Tweet
We have 6 plums on our plum tree this year. But a friend said to me that you need to prune a plum this time of the year. Is this true and do you prune a plum when there are plums on?
-
-
Yes, but don't prune the plums off! It's to cut away dead or diseased wood or crossing branches. Pruning is done now instead of winter and spring as they are prone to get silver leaf disease. -
Sounds like your plum tree isn't big enough to need any pruning yet. As Capsid says you only need to remove dead or misplaced wood.Comment
-
Each tree is an individual, and any pruning requirements should be assessed on a tree-by-tree basis and not simply pruning just for the sake of pruning because it's the time of year when you can prune (as mentioned; plums shouldn't be pruned when dormant).
If your tree is a nice shape and doesn't have any dead bits or branches that are interfering with each other (or branches that might interfere next season), you don't have to prune "just because everyone else is pruning their tree".
One thing to watch with plums, is their tendency to produce long branches that can break under the weight of fruit or storms.
If your plum has a tendency for these weak branches, pruning will reduce their length and consequently reduce the amount they bend, plus allowing the branch to thicken before the tree fills its alloted space (because it takes longer to grow to full size if you prune, so the older branches thicken and strengthen as they age)..Comment
-
Thank you all for your answers. Have looked at the tree and there are no branches that need pruning. So I will leave it this year.Comment
Comment