Features of plum pruning at different times of the year. Proper pruning of plums in autumn or how to make a fruit tree healthy and fruit-bearing

Pruning plums is an essential part of caring for a fruit crop. If pruning is neglected, spontaneous growth of the crown will not only negatively affect the appearance of the tree, but will also lead to a deterioration in the quality and volume of the harvest.

Pruning plum trees in the first years after planting

Regular crown formation begins almost immediately after planting. Then sanitary pruning and rejuvenation of already mature, fruit-bearing plants are added to these works.

To ensure that the crown of the tree is as compact, strong, and easily permeable to air, light, and pollinating insects as possible, formative pruning of the plum tree is carried out from the first year after planting. Helps to achieve your goals:

removal of shoots directed deep into the crown and leading to its excessive density;
correction of the position of shoots extending from the trunk at too acute an angle;
removal of weak branches;
laying strong, evenly spaced skeletal branches with good prospects for growth and fruiting.

Pruning of young trees is carried out very carefully with an eye to the future. The diagram will tell you how to trim at this time:

When the tree begins to bear fruit, the formation of the crown does not end, but is suspended for 2–3 years. During this period, the plant manages to acquire new growth, on which the first harvests will be planted.

At the same time, the garden requires maintenance pruning to help both grow and at the same time provide a decent amount of fruit.

Pruning a fruiting plum tree

How younger tree, the stronger the annual growth. With age and the beginning of fruiting, the rate of crown growth decreases. From 30–40 cm, growth drops to 15 cm, which indicates the need for rejuvenation. This plum pruning is done to maintain growth and productivity. If the gardener does not pay attention to this procedure:

even a properly formed crown thickens over time;
the formation of the ovary moves to the very periphery;
fruits that do not receive enough nutrition and moisture become smaller;
The quality of the harvest and its volume deteriorate.

Neglected trees not only bring less fruit, they become easy prey for pests and diseases fruit crops.

The first thing that is done during anti-aging pruning is thinning the crown and removing damaged branches. If there is a large amount of work to be done, it is better to carry it out in stages.

First, cut out the most thawed, dried or severely damaged branches, when root shoots, as well as shoots growing inside the crown.
On next year the crown is subject to thinning, while the young shoots formed during this time are left and, if necessary, shortened.

After plum pruning is completed, cuts with a diameter of more than 1–2 cm should be treated with varnish, and the tree should be fed and watered.

The renewed plum gives powerful growth, some of which will become new skeletal branches. The remaining shoots should be cut into a ring. Tall plum varieties can grow up to 8–10 meters. Therefore, along with anti-aging pruning, their height is adjusted.

Pruning plum in spring

Spring brings a lot of joys and troubles. Plum trees come to life and begin their growing season earlier than other fruit trees, so it is important to prune them on time. The formation of the crown of young plants should take place 20 - 30 days before buds open, that is, until the tree comes out of dormancy. This will encourage rapid growth of shoots and will not weaken the green pet.

There are no restrictions on pruning mature plum trees. Work can be carried out with early spring and until late autumn, weather conditions permitting. This mainly concerns the sanitary cutting of dry and diseased parts of the tree.

If rejuvenation is to be done, as in the case of a young seedling, it is better to complete pruning of the plum in the spring 20 days before the buds swell.

Pruning plum in summer

Summer is the most active and difficult season of the year for. At this time, it forms an ovary and actively feeds to produce an abundant sweet harvest.

Is it possible to prune the plum tree at this time? Will such a gardener's intervention do any harm? Of course, from April to September you should not engage in crown formation or rejuvenation orchard. But even in the warm season there is work for a hacksaw, garden shears and pruning shears.

Pruning plum trees in summer is aimed at maintaining proper growth and redirecting nutrients from unnecessary shoots to branches and fruits.

To do this, throughout the summer it is necessary to cut out the green tops and all root shoots so that there are no protruding stumps on the trunk and just below the ground level.

