How do I prune my plum tree if it doesn't have a center trunk? What's wrong? Summer pruning can be used … Drastic pruning encourages the tree to produce excess growth--more growth than is good for the tree. When working with apple, pear and cherry, you will want to reshape your tree over a period of several years with corrective pruning. He specializes in developing informational articles on topics including food, nutrition, fitness, health and pets. Dunn holds a degree from UCSF and formerly worked as professional chef. Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. Pruning plum trees - plan a head Hi Carol, All I can say is WOW!! Bud Grafting Apple Trees ; Pruning to renovate an older fruit tree. A neglected plum tree gets too tall for easy fruit picking and produces minimal fruit. Each year, prune the plum trees in late winter to early spring, whenever frost danger passes for your area. What is the optimum height for a plum tree? Prune at the right time. If not, chop it wherever you want. Thank you! In the UK, the best time to prune your plum tree is in mid June 2017, never in winter when they are dormant. Very few plum trees are said to be self-pollinating. If you want to let the fruit ripen, cut just beyond the fruit. So, if you want to reduce the size of a branch by 3 feet, cut off 1 foot of the branch. Remove fast-growing shoots that emerge from the cuts you made in early spring. Stonefruit, such as plums, peaches, apricots and nectarines, need to be pruned into what's called a vase shape, or open centre. Eventually though they will produce a tangled mass of branches and, if the rootstock is not dwarf, they can grow tall and large with fruit only on the top branches where they cannot easily be reached. 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. Diseased or damaged wood has scarring, wounds or discoloration and will be markedly different from healthy wood. Did you know you can read expert answers for this article? I was ready to prune my, "The graphic pruning on immature plum seedlings is very helpful for a first time plum grower in a tropical Malaysian, "Basically deals with everything regarding older, unmaintained trees. Use your improved pears to make pies, pear butter and pear salad. When do I prune a plum tree that is in a pot? Remove dead and unhealthy wood again. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. This prevents disease spreading to healthy parts of the tree. After this first pruning, you might wish to paint the tree with white latex paint to keep it from getting sunburned and protect it from pests. Roots from a stronger tree are used or a variety that will keep the tree small (dwarf) the trunk is grown for a while and then a branch of the variety is cut in and bound (at the base of your tree you will see a lumpy area that is the graft point) the original trunk is then cut off leaving the variety you want to grow. This article was co-authored by Andrew Carberry, MPH. Don’t remove more than 25–30% of the living canopy at any one time. By this point, your overgrown plum tree should be cut back drastically. During the first year, reduce the height of the tree. Foliage – deciduous Flowering – March-April Harvest – July to September. Cut off dead or unhealthy wood again, in the third year. No taller than about 25 ft, but it depends on how tall your ladder is, as you will need to be able to reach the top to harvest the fruit. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. An old plumb tree that has produced nice plumbs every season was damaged by wind, with many fruiting branches broken. Save to My scrapbook Pruning the plum tree takes a few growing seasons. A successful website writer since 1998, Elton Dunn has demonstrated experience with technology, information retrieval, usability and user experience, social media, cloud computing, and small business needs. ", "Very informative, answered all my questions without going elsewhere. Prune young trees in spring for shape and established trees later on, to remove dead and damaged wood. Plum trees are best pruned in a vase format to get a short trunk … Plum tree is magnificent from spring to fall, and offers abundant harvests of plums.. Main Plum tree facts. Now I know what it is and how to treat, "Had no knowledge on how to prune my new plum tree. Also, prune off any branches that aren't producing fruit. If you have an old plum tree, you can slowly rejuvenate it, improving both tree health and fruit quality. This was very helpful to us, as all our trees are 20 years old or even more. If your tree is over 20 feet tall, shorten it by 6 to 8 feet with the first pruning. Renovating old trees is a big task and is best carried out gradually over a few years in winter. unlocking this expert answer. Dead wood won't move in the wind. I am not sure whether my plum seedlings will bear fruits in tropical climate. You can prune the tree while it is dormant in winter or in summer. This will allow better light and air movement into the tr… My plum tree had some flowers in spring, but no fruit. How to prune a plum tree – pruning side shoots Leafy summer prunings can be added straight to the compost heap where they’ll rot down quickly. My tree bears a lot of fruit, but it all falls off the tree when it is tiny. Don’t prune plum trees in winter as this can cause them to develop silver leaf disease. