Plum is a delicate tree and sensitive to any influences. However, you can’t do without pruning it, otherwise many new branches will appear, the crown will thicken and the yield will decrease. Therefore, plum pruning in autumn and spring is a mandatory procedure for gardeners who want to get a healthy fruitful tree.
Plum - a tree up to 15 m high with an ovoid crown, the productive age of which is 10–15 years, but it can live up to a quarter of a century
A novice gardener may decide that there is no need to prune a plum - this tree is compact, unwilling to grow in breadth. But at the same time, its crown grows very quickly and the branches intertwine.
In the early years, this feature may seem like a plus. Plum is faster than others fruit trees, the volume necessary for fruiting is created, the first fruits will appear earlier, and the yield will grow rapidly.
But after 4-5 years, more and more empty space will appear inside the crown, and on the periphery the branches will thicken, become too long and thin, most of the fruits and leaves will “settle” there. The harvest will be uneven, the fruits will be crushed, and their quality will seriously deteriorate. New fruitful branches will cease to appear. In addition, the plum will become unstable to cold, may wither and die.
The correct procedure for pruning plums will help the tree to be healthy, bear fruit for a long time, increase the quality of the crop and give a well-groomed appearance.
Autumn pruning plum is more relevant for areas with warm, mild winters, in cooler regions, it is better to postpone pruning to spring
Traditionally, plum trees are pruned in autumn from September to October or in spring in March-April, sometimes pruning is also practiced in the middle of summer so that the tree can withstand the harvest without broken branches. The timing of the procedure depends on:
The first pruning of the plum tree is done in the spring, it prepares the tree for the fruiting season and includes:
Spring pruning will be successful if the growing season has not yet begun, and the tree is no longer threatened by frost.
Plum pruning in autumn to prepare for winter is the second most important procedure after spring care. It can be started only when the tree has completely shed its foliage - this is a sign of the end of the growing season. However, it is not worth delaying with pruning, early frosts can strike unexpectedly. Branches to be deleted:
If the top of the tree has reached 2.5 meters, it can also be removed in the fall.
annual shoots in autumn young tree shortened by 1/3.
If the garden is young, one pruner is enough for it.
To trim a plum, you need high-quality and well-ground tools:
Cuts and cuts need to be treated with garden pitch - prepare it in advance.
Pruning a plum tree is carried out depending on climatic conditions region.
The tree needs 1-2 months before the cold weather to recover, so carefully follow the weather forecasts and adjust the pruning schedule.
To pruning plum trees different ages and type needs a special approach.
The first time the plum is cut when transplanting a 1–2-year-old seedling into the soil. This is done in order to root system after stress was able to provide nutrients to the skeletal branches.
How is the first pruning of young plums:
The following year, cut the stem above the largest bud. 2-3 times a year, remove the growth of side branches, as well as broken, diseased and crossing ones. From the age of 3, cut the trunk once a year so that its length does not exceed 2.5 m, and growth is straight and correct.
Form a crown in the form of a wide downward pyramid
At the first sign of fading growth and a decrease in yield in the upper part of the crown, the plum needs rejuvenation. Anti-aging autumn pruning is carried out as follows:
Pruning a plum tree is basically similar to pruning an apple tree, except that the crown of the plum tends to overgrow.
Do not cut all the branches at once, this is a serious stress for the tree. Divide the procedure for 2-3 years, take care of enhanced feeding and watering.
Old plums are pruned up to 15 years. They do not rejuvenate pruning of the old plum, in which the conductor and skeletal branches are seriously damaged.
The basic rule for fruit-bearing trees is not to weaken the growth of branches.
The columnar plum is medium-sized, with an underdeveloped crown, reminiscent of a narrow pyramid. It is distinguished by precociousness, high yield and good quality fruits.
How to prune a columnar plum in autumn:
In a columnar plum, the fruits grow along the trunk, so there is no point in side branches.
Columnar plum requires a minimum of manipulation, which is convenient for a novice gardener.
Pruning is stressful for a tree, you need to help endure the consequences of the procedure with minimal losses:
The trunk circle at the plum must be at least 2 meters in diameter.
The pruning process should be carried out in good weather, when frost is not expected, storm wind, heavy showers
You can feed the plum after pruning with a solution of minerals:
Water the tree with this mixture, mulch the circle with dry earth, straw or wood shavings, loosen it by digging in the mulch.
Plum pruning in autumn is needed to increase productivity and easy wintering. It is important to carry out work at least a month before the onset of permanent frosts, so that the tree has time to recover after the procedure. Without autumn pruning, you cannot get a healthy, strong plum with stable fruiting.