Pruning plum trees in autumn is permissible in regions where autumn is long and fruit trees have enough time to acclimatize and not suffer from severe frosts. Most often this agrotechnical technique practiced south of the middle zone. However, cutting out dry or diseased branches can and should be done in the autumn months. Fallen leaves do not interfere with assessing the situation so that by spring the tree is fully ready for flowering and fruiting.

Forming a plum crown - video

Among fruit crops, plum occupies one of the first places. In order to ensure a high yield of plums, it requires appropriate care. autumn period. It consists of carrying out certain procedures that even an inexperienced gardener can perform.

Features of caring for plums in the fall and in preparation for winter - general tips and recommendations

In order to ensure good harvest plums for next year, it is necessary to dig up the soil and at the same time apply appropriate fertilizers. This procedure is carried out at a distance of one meter from the tree trunk. The soil should be dug to a depth of no more than 30 centimeters.

By the way! Digging of the soil can only be done the next year after planting the crop.

There are several types of fertilizers that can be applied to plums in autumn time. In most cases it is recommended using a mixture of humus, wood ash and superphosphate. Gardeners also advise adding urea in small quantities.

Plum belongs to the category of moisture-loving plants, so it needs to be provided with abundant watering in the autumn. At this time, the application of appropriate fertilizers is required. For the procedure it is desirable use at least 35 liters of water. Watering is carried out until severe frosts. Otherwise, it may negatively affect wintering.

There can be a variety of pests under hidden scales of tree bark. To eliminate them, it is recommended to carry out cleaning a tree trunk from scales. For this purpose, it is recommended to use a special hard wire brush. During this procedure, you should have nearby insecticides whose action is aimed at eliminating pests. If they are detected, there is a need for mandatory spraying of the plant.

Preparing plums for winter involves whitewashing the trunk, which provides protection from pests and limits the possibility negative influence sun rays on a tree in winter period. To carry out this procedure, it is optimal to use a solution of lime and mullein.

Video: how to prepare a plum for winter

In the autumn, it is necessary not only to remove diseased and dry branches, but also to shorten them, which guarantees the full formation of the crown.

Why prune a plum tree?

When is the best time to prune a plum tree – in spring or autumn?

Most experts advise carrying out major pruning of plum trees in the autumn. In spring, only dry branches should be removed. In the northern regions, a similar procedure should be carried out in the summer.

Timing for pruning in autumn

In autumn, it is necessary to prune the tree after harvesting and falling leaves. The timing of plum pruning directly depends on the region where the crop is grown.

How to properly prune a plum in the fall - instructions and diagram

When pruning a plum tree in autumn, dry and broken branches are removed. If there are excess branches, they must also be removed. Pruning young trees involves shortening the length of the shoots.

Features of pruning young and old plums in autumn

Methods for pruning old and young trees are characterized by the presence of certain distinctive features.

If the seedlings are young, it is necessary to shorten the length of the main shoots. For this purpose, it is recommended to leave only 2/3 of the shoot length. All other shoots should be trimmed slightly - by 1/3. Thanks to this procedure, rapid and complete development of the tree is ensured.

When caring for an adult tree, it is necessary to remove dry and broken branches. Diseased shoots should also be eliminated. It is recommended to prune plums in autumn only in warm regions. During pruning, regardless of the age of the tree, it is necessary to remove shoots that have grown excessively.

Tree care after pruning, feeding

In order to minimize injury to the tree after pruning, it is recommended to take full care of it. Therefore, they dig up the soil in the tree trunk circle and also apply fertilizer. For this purpose, organic and mineral compositions. In the autumn, the last feeding of the current year is carried out.

Plum is frost-resistant plant, but she needs proper shelter when young. IN northern regions Insulation is carried out constantly, regardless of the age of the tree.

How to cover a plum for the winter - instructions and diagram

Sheltering plum trees for the winter can be done according to a variety of schemes. The most common method used is mulching. After digging the tree trunk circle, it is necessary to mulch it with humus. After the first snow appears, a snowdrift is made from it around the tree, which contributes to insulation. It is also recommended to whitewash the trunk, which not only helps to warm the crop, but also eliminates the possibility of the development of diseases and pests.