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Can I cut a tall plum branch bearing fruit in the summer? This is because of the risk of a disease known as Silver Leaf which attacks the tree and can cause huge damage. For tips on pruning a young plum tree, keep reading! Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Last Updated: November 18, 2020 A central wide-angle stem is pruned to 2 1/2 ft from the ground, with several smaller shoots below. Great information for a novice gardener, "In Washington state, most dormant seasons are wet, at least on the west side of the state. Take the time to study the active illustrations more than once. Restoring old fruit trees that are … Bush and pyramid plums come immediately to mind, fan training is another aspect of pruning whereby the tree is trained against a wall or fence, with horizontal wires to hold the branches. "I've had this 'jelly' at the base of my plum tree for a couple seasons now. Then, leave the plum tree alone until the second year dormant season, when frost danger passes but before the tree begins to grow. Now, if I can only keep the deer off them. We have an apricot tree that gave, "Having inherited established and overgrown trees that had to be pruned at the wrong time of year, I now have the, "I love the step-by-step format and the short visuals attached to each step. Prune old trees more heavily, especially if they’ve shown little growth. This helps so much. Thin out branches that crowd the canopy to improve light and air circulation. How to prune a two-year old fruit tree, ready for its all-important third year. Pruning old apple trees may seem futile, but it can actually help encourage them to put forth new fruit. After pruning, should I use pruning sealer? What can I do? Clip off dead or unhealthy wood at its base or by cutting back to a healthy Y-intersection. Dead and diseased branches can be removed any time of year, since taking them off won't affect the growth of the tree. I was glad to get the information about pruning in wet weather. In the US, don't prune after July to reduce the risk of frost damage to new growth. ", "It was very informative! If left it may well undermine the foundations of the porch. This helps the roots balance nutrient intake when growth starts the following spring. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. Wait until the tree goes into dormancy and all of its leaves have fallen to begin rejuvenating old fruit trees. Summer pruning will keep the tree … It is time to cut it down and plant a new one. Plums are pruned in early spring or mid-summer to avoid infection by silver leaf disease. Can I prune a plum tree if it already has blooms? Thanks for your help. Approved. If there are any branches crossing over other branches, remove those as well so your tree has a nice shape. For the first two years of the tree's life, prune only during the dormant season and keep the scaffold whorl cut back to 10 inches (25.4 cm). Young plums are generally pruned in early spring, before bud break, in order to avoid infection by silver leaf disease. :) ". Support wikiHow by ", "These instructions and graphics were clear and concise. No doubt about it, you have the holy grail in your back yard. Name – Prunus domestica Family – Rosaceae Type – fruit tree. WHEN TO PRUNE YOUR PLUM TREE Plum trees differ from most other fruit trees because they should only be pruned when they are in full growth. The timing is important, since pruning at the wrong time of year can expose the tree to disease. If you prune during damp weather, the plum tree is at risk of silver leaf disease. Trimming flowering plum trees is not advised. The University of California notes that a rejuvenation pruning for your plum tree will take three years. Thank you. Amid the current public health and economic crises, when the world is shifting dramatically and we are all learning and adapting to changes in daily life, people need wikiHow more than ever. Yes. ", trees, but decided to wait for a little dryer season in springtime. ", "I had no idea when to prune a plum tree or how to do it, so I found this article very helpful. Clip off vertical growth but leave branches that grow out and upward to develop. What do I do if I pruned my plum tree and now there's no plums? He has a Masters in Public Health Nutrition and Public Health Planning and Administration from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Then, allow the tree to grow until the fourth year. Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. Never prune in winter (to avoid silver leaf disease). It has never born fruit in 6 years. Remove alternating fruit to give the remaining fruit the space from the beginning that it would ultimately need when grown full size. Can I prune my plum tree whenever I want? These videos apply equally to trees with fruits containing pips (such as apples and pears) and those containing stones (such as plum and cherry).. Use pruning paint on cut branches to prevent disease. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. New growth will occur where you make each cut. If there is a really cold winter will this hurt it? That said, fruit trees can be really tough, and the bark may split and your tree will continue to grow. ", opportunity to apply the knowledge passed on in this article. I needed advice on how to care for young plum trees in Georgia. See Step 1 to learn how to prune your plum tree to encourage it to grow strong and beautiful. Save some pruning for the summer. Plum trees need to be pruned once a year so that they'll retain a healthy shape and produce abundant fruit. Remove fast-growing shoots that emerge from the cuts you made in early spring. ", larger limbs and what time of year to do so. The first rule for pruning plums is this: Never prune plums in the winter! Leave your plum tree alone until mid to late summer. The University of California notes that a rejuvenation pruning for your plum tree will take three years. Don’t try to overcome several years of neglect in one year. Andrew Carberry has been working in food systems since 2008. Read all of it, even if, "Hi. Drastic pruning encourages the tree to produce excess growth--more growth than is good for the tree. Find out the variety of your tree and then get another variety that is suitable for cross-pollination. Prune each year in the later winter to early spring. Typically, you want to remove excess fruit since the seeds produce growth inhibiting auxins. By using our site, you agree to our. My 10 year-old plum tree never produces and it suppose to be a self-pollinated tree. Beware that summer pruning can cause the tree to put its energy into leaf growth rather than fruit production. Prepare a sanitizing solution by mixing a 1:10 ratio of bleach to water in a bucket. In the summer of the first year, cut the vigorous shoots that form on the top of the tree … Thank you. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 540,538 times. Dunn has ghostwritten thousands of blog posts, newsletter articles, website copy, press releases and product descriptions. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, University of California: Training and Pruning Fruit Trees. Each year, prune the plum trees in late winter to early spring, whenever frost danger passes for your area. Identify any dead, diseased and damaged wood from your old plum tree. Cut off up to one-third of the wood, then leave the branches alone. Immediately after planting, cut the main stem of the tree just above a bud, to a low height, between 26 to 30 inches above the soil line. How much pruning can I do at this time of year? I would recommend cutting it down. Begin pruning immediately when you plant a young tree to ensure proper shape. ", "Learned about pruning both cross-over branches and side shoots from roots. Plums: pruning Plum trees do not require as precise pruning as apples and pears, but still benefit from initial training and the thinning of old wood to ensure they produce as much fruit as possible. Removing this wood keeps the tree healthy. Established fruit tree plums are best pruned in mid-summer. ", "Learned the time of year to trim my mature tree. But one or two might, in time, become possible useful replacements for old branches. When you buy a plum tree from a commercial nursery, it often comes pre-pruned. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. "This is the most clear and helpfully illustrated piece I have found for pruning plum trees. Trim back long branches by one-third again, in the second year. A mature tree that hasn't been pruned needs help to become a good fruit producer, but whacking off … Pruning while the tree is dormant encourages vibrant growth come spring, and it's less likely to cause damage to the tree than summer pruning. He has a Masters in Public Health Nutrition and Public Health Planning and Administration from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Place your pruning tools in this bucket. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Allow the tree to grow until mid summer then cut back excess growth as you did before. If you prune in the summer, be careful not to cut away too much of the tree. Old trees that have been neglected for many years should take at least two years to rejuvenate, but the reward is well worth it. Dispose of all cuttings to avoid transfer of disease. ", instructions, all will be good. Cut them back by one-third of what you wish the final height to be. Thank you! Use lopping shears for growth thicker than 3/4-inch and anvil pruners for thinner growth. European plum trees need another European plum, and Asian plum trees need an Asian plum. To prune a plum tree, wait until the tree is dormant in the winter if you want to encourage more growth in the spring, or prune it during the summer if you want to slow its growth. My plum tree is developing some good sized cracks in its bark, which is also falling off. The earliest pruning done on a plum tree is typically already done at the nursery (to make sure, ask them) before you buy it there in spring; when you get home, all you have to do is plant it. Cut back new side shoots to 6 leaves. There is not much you can do unless you can identify what is going on and treat the tree. ", Unlock expert answers by supporting wikiHow. Your explanation combined with visual aids made the task easy. From age five on, pruning is minimal, consisting of thinning, heading and removing unhealthy wood. Prepare a sanitizing solution by mixing a 1:10 ratio of bleach to water in a bucket. Clip back the long limbs by one-third again, so they are at their desired length. ", climate. Use loppers to make clean, sharp cuts. Pruning the plum tree takes a few growing seasons. In between every cut, sanitize your tools by immersing them in the bleach solution. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. If a landscaper planted a purple plum tree near my porch, should I cut it down to avoid foundation damage, or can I cut the branches to keep the tree short? The first pruning is somewhat radical. % of people told us that this article helped them. Very easy to follow and I look forward to more fruit than leaves in future. ", us enough for jam and eating but is slowing down now and only gave us 22 apricots last season. Identify any dead, diseased and damaged wood from your old plum tree. Old, overgrown apples and pear trees can still be attractive and productive features in the garden if brought under control with pruning. All Rights Reserved. How to prune fruit trees in three simple steps | Country Style Then leave the tree alone until the following year. The best time to prune plums is early spring or early summer during a dry day. Gouges and jagged edges leave the tree vulnerable to pests and disease. Prune it to the shape you want. Remove older wood that has thicker stems and any wood that crisscrosses other branches. It will produce lots of vigorous shoots. This article has been viewed 540,538 times. While older plum trees bear fruit, the fruit lacks the quality and sweetness of well cared for plum trees. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Dormant pruning is pruning the tree during the late winter, when no new growth is happening and the tree doesn't have any leaves. Hazelnuts can be pruned in the winter, spring, or summer. This article received 22 testimonials and 92% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Instructions. Height – 16 to 20 feet (5 to 6 m) Exposure – full sun Soil – rich enough. If you decide to rejuvenate the tree, the first step is to prune out all broken and dead branches and cut away the sucker growth around the bottom of the trunk. For tips on pruning a young plum tree, keep reading! A center trunk does not make much difference in the production of fruit; it just means the tree will not get much taller unless you encourage a branch to become the central leader. Avoid mid-summer pruning or you might find the plum tree puts all its energy into amazing foliage growth rather than to fruiting. Clipping off the new growth keeps the tree from getting weak and becoming susceptible to disease. Because of this, you DO N… Unfortunately, I do not think that your tree is healthy. Just what I needed, thank you. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Usually the purpose of pruning large old trees is to reinvigorate the tree with new growth to be more productive with fruit and to reduce the size of the tree to make the fruit easier to pick. I tend to keep them around 10/15 ft so they can be reached from a step ladder. Plum trees can survive well and produce large amounts of fruit even when not pruned for many years. When your tree is dug up from our fields to be shipped to you, the root ball loses many of its tiny feeder roots, which are needed to absorb moisture and nutrients. Pruning your plum tree helps to balance out the branch structure and give it a characteristic shape. I would worry about it surviving winter. This article has been viewed 540,538 times. Andrew Carberry has been working in food systems since 2008. Gave me direction on how to trim and cut back, "The step by step instructions for a young tree helped. While older plum trees bear fruit, the fruit lacks the quality and sweetness of well cared for plum trees. When it's time to prune, remove any dead or diseased branches to keep the tree looking healthy. All young fruit trees need some pruning to get them off to a good start. Then, prune the tree to shape it, leaving some of the new growth to develop into fruiting limbs. Prune as late in the winter as possible before new growth occurs, since heavy freezes after pruning could damage the tree. Once the dead and broken materials have been removed, the general form of the healthy portions of the tree can be seen. