Pruning scheme for young plum trees in autumn

Plum

Properly pruning plum trees in the fall is considered a very complex and challenging task. Even the slightest mistake can result in a meager harvest. To avoid such negative consequences, follow basic rules that have been repeatedly tested by experienced gardeners. Timely removal of unnecessary branches will reduce the plum tree's sensitivity to frost, preventing the tree from freezing in winter.

The main purpose of the procedure

Fall pruning of plum trees relies on proper crown formation to ensure sunlight can freely reach all parts of the plant. Positive results can only be achieved by annually removing unnecessary shoots that shade the central trunk and skeletal branches. This will increase the seasonal harvest and improve the appearance of the garden.

The optimal time for pruning depends on when the leaves have finished falling. This is most often mid-September. At this time, the plum tree begins actively preparing for dormancy, making it easier to handle. Gardeners should not put off pruning branches. The tree needs time to heal any wounds it has sustained, which often lead to frostbite, before the first frost.

A gardener must help the tree recover quickly. After removing branches, each cut should be coated with a special varnish or olive-based oil paint. This procedure ensures rapid healing of damaged tree tissue and prevents the penetration of pathogens that could cause irreparable damage.

To properly prune a plum tree in the fall, following the instructions, you need to use high-quality tools—pruning shears, a pruning saw, and a sharp knife. First, ensure the blades of all tools are thoroughly cleaned and sharpened. Using dull pruning shears or a saw can seriously damage the plant, causing large, jagged wounds. Clean blades are essential to prevent infestation by pests or fungi.

Important!

If a gardener is working with a tree that shows signs of microorganisms, all removed fragments must be burned. Otherwise, neighboring plants on the plot may be harmed.

Preparation of tools and pruning technique

Every gardener should have a special set of tools to make tree care quick and easy. You can purchase the necessary tools at a specialized store:

A pruning lopper for small branches up to 50 mm thick. This tool's convenient long handles allow for easy access into dense tree canopies.
A pruning shear for 25 mm thick branches. Experts recommend using a bypass model for live shoots, and a tool with an anvil for dead ones.
Garden knife for removing irregularities and burrs.
Large and small saws, which are necessary for working with branches with a thickness of 50 mm (live and dry).

Important!

It is important to remember that each cut and section must be treated with high-quality garden pitch, prepared in advance.

Crown shaping in spring

During the first three years, when warm weather arrives, it's important to prune excess branches, as this determines the quality and quantity of fruit. If a gardener skips this procedure, the shoots will grow irregularly and haphazardly. Most often, plum trees are pruned to form a tier. The base should be 9 centimeters of thick, massive branches, spaced 25 cm apart.

The ideal situation is when the shoots are evenly spaced along the entire trunk. Their growth angle should be equal to 50°. For a novice gardener to achieve such a crown, he/she should The following actions must be completed within three years:

During the first year, all side branches are removed from the plum tree, and the central basal branch is pruned to 70 centimeters. It is important to ensure that the tree is not infested with microorganisms and pests.
The following year, the central shoot is shortened to 50 centimeters. The topmost bud, located directly above the cut, is also pruned. Gardeners prune the lower lateral branches almost completely, leaving only small shoots of 8-9 cm. All remaining shoots are shortened by a third of their total length.
In the third year, the gardener should select 9 skeletal branches to remove all remaining shoots.

As soon as the main branches of a young tree become visible, it's important to ensure the maximum inclination angle is within 55°. Any shoots growing incorrectly should be pruned. All subsequent pruning is aimed at maintaining the optimal crown shape. In this case, several basic rules apply:

When the crown is too lush, it needs to be thinned out a little, removing only the oldest branches that can no longer produce fruit.
It is essential to prune shoots that are growing in the wrong direction (located at an obtuse angle or filling the inner part of the crown).
In early spring, the tree is carefully inspected for any damage. The gardener should prune all frozen or broken shoots that were damaged during the winter.
To help a young plum tree form fruit branches correctly, you need to carefully cut all last year's growth in half.

Summer care

If a gardener decides to trim the tree's crown at this time of year, only young plants that are just beginning to develop should be pruned. For mature plum trees, this procedure can be fatal, so it should only be used in the most extreme cases (such as bacterial infestation).