Features of sheltering young plums for the winter

Sheltering young plums is carried out according to a different scheme. This is explained by the fact that trees that are planted this year do not need fertilizer. That is why their insulation is carried out by whitewashing the trunk. You can also wrap several layers of paper around it. The soil around the young plum is insulated using bags, which must be laid out and secured with a small amount of soil.

If severe frosts are observed, then several layers of burlap must be used to insulate the tree trunk circle. The trunk circle should be covered plastic film, which reduces negative impact precipitation to a minimum.

Features of preparing plums for winter in different regions

It is necessary to prepare the plant for wintering as carefully as possible. In this case, the characteristics of the region in which the tree is grown are taken into account.

In the middle zone (Moscow region)

Caring for the crop consists of stimulating watering, fertilizing, digging the soil and pruning. Also during this period, the plant is fertilized.

In the Volga region

When preparing for wintering plum trees in this region, the gardener needs to perform a number of specific actions - dig up the soil, apply fertilizer, whiten and prune. It is also recommended to carry out stimulating watering.

In the Urals

The climate in this region is not harsh enough, but it is still recommended to insulate young plums here, since this ensures the highest quality survival of the plant. Stimulating watering is carried out in early autumn. In the Urals, partial pruning of the plant is recommended.

In Siberia

This region has a fairly harsh climate. That is why it is necessary to insulate crops, regardless of their age. In order to restore strength, the tree needs feeding. It is carried out immediately after dropping the leaves. Excessive watering is strictly prohibited, as this can lead to freezing of the root system and death of the plant.

Typical mistakes in caring for plums in the fall and preparing for winter

Many gardeners make serious mistakes when caring for plums in the autumn.

For example, some of them Do not remove foliage to insulate the plant. But it is strictly forbidden to do this, since fallen leaves can harbor a variety of diseases that actively develop after wintering.

Gardeners plum boles are not cleaned. However, it is extremely necessary to remove moss, dead bark, and lichens from them. If there are wounds, it is recommended to clean them. For treatment in order to ensure maximum healing, garden varnish can be used, copper sulfate, lime solution.

Gardeners believe that in the autumn there is no need to protect plums from diseases and pests. On the contrary, plums need protection from aphids and caterpillars, which belong to the category dangerous pests. For this purpose, it is recommended to use an onion-garlic solution. Take several glasses onion peel. To these are added two large heads of garlic and laundry soap in the amount of one bar, which is pre-ground on a grater.

All components must be thoroughly mixed and poured with 5 liters of boiling water. It is recommended to infuse the product for several hours. After this time, the product is filtered using gauze. After the solution has cooled, the plum is treated by spraying.

In the autumn, it is necessary to provide appropriate care for the plum in preparation for winter. To this end, the gardener is recommended to perform certain actions. Their order is determined according to the region where the crop is grown.

In contact with

An important element of garden care is plum pruning, which is done in autumn and spring. The pruning scheme is simple, and it is carried out, as for all fruit trees, in order to increase productivity. A harmoniously developed crown, strewn with delicious fruits of pinkish and blue-purple shades, is the best reward for the gardener’s care.

The plum tree is small, but its branches are intricately intertwined. Proper formation of the crown distributes minerals evenly, which contributes to the development of the tree and its winter hardiness.

Features of the plum crown

For plums, pruning is mandatory because the very nature of their crown structure requires it. Plum trees intertwine their branches tightly, side shoots develop more intensively than the central conductor. Thickening prevents free access sunlight and air.

These factors lead to decreased fruiting and possible tree disease.

New fruitful shoots do not grow.
The set fruits are of poor quality.
Opportunity opens up rapid development viral or fungal diseases.
Branches often form sharp corners.
Snow accumulates on thick branches and they break easily in winter weather.
Many tops grow from branches that are frozen.
A weakened tree gradually stops producing fruit shoots.

In autumn, after the first fruiting, plum pruning is contraindicated.

Why prune plum trees?

Regular, proper pruning improves the health of the tree, increases productivity, and extends its life.

After pruning thickening branches, the tree receives an incentive to form fruitful shoots.
Sanitary pruning of broken and infected branches prevents the spread of diseases and pests that may be hiding in damaged bark.
Removing thickening, dry or frozen branches allows the tree to distribute more nutrients to the fruiting shoots.