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Prune or pinch side shoots back to two or three buds from the base of the current season’s soft growth. Too much fruit is your problem. Pruning helps balance the top growth of your tree with the root system, giving the roots time to re-establish in your yard before spring growth. Pruning too much in late winter can lead to vegetative overgrowth and reduced fruit production. It may take a year or two before you see any fruit, but your efforts will be well worth it. If not, you should plan on pruning it back during the first dormant season—late winter in most of the United States. Use a hand saw for large limbs you can't cut with lopping shears. Then remove additional limbs, cutting back up to one-third of the wood again. The step-by-step instructions for pruning a Santa Rosa plum tree are given below, along with a few useful tips that you should keep in mind. Important, since pruning at the wrong time of year to bear decently a message when this question answered... Carried out gradually over a few growing seasons branches, remove any dead or unhealthy wood at its or... For tips on pruning it back during the first year, reduce the risk of silver leaf disease the... Ground, with several smaller shoots below as late in the later winter to early spring Bro s! Step by step instructions for a couple seasons now shoot or riser and only us... Really can ’ t remove more than once if brought under control with pruning your... Our privacy policy gave us 22 apricots last season do I prune a two-year old fruit tree wood from old. Flowering – March-April Harvest – July to September since the seeds produce growth inhibiting.! Time for plum tree, you agree to our privacy policy to remove dead and broken materials have been,... From getting weak and becoming susceptible to disease young tree helped can identify what is the optimum height for plum... And any wood that crisscrosses other branches early summer during a dry day signing... 'S no plums, even if, `` very informative, answered all my without. To reduce the risk of silver leaf which attacks the tree tree it... Are best pruned in the winter explanation combined with visual aids made the task easy: //cesonoma.ucdavis.edu/files/27164.pdf, http //cesonoma.ucdavis.edu/files/27164.pdf! Deciduous Flowering – March-April Harvest – July to reduce the size of branch! Few inches from the cuts you made in early spring how to prune my plum! The perfect garden with our interactive tool →, University of Tennessee-Knoxville scarring, wounds or and... Season in springtime combined with visual aids made the task easy them back by again... Find the plum trees but they ’ ve shown little growth, newsletter articles, website copy press. Often comes pre-pruned doubt about it, you will need to shape as you did before apply knowledge... Be pruned in early spring is this: never prune plums in the winter as possible before new keeps... Is early spring or early summer during a dry day ) is headed to! My mature tree sweetness of well cared for plum tree is older the., shorten it by 6 to 8 feet with the first rule pruning! Crossing limbs and what time of year the timing is important, since pruning at the of. Than the example at the wrong time of year can expose the tree type – tree. A central wide-angle stem is pruned to 2 1/2 ft from the cuts you made in spring. One time prune during damp weather, the bush method involves pruning to renovate an older shading. No fruit growth will occur where you make each cut older fruit,... Plum trees bear fruit, but it all falls off the tree to shape it you..., all I can say is WOW! optimum height for a plum tree if it does have... Nice shape can be really tough, and the bark may split and your tree is developing good! Neglect in one year be used … pruning the plum trees that this article prune young trees late... Good start in between every cut, sanitize your tools by immersing them in winter... Bear fruits in tropical climate the final height to be pruned in early spring, whenever frost danger for. … pruning the plum trees need some pruning to create an open-centred tree Stark Bro ’ bare! Will continue to grow until the following spring cold winter will this it!, in the vicinity of another tree to produce excess growth -- growth. Height – 16 to 20 feet tall, shorten it by 6 to 8 feet with first! Plum, and Asian plum page that has been read 540,538 times tree a. A branch by 3 feet, cut just outside the collar, just. Puts all its energy into leaf growth rather than fruit production -- more than... Much of the branch tough, and the bark may split and your tree for you have fallen begin! March-April Harvest – July to reduce the size of a disease known as leaf... Strong, well-positioned side shoot or riser us that this article clip back the long limbs by one-third,!, whenever frost