Pruning neglected plum trees

[hellybore]

I have inherited a couple of plum trees, but they have been neglected for a long time and although there was plently of blossom last spring it was not followed by any fruit. I think maybe what has happened is that some suckers have grown huge and taken over the trees - they are tall and mostly unbranched, and the bark is paler in colour than the smaller, branched parts of the trees. Do you think it is possible to prune the trees back quite drastically or would that finish them off? I will try to upload some photos so you can see what I mean.

[rustylady]

Photos would really help.

As to the blossom but no fruit, I think that was down to the weather last year. It was so cold when the trees flowered there were very few pollinating insects about. I had a grand total of 12 plums on my Victoria which usually produces more fruit than I can use.

[sammy_roser]

Glad you posted this as I planted a plum four years ago and have not pruned it once. As I learn more about gardening I now know I really have to prune it. Will arrange a photo too at some point for some help

[rustylady]

Glad you posted this as I planted a plum four years ago and have not pruned it once. As I learn more about gardening I now know I really have to prune it. Will arrange a photo too at some point for some help

Why do you think you need to prune it Sammy?

[boundtothesoil]

Do you think it is possible to prune the trees back quite drastically or would that finish them off? .

I'd cut out the large vertical suckers that do not have the potential to contribute to the overall desired shape of the tree, especially if they are several feet high and unbranched. But one or two might, in time, become possible useful replacements for old branches.

Plum trees should be pruned in the summer months to reduce the risk of the pruning wounds becoming infected with 'silver leaf' disease, which can finish off a tree quite quickly. Here are two or three relevant quotes from the Ministry of Agriculture's Technical Bulletin No 119 (1961 ed.) 'Plums and Cherries':-

'Silver leaf can readily infect wounds during the winter when the tree is dormant, but cannot do so during summer; further, large wounds exposing heart wood are more easily infected than small wounds that expose only sap wood. Growers should therefore try to grow plum trees with the minimum of pruning.'

'Where large cuts become necessary they should be made during the summer months.'


'When a plum tree is established little pruning is required except the annual cutting out of crossing and crowded branches, and shortening back the weak drooping ends of branches of 'Victoria' and varieties with similar growth. This pruning should be done at convenient times in dry weather during the growing season...Broken branches should always be cut out as soon as possible and the wounds covered immediately with bituminous emulsion paint suitable for trees to check the entry of silver leaf fungus and wood-rotting fungi...Similarly all dead wood should be cut out and burnt before the middle of July..'

This was the advice given to commercial growers in the 1960s. I'd still paint large wounds on plum trees, but there are many who would let them heal naturally.

[hellybore]

Photos

Thanks for your replies and advice. Here is a photo of the biggest tree with what I think are overgrown suckers (they are just as big as the "main" tree)

This is another photo of the bigger tree:

Here are a couple of pics of the smaller tree:

[boundtothesoil]

Here is a photo of the biggest tree with what I think are overgrown suckers (they are just as big as the "main" tree)

Wow! Those are two mean looking suckers on your large tree. Given that they're probably still attached to the root system supplying the tree you are trying to grow, I'd classify them as parasitic and cut them early this summer, although they'll most likely sprout new shoots from the stumps every year. In fact, I'd be so impatient that I'd do it early in May

As far as your smaller tree goes,I'd also cut the vertical suckers, plus the two near- horizontal ones. Looks like you've got lots of blossom already. I wonder what variety this is?

[hellybore]

Thanks boundtothesoil, I was suspecting I might have to get rid of the two huge suckers. I think I will go for May, get it over with! No idea what the variety is, hopefully I will get some fruit this year and start identification!

[sammy_roser]

Why do you think you need to prune it Sammy?

The branches have grown very close together and in some spots rubbing against each other.