When working in the garden, knives, pruners and saws must be sharp. Instruments are disinfected with alcohol, formalin or iodine.

Best season for pruning

Young plum is pruned in early spring, forming a crown. You need to choose a calm, windless day with an air temperature of at least 10°C. Since plum branches grow unevenly, too long branches are also shortened in June and July. In autumn, damaged shoots are removed.

In the spring, the crown of an adult plum is trimmed, old, non-fruit-bearing branches are removed, thickening shoots are cut off, and last year's growth is shortened by half. In summer, pruning is not recommended. An exception is made only for diseased branches.

Autumn sanitary pruning occurs during the dormant period of the plant, when the leaves have fallen and the growing season has ended. Usually this is the end of the second ten days of September. Before frost, the tree will still get stronger and the cuts will heal. Sometimes you have to cut off the top of a young plum if it has become very elongated (up to three meters). This manipulation will ensure its frost resistance.

In the fall, the central trunk of the seedling that has been growing since spring is also shortened by one third. The side branches are not touched; they are removed or cut in the spring by two-thirds of the growth. In the central and northern regions, where it gets cold early, trees are not pruned in the fall.

In the southern regions, pruning is carried out from mid-February, when the temperature rises above 10°C. The buds are still dormant, and the wood is still fragile after frost. The cuts are smooth.

Branches with signs of disease or developing harmful insects should be burned to stop infestation in the garden.

Formation of a plum crown

Creation of the crown begins in the first year of transplantation. For plums, choose a cup-shaped or sparsely tiered crown. At the first time, 3-4 branches are left, growing almost horizontally; after a few years, the central trunk is cut off. The second type of crown is formed over 7-8 years, alternately creating tiers of 6-8 skeletal branches so that the sun and air freely penetrate inside the tree.

Seedling pruning

The young seedling is pruned from the first year. But there are tips to leave this process until the tree is two or three years old.

The central conductor is shortened by 20 cm.
The height of the bole is 60 cm. For the northern regions, it is recommended to lay a low bole - up to 30 cm.
Leave 4-6 lateral (future skeletal) branches. Choose those that extend from the trunk at an angle of 50-60 degrees. They are also shortened by one third of the length.
In summer, pruning is continued because the branches grow at different lengths. And the side shoots should not overtake the central trunk.

If the seedling is very small, without branches, it is pruned at a height of 1 m or slightly lower to stimulate the growth of branches.

In the second and third years, the same algorithm for pruning lateral branches is followed: 2-3 times - in spring, summer and autumn. The trunk is cut once a year. In the fourth year, the second tier of skeletal branches is chosen. Only four buds are left on the remaining branches to avoid thickening. The central conductor is removed in the seventh year.

How to prune a fruit-bearing tree?

With random growth, the compact plum crown becomes very thick. Regulatory pruning is carried out according to the following scheme.

First, the tree is thinned out - those branches that grow nearby and interfere with each other are cut down.
Shorten the top.
Clear the trunk along its entire height of growth.
The tops are removed.
Cut out branches that cross.
Remove branches growing towards the trunk and those pointing down.
For shoots that have grown very long, two-thirds of their annual growth is cut off.

Plums easily tolerate pruning if done correctly: cut at an angle of 45°, the next bud is located after 5-10 cm.

Do columnar plums need to be pruned?

This type of plum tree rarely needs pruning. There are several cases when you will have to pick up a pruning shear.

If the bud at the apex is damaged, the central shoot is cut off to a side bud, which is used as the central one. If the frozen bud remains, 2-3 replacement shoots will develop near it. Columnar plum at the top will mark irregular shape, which will be a threat to the life of the tree. You should choose one shoot and cut off the competitors.
Remove damaged spear branches.
If you decide to grow a plum tree in several columns, cut the trunk to a height of 0.8-1 m and take care of the shoots that grow from dormant buds.

How to rejuvenate an old plum?