The plum tree is widespread in our country, as it is distinguished by its unpretentiousness in the care and composition of the soil. It can be grown on both sandy and medium loamy soils. However, like other fruit trees, plum prefers a nutritious soil mixture and a sunny area. This culture is quite frost-resistant and does not require shelter for the winter. All you need to get a plentiful quality crop is a timely formative pruning.
The main task of pruning a fruit tree is to shape the crown in such a way that sunlight evenly illuminates all parts of the plant. To achieve this, it is necessary to annually remove shoots that shade the central stem and other skeletal branches. This will lead not only to abundant fruiting, but also significantly improve appearance garden plantings.
The timing of the pruning procedure is determined in accordance with the end of leaf fall. Usually it is mid-September. It is at this time that the tree begins to prepare for vegetative dormancy and will more easily endure all upcoming manipulations. But do not postpone the event for a long time. It is important that before frost it manages to heal the wounds received, which can cause freezing.
If traces of vital activity were found on the tree harmful insects or other microorganisms, all cut fragments must be incinerated. Otherwise, they will spread to other fruit and ornamental plants planted on the site.
Autumn care for fruit trees, including plum trees, includes annual pruning. It is represented by several schemes, depending on the age of the plant and the purpose of the procedure:
Every autumn in the garden, in addition to the formation of crowns, sanitary pruning plums and other fruit trees and bushes. At this time, all infected and mechanically damaged parts of the branches are cut off. It is also recommended to prune thin, weak shoots that are unable to survive frosts so that the plant does not expend energy on them and vitality in vain.
Plums tolerate pruning very easily. But if beginners do it incorrectly, then there is a chance that the tree will get sick and the yield will decrease. To prevent this, it is important to remember that the cut must be made at an angle of 45-50 degrees. Then the damage will not be as significant as with parallel pruning, and the plant will be able to recover quickly.
If the anti-aging pruning of a plum tree forces you to cut down several thick branches, then it would be best to carry out the process gradually, cutting one branch at a time in the fall and the following spring. Otherwise, with a large area of \u200b\u200bdamage to the wood and exposure of the trunk, the culture may not endure the winter cold.
Pruning plums is not easy, but very important. If it is done incorrectly, the harvest will be poor. A dense crown will have a bad effect on the state of the culture. And the tree itself will become more sensitive to cold weather and risk freezing in winter. Therefore, it is important to approach this procedure wisely and seriously.
Like every fruit crop, draining needs a formative crown pruning. First of all, pruning is aimed at improving the fertility of the plant. Beginning gardeners often neglect this procedure, which is a big mistake. It seems to them that the plum itself is a small tree, so there is no need to cut it.
However, the error lies in the fact that the plum, growing without control, intertwines its own branches among themselves, confusing them. First of all, this greatly affects the yield. Another danger lies in the fact that the tree itself can be harmed by this.
In this article we will tell you how to properly prune plums in the autumn and spring time years to ensure the highest yield of the tree.
Experienced gardeners know that plums grow crowns at a rapid pace. At the same time, if pruning is not carried out on time, a lot of skeletal branches are formed, deepening into the crown. This leads to the fact that the crown of the tree is significantly thickened, disrupting air circulation. The created conditions are very favorable for the development of various diseases.
Also, the lack of pruning leads to a deterioration in fruiting, since the size of fruits decreases on an untreated tree, and their number as a whole decreases. The crown turns into a tangled knot. Timely pruning of branches allows you to control the growth of the crown, the angle of the branches in relation to the trunk, their size.
After pruning, the process of processing the crown from various pests and harvesting is greatly simplified. The decorative qualities of the tree also increase, the improvement of fruiting and the increase in the size of the fruit are stimulated. Branches growing without control and pruning pull a large number of nutrients, taking them away from the rest of the tree.
The most favorable time for pruning plums, according to experienced gardeners, is the spring period. More specifically, from the end of March to the beginning of April. During this period of time, there are no longer strong frosts at night, but at the same time, sap flow has not yet begun near the tree.
The plum pruning scheme looks like this:
Usually such work is carried out with the help of a pruner or a garden hacksaw. Each cut must be treated with garden pitch. This will protect the tree from possible infection and help it to endure the intervention more easily.
To form a crown, you should adhere to the following pruning scheme: 5-6 of the strongest branches should be left as a frame. AT right corner relative to the trunk is correct location branches. The ideal angle of inclination is considered to be an angle of 50 degrees. Branches must grow in different sides, and the distance between them should be about 20 centimeters.
