Date posted: September 17, 2011 - 06:16 am
Message: I have a large established Victoria Plum tree.Due to the weight of friut and helped by rain and wind a couple of large branches have broken off leaving the tree looking mis-shapen and with many of he fruit bearing branches out of easy reach. The Plum are lovely but not worth risking life and limb for!
Can I cut it back hard so that i can in future keep it at a managable height?
can anyone advise me?
thanks

Steve

Name: kenneth
E-mail: kaljoineryservice@btinternet.com
Date posted: September 11, 2011 - 11:33 am
Message: I HAVE A DWARF PLUM TREE AND CHERRY TREE. iS IT TO LATE TO PRUN THEM INTO SHAPE.IF SO WHEN AND HOW DO I PRUN THEM, THANKS

Name: David D Gross
E-mail: ddgross@min.midco.net
Date posted: September 10, 2011 - 08:54 pm
Message: I need to make my plum and cherry lower and the long branches can they be shortened? I would appreciate some advice. thank you

Name: John Alexander
E-mail: Private
Date posted: August 28, 2011 - 06:59 am
Message: I need to keep my plum tree to a certain hieght, after reading your way of pruning I wonder if I have left it too late to prune this year, should I wait till June next year any advice would be greatfully appreciated

Name: ivylagrana
E-mail: ivylagrana@yahoo.ca
Date posted: August 21, 2011 - 10:07 pm
Message: this year my plum tree didn't deliver and I noticed the reason because of this tiny insects on the branches that caused the flowers to fall before becoming a fruit.Can tell me how to get rid of this tiny black insects that covered the branches.Thanks

Name: asifali
E-mail: malaya.it@gmail.com
Date posted: August 09, 2011 - 04:05 pm
Message: i need to ask a serious question here, i have planted about 300 mix plants of (apple,plum,apricots etc).this year month of feb now about 95% plants are seems to be successfully growing.
the question is that i have planted them too much closer to each other, about 10 feet space abong the 2 plants. now is it right or should i replace it? if replace it ,can it be secceeded?how can i replace? and when ?
i m living in pakistan northern areas.exact place is "battagram".extremely cold in the months of november to february.i shal be gratefull with your answer. thanx in advance.

Name: Joseph Gilhooley
E-mail: g_monster_692004@yahoo.com
Date posted: August 04, 2011 - 04:02 pm
Message: I have a plum tree that is hanging over my porch of a home i just bought. its right in the walk way and it hard to get by with it touching you. Could I prune this back now or do i take the risk of disease, what do i need to do.

Name: Ken Griffith
E-mail: Private
Date posted: August 02, 2011 - 04:04 pm
Message: Our plum tree has lots of fruit on it. The problem is the tree has very many quite long new shoots or branches. Should these be cut off so as not to stunt the growth of the fruit or should they be lefton the tree. Some of these shoots are 2' long or more. Any advice you can give me would be appresiated. Thank you Ken

Name: ian gilani
E-mail: Private
Date posted: July 22, 2011 - 09:42 am
Message: I have a mature pear tree in a house we have bought and it is majorly overgrown, what is the best way to prune an over grown tree

Name: Dale Strandlund
E-mail: dalestrandlund@sasktel.net
Date posted: July 12, 2011 - 05:32 pm
Message: I planted a plum tree this spring in nice leaf after planting about 2 weeksthe leaves started turning brown and falling off it now looks like a tree in the middle of winter is my tree still alive or should I replace it.Thanks Dale

Name: Nick Steel
E-mail: nsteel1403@aol.com
Date posted: June 24, 2011 - 06:24 am
Message: I think I have the start of saw fly attack on my plum tree. The fruit is well developed but not yet ripe. Is it possible to spray the tree now and protect further attack?

Name: R Kirk
E-mail: Private
Date posted: May 23, 2011 - 06:52 pm
Message: We have an ornamental red plum in a high wind area. It has always been teathered but this year, it is not holding up.

Is there a way to thin my tree to get some of the weight off and let the wind blow through it? It is 12 feet tall...hate to lose it!