For the trees that are already bearing fruit long time and are not always circumcised; rejuvenation operations need to be performed. The signal for this is the rare flowering and scanty formation of ovaries in the upper part of the crown of the old plum.

After ten years, plum trees undergo preventive crown thinning every year. They cut down the branches that have grown over the previous 4 years.
Remove the lower branches first so as not to damage the entire frame.
The cut is made near the branches. In the spring they will begin to develop quickly.
From the new shoots, 3-4 most developed ones are selected, the rest are removed.
There is no need to touch small branches, except those that are diseased, broken off, or have sprouts.
The top of a 15-year-old plum is cut off and the frame branches are shortened. They will be replaced in the future by young shoots.

Large branches cannot be cut all at once. They are removed gradually, rejuvenating for 2-3 years. When the tree reaches a height of 2.5 m, cut off the top of the central trunk, including a strong lateral branch. The tree's growth stops. The gardener only makes sure that the center of the crown is open to the light.

When pruning an old plum tree, a considerable part of the wood suffers. The wounds are cleaned with a knife and treated with a special paint based on drying oil.

To help trees cope with stress, cut areas after removing branches are covered with garden varnish or paint. Complex nitrogen and phosphorus-potassium fertilizing is required. The plum tree will respond to the care and attention of the gardener with a good harvest.

A tree such as the common plum (Prunus domestica) lives on almost every personal plot. Proper care behind her (as, indeed, behind any other tree) ensures her a long and fruitful life. One of the mandatory care items is plum pruning, which many summer residents most often ignore. But in small areas in the southern regions, the formation of the plum crown should not be neglected, and we will try to explain this with the help of understandable diagrams.

Pruning a plum tree to reduce the tree's upward growth

Typically, plum trees have big sizes, since most often they are sold on cherry plum rootstocks. There are, of course, varieties with average growth parameters, but Anna Shpet, Volzhskaya krasavitsa, Yellow self-fertile, Medovka, Ispolinskaya, Top Hit and Renklody tend to the sky. This is what makes it difficult to care for them small gardens. And annual pruning will allow the tree to develop properly and increase our harvest.

There are, of course, plums on low-growing rootstocks, but this is rare. Therefore, now we will understand the principles of the formation of vigorous trees, and consider the techniques plum trimmings to reduce upward growth.

When forming young trees, in the same way as in the tree, the subordination of the skeletal branches to the conductor is taken into account. When pruning, all branches that thicken the crown are removed, and a tree is formed in a sparsely tiered system of approximately 8-9 skeletal branches. The cup-shaped shape is also convenient.

When pruning, peach plum branches are shortened, otherwise the crown will be weak and drooping. And varieties with a pyramidal type of crown (Hungarian, Early Blue) are formed by transferring to external branches of the second order (we will not repeat the transfer of growth to external branches, since it is described in detail). This technique achieves a significant expansion of the crown and better lighting. Now let's take it in order and with pictures.

Scheme for pruning young plums in spring

In the year of planting, a young plum seedling is cut to about 1.5 meters from the soil level to the bud (red dot in the diagram). Over the summer it should grow with 4-5 branches of the first order. We will lead them as powerful skeletal branches in the future.

In the spring of the second year, we select 4 skeletal branches and shorten them by half (green strokes), cutting off the growth into a bud. Shoots will also appear on the trunk below the skeletal branches, which are shortened to 10 cm - they are needed temporarily to thicken the trunk (yellow strokes).

In the third year, we also shorten last year’s growth of the plum by half, but taking into account the second-order branches that have appeared (blue lines). From these we form 8-9 powerful, evenly spaced external branches. We completely clean the standard (yellow lines).

In the future, we stop pruning skeletal branches. As they appear, without waiting for spring or autumn, we shorten only the internal side shoots to 10 cm and all intersecting and root shoots. It is better to shorten it by pinching it in summer, and if you miss it, then in the spring with the help of pruning shears.

Almost the same result can be obtained by using summer pinching and the technique of bending down shoots.

Forming a plum crown by bending

It is quite easy to get the same comfortable plum crown by bending the shoots. Before shaping the plum using bending, in the first year after planting the shoots are allowed to grow freely, as in the first diagram after pruning the leader. Then they bend the branches with guy wires (photo clickable).