The purpose of autumn pruning is to prepare the tree for the coming winter. The ideal time for this procedure is the period from early to mid-September. In this case, the tree will have time to recover after the intervention and calmly survive the frost.
Proper pruning before the winter period consists in the main formation of the plum crown. If the tree is not pruned, snow will accumulate in abundant quantities on many branches, under which they can break. Also, untreated wood can be damaged by strong gusts of wind.
To trim a plum autumn period, you should follow this pattern:
If you follow this scheme, the plum will be rid of all damaged and old branches. Pruning is necessary, because during frosts it is the damaged and diseased branches that suffer the most. If the gardener ignores the autumn pruning, in the spring, instead of a plum, he may find a bare shrub on his site. It is also recommended to burn all cut branches.
Pruning an old tree is an important undertaking that should be taken seriously. This tree is recommended to be explained before it reaches the age of 15 years. Pruning is carried out until the tree reaches its maximum height. Most often it is 2.5-3 meters. After that, it is necessary to shorten the frame branches and the trunk, which act as the basis for the crown.
Like older people, old trees need special care. When working with old trees, a rejuvenating pruning scheme is used. At the same time, young shoots are not touched; only diseased and old branches are subject to removal. Thanks to this procedure, even in old age, the tree will bear fruit perfectly.
Experienced gardeners carry out anti-aging pruning in early spring. First, the frame branches are removed. They differ from the rest of the branches in a large diameter, so they are cut on both sides to achieve an even saw cut.
If you cut a branch from only one side, it may break off under its own weight. And the tree tolerates broken branches much worse than sawn ones. When working with old wood, this precaution should be observed. The gardener must necessarily process all saw cuts with garden pitch.
Subsequently, young shoots will begin to appear in places where the cut was cut. If they are left, the tree will be reloaded. It is recommended to leave 2-3 of the strongest, and remove the rest in the middle of summer. Please note that anti-aging pruning is carried out in several stages, breaking them down into 3-4 years. If you do everything at once, the old tree may not be able to bear it.
Probably, there is no gardener in the world who would not dream of collecting a plentiful harvest of delicious fruits from his garden. But doing nothing and only contemplating the growth of fruit trees, you will not achieve such a result.
To achieve a high yield, it is necessary to make a lot of efforts, as well as perform a number of operations, which can be safely attributed to pruning a tree. It's probably not a secret for anyone that in the process of growth, new shoots and branches appear on the tree, which eventually begin to thicken the crown.
Of course, the fact that an increase in the branched part contributes to improved nutrition of the fruit tree is undoubted, but on the other hand, this negatively affects the yield, since the number of fruit ovary formations decreases.
That is why pruning of branches is the most necessary operation for the care of each fruit tree, including the plum.
Therefore, the purpose of this article will be detailed information about what types of trimming exist, as well as when to carry out this operation.
Among the gardening community, there is sometimes a discussion about what time of the year it is most effective to prune plums. Analyzing many opinions, we can conclude that the main purpose of plum pruning, no matter what period it is carried out, is to increase the fruiting of this fruit tree.
As a rule, distinguish the following types seasonal plum pruning:
Let us describe in more detail each of these types of pruning of a fruit tree.
It is worth knowing that pruning of branches and shoots in spring should begin when warm and clear weather stabilizes, and the first leaves appear on the plum. In this case, cropping is carried out by performing two main operations:
1. Thinning is designed to remove excess shoots and branches, in other words, which can be very thick.
2. The shortening is done in order to remove the shoots and growths of the last growing season, which, in turn, will have a positive effect on the appearance of fruit-bearing branches next year.
Important to remember: when thinning, the shoots are completely removed, and when shortening, the branches are cut about half.
Below, we invite you to watch a video about spring pruning plums:
In fact, this type of plum pruning is a continuation spring formation crowns.
The effectiveness of summer pruning lies in the fact that the tree is already overgrown with foliage, and this, in turn, contributes to the fact that you can see too dense places of the crown, as well as see those branches that could be affected by diseases.
As a rule, summer pruning is carried out in June. But it is also worth knowing that sanitary pruning can be carried out throughout the summer.
You should definitely know that the process of autumn pruning of a plum tree should begin only after all the foliage has fallen, in other words, when the plum begins to prepare for the winter period. When pruning a tree in autumn, the following types of shoots are removed:
In the garden or suburban area plum trees of different ages can grow, so it’s worth talking about how to prune young and old trees in more detail.
As a rule, pruning a young plum consists of the following two operations:
1. Immediately upon planting the seedling, the main shoot is left, while all the branches on it are removed at a distance of 50 cm from the ground level, and the rest of the shoots are cut in half.