In the first year after planting, all branches are shortened to a final length of no more than 25 centimeters. The following year, excess shoots are removed completely. In warm weather, there is always a risk of the tree being affected by various infectious diseases, which is why summer pruning can be both beneficial and harmful.

Plum correction in autumn

It's best to begin this procedure after the leaves have fallen, when the growing season has ended and the tree has entered dormancy. For beginners, pruning plum trees in the fall may seem quite complicated, but in practice, things are quite different. Pruning itself is divided into three main stages, depending on the age of the tree:

In the first year after planting The central conductor is cut to one third of its total length, and the remaining shoots to two thirds.
The second stage is called regulatory.This procedure is performed on trees of all ages. The crown is thinned during this procedure. The gardener must remove every rapidly growing or abnormally growing branch.
The third stage This is only acceptable if the tree is over four years old. Every four years, experts recommend rejuvenation pruning, which removes all unnecessary and old branches that no longer produce any fruit.

After the first fruiting, it's best to leave the tree alone; only the most problematic areas can be removed. All treatments must be carried out promptly to allow the plant time to recover before the onset of cold weather. In the fall, specialists perform sanitary pruning, which involves removing diseased and damaged shoots.

Advice!

The cut parts should be collected and burned. This will help prevent the spread of insects and pests throughout the area.

Main rules

Since plum trees can be pruned at any time of year except winter, removing unwanted branches in the spring is not much different from the procedure performed in the fall. The main thing is to not miss the optimal time for pruning. The basic pruning scheme is as follows:

The gardener must clearly determine what kind of crown shape he wants to form from the existing branches - palmette, spindle-shaped or Italian flat.
The main skeleton of a stone fruit tree is constructed from a maximum of six individual shoots of the same length.
The crown should be formed at a scale of 60 cm.
During cutting, only one center conductor is retained.
You should not leave branches that are located at an angle of less than 40° to the trunk.
Weak, flexible shoots are pruned, as if ice is present, they are easily damaged and break along with the bark. This creates wounds on the tree, which serve as entry points for infections and pests.
You should always follow the rule: it is better to remove one thick branch than two thin ones.

Tips for beginners

Plum trees require regular professional pruning to maintain optimal health and ensure good fruit production. These meticulous procedures should be performed in a consistent pattern: spring, summer, fall (and sometimes even winter). Each period has its own value.

Spring is considered the most favorable time for pruning. The tree tolerates pruning best from March to late April. Temperatures should be stable (above 10°C). Vegetative processes should not yet be active. In spring, new shoots that have already begun to grow in the wrong direction, as well as very old branches that are not producing fruit, are clearly visible on plum trees.

Summer pruning should take place in June. Experts recommend removing branches that significantly thicken the crown, especially since they are easily visible among the lush foliage. Tree maintenance is carried out in September. If a novice gardener misses the deadline, it's best to postpone pruning until spring. Otherwise, the cut site may freeze, causing frost cracks and gummosis.

Of course, each period has its positive and negative aspects. Depending on the tree's age and condition, the gardener chooses the most suitable option. Only then will the plum tree produce a high-quality and consistent harvest year after year.

A method for rejuvenating an old tree

Once a certain period of fruiting has passed, the plum tree needs to be rejuvenated. This is especially true in situations where scheduled pruning has not always been performed. The main signal for this procedure is infrequent flowering or the presence of weak ovaries at the crown's apex.

Professionals recommend following the following rejuvenation regimen:

Once a tree reaches 11 years of age, scheduled preventative crown thinning should be performed annually. All branches formed over the past four years are cut back.
It is important to ensure that the cut is made correctly near those branches that grow quickly with the arrival of spring.
Serious damage to the crown can be prevented if the lowest shoots are removed at the first stage.
Of the new branches, it is necessary to leave the five most developed ones, and completely cut off the rest.
It is not recommended to touch the smallest shoots (except for infected and broken ones).
When a plum tree reaches 15 years of age, its top is carefully cut off, and the scaffold branches are shortened. They will later be replaced by young, healthy shoots.

It's forbidden to remove all thick branches at once. They should be cut down over the course of 3-4 years. When the tree reaches a height of over three meters, the gardener should prune not only the top of the central trunk but also the older side branches. This will stop the plum tree from growing vigorously.

Healthy!

But you need to make sure that direct sunlight hits the center of the crown.