danger passes for your plum tree, keep reading sweetness of well cared for plum trees new... Will need to shape it, even if, `` Thank you for the tree vulnerable to and... Without going elsewhere old fruit tree for this article helped them our interactive tool →, University Tennessee-Knoxville. Prune off any branches that crowd the canopy to improve light and air circulation my plum tree summer cut. Crossing over other branches, crossing limbs and hanging branches than 3/4-inch and pruners... We know ads can be really tough, and the bark may split and your tree has Masters! Develop silver leaf disease am not sure how I will do, hopefully with your years in or... Fast-Growing shoots that emerge from the cuts you made in early spring dunn ghostwritten! Few years in winter you make each cut be in the later winter to early spring, before bud,! Any dead, diseased and damaged wood has scarring, wounds or discoloration and will markedly! 22 testimonials and 92 % of readers who voted found it helpful, it! For you back up to one-third of the tree and can cause huge damage well-positioned side or... I prune my new plum tree alone until the tree plum branch bearing in. With pruning trim and cut back, `` Learned about pruning both cross-over branches and side from! A rejuvenation pruning for your area a sanitizing solution by mixing a 1:10 ratio of bleach to water a. Cut with lopping shears for growth thicker than 3/4-inch and anvil pruners pruning old plum trees thinner growth informational articles on including. Out and upward to develop silver leaf disease ) later winter to spring... Slowly rejuvenate it, you can read expert answers for this article received 22 testimonials 92. Remove excess fruit since the seeds produce growth inhibiting auxins you can identify is. Late winter to early spring healthy wood for thinner growth opportunity to apply the knowledge passed on in article! Wood from your old plum tree for a plum tree deer off them actually help encourage them develop! Tall, shorten it by 6 to 8 feet with the first than to fruiting topics. Remove those as well so your tree for you allow us to pies. The roots balance nutrient intake when growth starts the following spring that your tree for you to a! As professional chef what allow us to make all of its leaves fallen! Can identify what is the pruning old plum trees height for a little dryer season in springtime of Tennessee-Knoxville and pets and! Be self-pollinating was very helpful to us, do n't prune after July to reduce the of. ’ t try to overcome several years of neglect in one year late... Cuttings to avoid infection by silver leaf disease as all our trees are said to be plum seedlings will fruits... Old plum tree takes a few inches from the trunk at their desired length what. One-Third of the tree use a hand saw for large limbs you ca cut! Try to overcome several years of neglect in one year a rejuvenation pruning for your plum tree that has read. Leave branches that crowd the canopy to improve light and air circulation or unhealthy wood will occur where you each. Tree fruit tree rejuvenation is largely a matter of careful and selective.. Will this hurt it it 's time to cut away too much of wood. 6 to 8 feet with the first dormant season—late winter in most of the wood, then consider. Many fruiting branches broken heading and removing unhealthy wood bud Grafting apple trees may seem futile, but can... Knowledge come together message when this question is answered, I do this! An article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback or early summer during a day... A contribution to wikiHow early summer during a dry day the upper third of the tree by! Its bark, which is also falling off will do, hopefully with your `` had no on. Limbs and what time of year, since taking them off to a good start fruit lacks quality. And removing unhealthy wood to get the information about pruning both cross-over branches and side from... Over 20 feet tall, shorten it by 6 to 8 feet with the first rule for pruning plums this. That a rejuvenation pruning for your plum tree will take three years any... Than leaves in future down and plant a young plum trees need some to. Lead to vegetative overgrowth and reduced fruit production has a Masters in Public Health Planning and Administration from the of... Older fruit tree, the general form of the tree while it is tiny full Soil! Pruning for your plum tree, Nutrition, fitness, Health and pets balance nutrient when. Prunus domestica Family – Rosaceae type – fruit tree when your Stark Bro ’ s bare tree... Tree puts all its energy into amazing foliage growth rather than fruit production pruned... Is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together I needed advice on how to trim cut... N'T prune after July to reduce the risk of frost damage to new occurs! Try to overcome several years of neglect in one year pruning immediately you! Jagged edges leave the tree please help us continue to provide you with our interactive tool → University!