Pruning Plum Trees

Most people love to grow plum trees in their yard for the attractive blossoms and the delicious fruits. Apart from watering and application of fertilizers, pruning is also important for the healthy growth of the tree. It is also beneficial in encouraging fruiting, but pruning plum trees should be done at the proper time and in a proper manner. The tree is pruned in such a manner to create a vase, fan or pyramid shape, which helps in letting in the sunlight to almost all parts of the tree. While such detailed pruning is done in the early years of the tree, regular pruning is an easier task.

Best Time to Prune Plum Trees

It is better to prune maiden trees (a tree in the first year of budding or grafting) in the spring. If the tree is already 2 to 3 years old when you purchase it, then pruning can be done after one year of planting. Pruning can expose plum trees to a serious disease called silver leaf disease, which enters the tissues through the open cuts in the stem. Plum tree pruning in the winter or early spring can result in the infestation of this disease. This does not apply to small trees, as the cuts are relatively small as compared to the large trees. In case of larger trees, where there are larger cuts caused due to pruning, it is more advisable to wait till late spring or early summer to do this. The dry weather helps protect such established plum trees from this disease.

How to Prune a Plum Tree

Pruning fruit trees is not a difficult task, provided you know the basics regarding the time of pruning, what to prune, and how to prune. In case of larger, established trees, pruning means thinning of the overcrowded branches to ensure free passage of sunlight. More detailed pruning is done in the early years of planting, when you have to give a framework to the tree. Most plum trees are pruned to the shape of a vase or a fan or a pyramid, to ensure better passage of sunlight. The following are some tips to help you with the task of pruning plum trees.

• Always make sure that the cuts are clean, without causing any splitting or fraying of the wood. In case of cuts which are two inches or less in size, there is no need of protective sealant, but for large cuts, you can either use a sealant or prune with a slant that points towards the tree. These measures can ensure prevention of water damage.
• While pruning, always remember to remove dead or damaged branches or those parts that look sick or dying.
• The manner of pruning must be based on your idea of growing plum trees. If you want a bush plum tree in future, you should prune the baby tree three feet above the soil. If you want a big plum tree, then pruning should be done four feet above the soil. For a pyramid-shaped one, you must prune the baby tree just two feet above the soil.
• You must cut just above a bud and each cut must have at least one bud below them. In case of a baby plum tree, make sure that there are a few buds below the cut. During the second season of pruning, the cut should be 18 inches above a bud in the main stem. Other branches should be pruned to around 10 inches. Pruning should be repeated every year for better results.

Plum trees should not be pruned during mid-summers, as it can coincide with the fruiting season. Such a pruning may direct the tree to concentrate on foliage growth rather than fruiting. Likewise, pruning in winter makes the trees susceptible to silver leaf disease. This is due to the damp weather during that season. You should also ensure the removal of cut down branches, to prevent the spreading of the disease. Pruning plum trees is not only essential for the proper growth of the tree, but can also help in the yield of the delicious fruit.