Can anyone help me with pruning plums?

[Ladybird Lover]

Hi,
I visited a garden last year where I saw a plum tree that had been trained to run along a fence about half a metre above the ground. It made a fence all the way around a small allotment. This is what I would love to do around my allotment but I am finding it very difficult to find information about how and when to prune it. I'm also unsure if this method of growing is known as a 'stepover' or 'espalier'.
Can anyone help?
Thanks
Emma.

[vicky]

Hiya Emma!
Stepover is literally when the tree is small enough to step over it.
Stone fruit need to be pruned when still in leaf (prevents a disease - silverleaf)
If you're training a fruit tree to a specific shape prune in summer to maintain shape. Winter pruning encourages growth.

So get your plum tree, plant on boundry. When in leaf prune out any unwanted branches, leaving only those growing along the perimeter of your plot. Maintain shape as and when needed.
If there are no branches on tree (often the case when you buy a small fruit tree) plant it so there are buds facing the directions you want. These can be encouraged to grow by nicking the stem above the bud.

Hope that helps!
Vicky

[Ladybird Lover]

Thanks Vicky, since buying my tree I have looked all over the net (which is how I came across The Grapevine) for information on how to prune and look after it and I had become very disheartened - so thanks for your advice it's just what I needed!
Emma

[SimonCole]

To be honest with you Emma, I think thet you'll struggle to get fruit. Espaliers work for apples because they fruit on spurs. Plums and the like only fruit on two-year wood, so you come to a situation where the wood is too old to fruit. They make great fans because one or two branches can be removed each year and new ones grown from the base to fill the gap.