The secrets of pruning plums, as well as the formation of the correct fit

Features of trimming

The life of a plum, like a cherry, is not so long – it can bear fruit for about 20 years, in rare cases there were specimens that bore fruit for up to 50 years. In order to prune a fruit tree correctly, it is necessary to take into account which group of varieties it belongs to in terms of growth strength, crown type, degree of branching, type of fruiting, since the ability to branch is laid differently in different types of plums.

Most plum tree pruning may be required for such types of trees as thorn, cherry plum, American and oriental.

In the spring

One of the best periods, according to experts and experienced gardeners, for pruning plum trees, like cherries, is the spring. Plum pruning should be carried out annually in order not only to combat the thickening of the crown, but also to ensure the full growth and development of the tree. How to carry out this procedure in the spring?

The best time to remove extra branches is the end of March – the beginning of April. At this time, the tree has not yet entered the growing season, and the frosts are already far behind. Spring pruning of both cherries and plums consists of several parts – first, obligatory thinning is carried out, during which not only overgrown tree branches are removed, but also unnecessary shoots growing upwards. Next, it is necessary to remove the increments that remained on the drain from the previous year. This is done so that next season they have the opportunity to grow new branches.

For pruning, it is necessary to prepare tools that will have to be handled carefully so as not to damage the fruit tree. The sparse-tiered form of the crown has proven itself well. To make it, you need to leave up to seven powerful healthy branches on the drain, which will be located at an angle of about 50 degrees relative to the trunk. The ideal option is considered in which not only the main, but also the skeletal branches are located at a distance of 20 cm from each other. With a two-tier type of crown formation, two main branches are located on the second tier.

Lettom

Summer plum pruning is usually carried out in July, since during this period the tree is still very young and requires the formation of the desired type of crown. For the first time, plum pruning in the summer is carried out immediately after planting seedlings in the garden. How to carry out such a procedure? To do this, reduce the shoots that are on the side by 20 cm, and those that appeared a little ahead of time – by 15 cm. It is recommended that the most important one be left untouched.

The following year, the procedure is again carried out in July, with the only difference being that this time all unnecessary shoots are removed that can interfere with the full growth of the fruit tree. Pruning plums in the summer, like cherries, provides an excellent opportunity to remove the frozen branches left after the winter, which could not be removed in the spring. It is in the summer that you can clearly see how overgrown the tree is in order to decide how best to carry out the procedure. It will also allow you to remove diseased branches and prevent them from infecting healthy ones.

In the autumn

It will be correct to prune the branches of a fruit tree in the fall when its growing season is over, and all the leaves have already fallen to the ground. Most often, this period falls on September, it is in the middle of the month that it is worth starting this procedure. First of all, in the fall, it will be necessary to remove dried or diseased branches, and also, if necessary, slightly shorten the top of the tree. At the first pruning of the plum after planting the seedling, the main trunk is reduced by about a third of the length, and the other shoots by about two-thirds.

As for trees that are too old or those that cannot boast of good condition, when pruning, removing bad branches gives them a great chance to renew themselves. In autumn, the third pruning of the plum is also carried out, which is necessary in order to thin out the crown as much as possible and leave only the most viable branches, on which good fruiting will occur in the future. Thus, holding this important event in the fall is no less important than spring pruning.

in winter

Since the plum is a stone fruit crop, due to the rapid change of winter to spring, you may not see when the first buds appear on the fruit tree. That is why winter pruning is becoming increasingly popular among gardeners. It is customary to hold it in February, while the temperature should be about +15 degrees. Experts boldly call the absence of trees the advantages of carrying out this procedure during this period of the year, which makes it possible to decide how exactly it will be necessary to cut the extra branches, frozen branches are not so difficult to remove, the fruit crop is not so stressed during such manipulations in winter. If winter pruning is carried out correctly, then it is possible to bring more obvious benefits to the tree, which will be seen when harvesting in season, while doing minimal harm.

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Wood trimming

Since a plum, like a cherry, during its normal growth and development, can form a huge number of branches that not only can break, but also thicken the fruit tree, leading to a decrease in its yield, the value of its pruning can hardly be overestimated. Experts advise forming such trees in the form of a dwarf pyramid. Consider in detail the pruning of the branches of seedlings, two- and three-year-old fruit trees.

Annual

For the first time, this procedure is recommended to be carried out a year after planting a seedling in your garden. It is good to carry out these manipulations in the first year of a tree’s life because a damaged root system can provide the cut branches with the necessary nutrients.

If you neglect this pruning, and carry it out for the first time only two years later, then the growth of the shoots will slow down, and, consequently, the owner of the garden will have more trouble during the procedure. The main trunk only needs to be trimmed once a year, as it provides the basis for other shoots.

Thus, in the first year of the existence of the tree, it is possible to lay a solid foundation for the development and full growth of skeletal branches. In addition, the gardener can decide on the height as well as the shape of his plum tree.

Biennial

A two-year-old plum, like a cherry, is usually cut in mid-March. To do this, remove half of the three skeletal branches. According to the rules, it is customary to make a cut in the place where the kidney is turned outward. It is also permissible to cut the skeletal branches to a third of the length. The tree trunk must be cleared of side branches at a height of approximately 50 cm from the ground. The main conductor of a fruit tree is advised to be cut into a good bud so that it rises above the soil at a height of about one and a half meters. When the growing season begins, new shoots can be seen on the tree trunk, which will first have to be shortened by 7 cm, and during the second wave of the growing season, completely removed.

Old

Since the life of a plum, like a cherry, is relatively small, it will soon turn into an old tree. When it grows to about two and a half meters, it will be possible to talk about the cessation of its growth and development. If in the first years of life after pruning it was necessary to control the uniform growth of the main conductor, as well as skeletal branches, now the main trunk and the largest branches should be pruned. Such a procedure will already have as its goal, first of all, the rejuvenation and renewal of the tree.

To do this, skeletal branches are removed in the spring, and the resulting damage is lubricated using a special garden pitch. In order not to cause multiple damage to the tree, it is recommended to cut off large-sized branches for plums, as well as for cherries, sawing them from the bottom, after which it will be easier to remove the upper length. Fresh shoots then appear at the cut site, which are cut in July, leaving about four of the most viable of them.

Pruning an old tree is advised to split it over several years, since it can be fatal for it to receive some wounds in one year. Pruning a plum tree should be carried out when it has a fairly strong and at the same time absolutely healthy bole. It is then that you can bring the greatest benefit to the fruit crop and get a good rich harvest of fruits in the future.

Video “Pruning and shaping fruit trees”

How fruit trees are pruned, as well as how their correct planting is formed – you will learn in the video.