Plum fan training advice please

I'm not an expert but in both cases the tree seems to have sneaked ahead of you and it may be difficult to regain control.

The Opal is slightly less of a challenge, and my approach would be the opposite of yours, I would try to *lower* the whole of the right hand arm. Lowering the arm will de-invigorate it and give the left side a chance to catch up. In other words I would try to reverse the current situation where (in both cases) the right arm is more vertical, and it is this which is giving it the extra vigour.

In the second photo in particular the right arm may have got to the point where you won't be able to rein it back. One further option, after (gently) trying to lower it, would be to remove the topmost secondary arm (which, as you lower the main right arm, will actually become more vertical). This will leave the whole of the right side more horizontal and hopefully the left side will then start growing.

Good luck, it may take some time!

Thanks for the reply Orangepippin. The branch I was talking about is the one you refer as the "topmost secondary arm". I know the main right hand arm needs lowering and am currently doing that. I presume it would help if I also raised the left hand arm to more vertical as well to invigorate it?

The training or removing the topmost secondary arm was the question this post was about. Sorry for not making it clearer!

Thank you.

Moose

Just a quick update:

I have tied the Opal in with that secondary arm now facing right. Nothing else is tied in yet.


I have trimmed the secondary arm off the Verity as it would not bend. The main arm on that side is tied to the supports to bend it right. Nothing else is tied in.


Hopefully this should even out the trees over time.

Moose