Plum Trees

[Lizzy]

I have inherited a plum tree on my allotment (Victoria I think). It badly needs some TLC - how do I prune it and when? Is there anything else at this time of year I should be doing?


Liz

[TPeers]

It is really too late to prune this year, plums are terrible about frost in cut wounds - you can kill a branch or two that way.

Your id band doesn't say what part of the country you are in, a bit of info by way of region or county would help as the advice for Scotland re pruning in October is going to be different to the advice for someone in say Dorset!

By the way - welcome!

Terry

[pigletwillie]

Only prune it when in leaf or you run a very high risk of getting silverleaf disease into the tree if done when dormant.

[OverWyreGrower]

So you shouldn't prune a plum tree when it has no leaves?

Hhmm, may have to rethink the tree surgeon visit...

[rustylady]

Plum trees when mature don't need much pruning - different if you're trying to train them into a fan or espalier. They must not be pruned at this time of the year. If I were you I would leave it completely alone and see what sort of harvest you get next year.

[Seahorse]

Although it wasn't my question - all your advice is spot on for the issues I was going to ask about re my newly discovered plum trees on my lottie. I shall leave them all till next year and see what happens now they're bramble free.

Claire

[Lizzy]

Thanks all, I live in Gwent, South Wales, the tree is old and two main branches snapped during the bad weather earlier in the year. Not many plums this year (last year was laden). I took over this plot at the end of last year and was able to pick the plums, but I have not a clue on looking after the tree.

Liz

[Two_Sheds]

Lizzy, you'd do well to support the heavier branches - the weight of the fruit will bend and break them. A simple thing like a broom or a clothes-line prop will do the job.

[Lizzy]

I did do that, I had some metal poles holding two branches but the one branch still managed to snap. The weather was a lot to blame, too wet I think, they rotted on the branches before I pick them.

Thanks all

Liz

[BayViewPlot]

I understand that some young fruits need to be removed to prevent biennial fruiting...

not sure how much you may need to remove or if the 'June drop' that a plum tree can do is sufficiant

good luck..on the second year of a bare rroted tree myself

bvp

[TPeers]

I understand that some young fruits need to be removed to prevent biennial fruiting...

not sure how much you may need to remove or if the 'June drop' that a plum tree can do is sufficiant

good luck..on the second year of a bare rroted tree myself

bvp

I seem to remember that you may have to remove between 25% and 50% of the fruitlets if the tree is particularly bad.

It could just be that this year was poor what with the weather and all - but I would suggest you look at the fruit set next year and thin if it look heavy - biennial bearing is an aquired problem so the quicker it is dealt with the sooner it is solved.