2. The next spring, the main trunk is cut above the largest bud, and all other branches are shortened by a third of their length.
These two operations should be repeated every next year until all the branches of a young tree are planted, in other words, until the plum crown is formed. Also, do not forget that every year it is necessary to remove the root shoots.
Anti-aging pruning (click to enlarge)
First of all, it is worth remembering that pruning of an old plum has been carried out for 15 years. During this period, you need to carefully monitor so that all the skeletal branches of the tree crown grow evenly. As a rule, after this period, the following situations may begin to be observed:
In the event of the above situations, it is strongly recommended to carry out anti-aging pruning of the tree. Its essence lies in the following important points:
1. The crown of the old plum is carefully thinned out, while all branches are removed, while leaving only the strongest and healthiest.
2. Old branches of the skeleton are gradually replaced with new side shoots.
3. The main trunk is cut over the young shoot.
4. The places where the branches were cut must be covered with garden pitch.
5. When the plum tree feels the wounds (cut points), it will direct a large amount of nutrients towards them, so several young shoots will appear in these places over time, of which only 2–3 of the strongest will need to be left, and the rest removed.
At the same time, you should always remember that rejuvenating pruning of an old plum is consistently carried out over several years. Therefore, the gardener needs to be patient and scrupulously carry out the rejuvenation of the old plum, while not forgetting to feed under the tree all the time.
Only in this case, after a few years, can we wait again for abundant fruiting from the old plum. Thus, in this article, we have detailed information on how to properly and when to prune a plum tree. We hope that you will use our recommendations and they will help you get good harvest delicious plum.
We invite you to watch a video on how to properly cut young plums:
The goal of each gardener is to get a decent harvest. But in order to achieve this, you need to work very hard.
Almost every gardener on the site has a plum tree. Its fruits are loved by both children and adults.
Compotes are closed from plums, jam is cooked, and plums also have medicinal properties.
In order to receive high yields annually, it is necessary to take care of the trees of this crop.
The main way in this business is cropping. But many are wondering if it is necessary? You will find the answer to this question and many others in this article.
Of course, pruning plums must be done every year.
If the tree grows without human intervention, then forks will form that will thicken the crown too much.
The purpose of pruning a plum tree is to grow a healthy and fruitful tree.
There are rumors that pruning is bad for this crop, but this is not true. Firstly, because, without caring for the tree, gum appears, and secondly, if everything is done correctly, there will be no problems. About all the main aspects of such care at different times of the year, we will burn further.
Spring is the best time year for pruning plums.
Pruning plums during this period is a very responsible event.
It is carried out in late March or early April, when they have already passed very coldy but the growing season has not yet begun.
Pruning takes place in two stages:
Pruning must be done special tools. Do everything carefully so as not to harm the tree.
Each cut place is treated with garden pitch or special substances.
Basically, they form a sparse-tiered shape of the plum crown, for 5 years. For its base, 5 to 7 large branches are left at an angle of 40-50 degrees from the trunk. The angles of inclination are corrected with ropes.
The best option is when the main and skeletal branches are directed in different directions from the trunk. The distance between them should be about 20 cm.
The main branches in relation to the tiers of the crown are arranged as follows: on the lower tier there can be 2-3 branches, two of which are on the same level, and the third is not. And if you form a two-tier system, then on the second tier there should be two main branches, which should be located at different levels.
The main summer plum pruning takes place in the month of July. Pruning during this period is carried out mainly due to the fact that the tree is young and it is necessary to form its crown.
The very first summer pruning is carried out in the year when the seedlings occurred, they do this to shorten the branches at the very end of July. In this process, the lateral shoots are shortened by 18-20 cm, and premature shoots are reduced by 15 cm. With all this, the central conductor is not reduced.
For the second year summer pruning spend at the same time, and repeat all the activities carried out in the first year. But still at the same time remove all unnecessary shoots.
Pruning at this time of the year is very good for plums that are frozen in winter, and if in the spring it was not possible to see the frozen branches or some of them were not cut off completely.
Pruning during this period is also good because in the summer all the trees are overgrown with leaves and you can see whether the crown of the tree is thickened or not, and only then take any action.
Usually scheduled summer pruning held in June, but various sanitary measures can be carried out in any warm month. Then it is possible that if there is a disease on the branches, it will not move to other branches or will not spread to neighboring trees at all.
Pruning at this time is in second place in importance after the spring. All necessary measures must be carried out after all the leaves have fallen from the trees, the growing season is over and the plum will be preparing for winter.
