Plums first pruning

[Luca4]

Hi
First Post, and I'm looking for some advice
I understand I need to wait to prune my plum tree, but need some direction as to how much to remove!
All and any assistance appreciated
Please excuse the poor pictures but I had to move the pot in front of a plain background
TIA
Rich

[nickdub]

Before any advice or pruning can or should be done the first thing is to decide what shape you are aiming at for the tree to be in say 10 years time. A fan trained tree is pruned differently to a standard one for example.

There used to be some good diagrams and advice on pruning tree fruit on the RHS site - I assume it is still there.

[Luca4]

Hi
Thanks, yes I looked here
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=339
But no real pictures, just discription
And I'm struggling to convert a 2d diagram into my 3D tree
I'm looking for a Bush, the only reason it's been moved by the wall is to provide a clear backdrop

[nickdub]

Bush tree pruning is pretty simple - you are aiming for an open goblet shape. The main next decision is how high you want the crotch of the tree to be off the ground. If say 4' then you would encourage the strongest branch to grow to that height during the summer as upright as possible, and the cut it off there so that the main branches of the new tree spring from buds on that stem below the cut. Side branches coming from too low on the trunk could be removed this Summer or next.

You might want to have a look at nicking and notching for regulating how strongly new buds grow out to form branches. Also festooning for encouraging fruit bud formation.

[Babru]

I have a new fan-trained plum, but understand that you can only prune in summer, to avoid silver leaf disease. The plum was very expensive, so it is quite nail-biting trying to get it right. I'm new to fruit and ornamental shrub growing, as I now have a much bigger garden with both, so have bought the RHS pruning and training book, which has good diagrams.

I take the book with me down the garden and follow the instructions.

[Luca4]

https://www.gardenfocused.co.uk/frui...prune-care.php

I have found this which is very helpful, and now realise I'm going to loose a lot of my branches! But it's all for the long term good

I would go to the library usually, but having to make do with Internet, and definitely struggling to transfer 2d description into 3d tree

Thanks for the help

[nickdub]

I wouldn't stress too much about pruning a young plum tree. As long as it is growing strongly when you do it, and the branches pruned are not big ones, then you'd be very unlucky to have a problem with disease. Pruning large plum trees is another thing, and not something to be done except in an emergency imo.

I will say that I have found plums in the longer run to be more miffy than apples. I have had two mature plum trees die for no apparent reason, while all the apples have been fine apart from one which was killed by deer.

If you don't mind a bit of fiddly work, then budding some of your expensive trees on to new rootstocks is a good insurance policy, and will give you something to do with the branches you are pruning off :-)

[nickdub]

I wouldn't stress too much about pruning a young plum tree. As long as it is growing strongly when you do it, and the branches pruned are not big ones, then you'd be very unlucky to have a problem with disease. Pruning large plum trees is another thing, and not something to be done except in an emergency imo.

I will say that I have found plums in the longer run to be more miffy than apples. I have had two mature plum trees die for no apparent reason, while all the apples have been fine apart from one which was killed by deer.

If you don't mind a bit of fiddly work, then budding some of your expensive trees on to new rootstocks is a good insurance policy, and will give you something to do with the branches you are pruning off :-)

[Luca4]

If you don't mind a bit of fiddly work, then budding some of your expensive trees on to new rootstocks is a good insurance policy, and will give you something to do with the branches you are pruning off :-)

That sounds amazing, however a little above my pay grade at the moment I think.... Although I am now googling dwarf plum rootstock!!!

[nickdub]

Actually budding is really pretty simple, no more complex than wiring a plug say. There are some good videos on U-tube. Of course as an amateur I expect to get only about a 50% success rate but all I do is just set a lot more buds than I need.

You can also bud or graft to existing trees, and so get different fruit on the same tree.

[Luca4]

Where would you buy the dwarf rootstocks from?

[Jungle Jane]

The pot looks a bit small for a plum tree. I would prune the leader in the summer,to stop it growing taller & giving energy to the lower branches. It looks like a nice shape but the roots could do with more space to spread out. What variety is it?

[Luca4]

It's due to go in a new pot as soon as the soil melts!
It was little more than a stick when it arrived, it did amazingly well last year. Eventually heading for a half barrel but need a pot to bridge the gap.
It's a jubilee.

[ecudc]

No need to prune it so young unless you get diseased or damaged wood or branches crossing. Wait until summer if you do to reduce the probability of infection of silverleaf which is fatal. Possibly as it grows you might want to create some space in the centre to increase light and air flow but many leave their cherries and plums alone completely because of the risk of infection

[Luca4]

Thanks, I might just prune out the middle and leave it this summer and see what I have to work with next year