Basically everyone does in mid-September. But still, you should not push back the processing of this crop for a long time, otherwise the first frosts may not have a very good effect on the tree.
The first care measure during this period is the removal of dry or diseased or insect-damaged branches, and those branches that have been broken due to bountiful harvest. Also in the fall, you can remove the top of the tree, if suddenly it has grown too long.
After carrying out all these manipulations, you can proceed to the following. These include the removal of fast-growing shoots that will thicken the crown in the future, as well as shoots of competitors. In the autumn, they are cut off by about a third of the entire length.
Basically, the whole procedure for autumn pruning looks like this:
It must be remembered that autumn pruning is best done in the southern regions, and in the central and northern regions, all these activities should be transferred to spring.
Pruning plum trees in winter is becoming more and more popular.
And all due to the fact that the plum belongs to the stone fruit crops, and her vegetation processes begin early. And the gardener, due to the rapid transition of winter to spring, may miss the moment when the buds begin to swell.
Plum tolerates winter cold better than other stone fruits, but still it is a heat-loving crop.
All necessary activities must be carried out in February at a temperature of about 15 ° C, but not lower.
Main advantages of winter pruning this culture:
If everything is done correctly when trimming in winter time, then there is a chance that you will cause less damage to the tree. It will become easier to cut branches, and the saw cuts will be smoother.
It is necessary to carry out this event immediately after planting the seedling, so that the damaged root system provides all the necessary beneficial substances cut branches.
The first pruning of the plum is carried out after one year of the life of the seedling. But sometimes it happens that seedlings are cut only for 2 or 3 years of life, because these seedlings are more stable and take root better.
But this is not the case, and vice versa, the shoots of these trees will grow slowly, and, therefore, it will be necessary to cut them more reverently, which brings more trouble to the gardener.
Seedlings of this tree are characterized by heterogeneous growth of shoots, for example, some can grow much longer than others. That is why young crops are pruned 2 or 3 times a year. The central trunk is cut once a year so that it is a leader among the rest of the growing shoots.
An important factor in this matter is that it is necessary to lay the foundation for the growth and development of skeletal branches in the 1st year of the life of the culture, and already in the third year - the foundation of the second tier. In the year of the formation of the crown, it is imperative to cut the tops and branches growing in the middle of the crown.
It is also important that for better development and the growth of the tree, it is necessary at the first stage to decide what height and shape the culture should have in order to continue to adhere to the given path.
In the second year of the plum tree's life prune the tree in mid-March when the circumcised places will heal better and faster.
When pruning the second year of a tree, you first need to select three or four skeletal branches and cut them either in half or in a third.
The cut should be in the place of the kidney turned outward. During the growing season, shoots can form on the trunk, which first need to be cut off by about 5-7 cm, and cut off completely in the second growing season.
The duration of pruning old plum trees lasts about fifteen years. All this time it is necessary to maintain the uniform growth of the skeletal branches and the main conductor. This lasts until the height of the tree reaches 2.5 meters, after which the main trunk and the largest branches are cut.
This process will halt the growth of the tree, and the grower will need to pay attention to ensure that a sufficient amount sunlight illuminated the crown of culture. Basically, only broken and diseased branches are cut off from old trees, and small ones are not touched.
When the growth of new shoots at the old tree is suspended, it is necessary to carry out anti-aging pruning. Also, this type of care must be done with a small crop or if the culture begins to bear fruit only on top of the tree crown.
When carrying out such an event, it is necessary to cut down old skeletal branches at the beginning of spring, cut down the wounds received during pruning with a sharp knife and grease with garden pitch.
When cutting very large branches, they need to be filed from below, and then the length is removed from above, this is necessary in order not to damage the tree.
When the culture feels the formation of a wound, it will send a large amount of nutrients to that place, which will contribute to the speedy tightening and healing. New shoots are formed at the cut site, of which only 3 or 4 of the strongest are left, the rest are removed in the month of July.
All anti-aging procedures should not be carried out in one year, since an old tree may not survive a large number of injuries received, so it is worth breaking them down into two or three years. Pruning a plum tree is advisable to carry out if there is a strong and healthy bole.
Here are some tips to help you when pruning a tree at any time during its growth:
The process of pruning a plum tree is similar to pruning cherry crops. In the first years, skeletal branches begin to form, weakening or completely removing them, which in the future can thicken the crown.
The growths of an annual character are removed in length if it is necessary to give the branch a certain direction; equalize the main branches. They also remove the top of strong shoots that do not develop well buds or freeze wood.
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