The easiest way for branches to bend is to attach the guy ropes closer to the end of the shoots. In this case, even very long growth is not immediately shortened - they are given 2-3 months to “get used to” the new position.

After this, long shoots are cut to a bud or to a weaker side branch, since the plum crown needs to be formed pyramidally - the lower tier of branches should be longer than the upper one. Otherwise, the lower branches will fall into the shadow and become very weak, and soon they will have to be removed completely. The trunk will be exposed higher than planned, and the crown will rise upward. Then the fruits will have to be collected high, which defeats our main goal - reducing the crown. After all, we started pruning the plum tree to reduce the tree’s upward growth.

Over time, due to the harvest, the branches bend down and the fruits on them become smaller, then all the inclined branches will need to be removed (=transferred) to younger branches located higher. The lateral fruiting shoots of the plum tree also grow excessively and require shortening.

Now let's look at the need to prune plums in order.

Firstly, the random interweaving of branches and the many small twigs/shoots on the plum mean that the tree's canopy tends to become very thick. In this case, the plum does not receive the necessary light, being in its own shadow, which prevents not only getting a plentiful ripe harvest, but also prevents development of fruit units.
Secondly, intertwined plum branches harm not only the quantity of the harvest, but also the tree itself. After all, with such an interlacing, the plum becomes sensitive to winter temperatures, which means it can freeze. Wood is bad in the shade matures, and the tree’s frost resistance decreases.
Thirdly, pruning a tree is the formation of a beautiful and comfortable crown. One should not discount the fact that tiered branches make the process of harvesting plums easier. In addition, a well-groomed tree will decorate the site.

Tree pruning must be carried out from the moment it is planted and throughout its existence; this is not a single or one-time operation.

When is the best time to prune a plum tree?

In our south, tree pruning can be done in any season convenient for the gardener - spring, summer and autumn. Each season has its own advantages. For pruning, use pruning shears or a garden hacksaw.

The spring season is considered the most successful for formation. As a rule, pruning is done from the end of March to the beginning of May, at which time the frosts have already receded, but the tree is still dormant. The advantage of spring pruning is that the branches are still bare, without leaves, which means it is easy to identify exactly those that should be removed.

Proper pruning plum includes the following steps:

Removing incorrectly, crookedly and obliquely growing branches;
Thinning of heavily thickened areas of the crown; Transfer of old drooping branches to young branches (for adult and old trees with the support of a formed crown);
Shortening last year's growths (for young seedlings during the formation of skeletal branches).

Timely shortening of growth provokes rapid overgrowth of seedlings with fruit links, and as a result, the lateral branches of medium strength obtained by pruning begin to bear fruit already in the 3rd year.

Features of plum pruning in summer

For summer pruning, choose the months of June and July. Summer pruning is good because during this period, when all the leaves are loose, the thickening of the crown is visible. This means you can easily identify those places that need to be thinned out and shortened.

It is in the summer that such pruning not only forms the plum crown, but also performs a sanitary function. Especially if some parts of the tree are affected by some kind of disease, then pruning should be done in the summer, since at this time the disease can spread further if the affected branches are not removed in a timely manner. That's why, summer pruning– this is prevention, which, as we know, is better than treatment.

As a rule, such pruning is carried out on young plants, starting from the first year of planting. In the first year, all the branches of the tree are cut off, shortening them by about 20 cm. The next summer, the operation is carried out in exactly the same way, only with the addition of all new, unnecessary shoots and twigs being removed (Schemes 2-3). Such removal must be carried out to the base of the branch (to the ring). But even in mature trees, in the summer they pinch and remove all excess.

The nuances of pruning plums in autumn

This time of year carries an important function for pruning - preparing the tree for winter frosts. It is in the fall that those branches and shoots that are most susceptible to freezing are removed, that is, all diseased, broken, immature (vulnerable) parts of the tree.

This pruning is carried out in the first half of September, performing the following steps:

Remove branches that are too long or broken, which may not withstand strong winds or heavy snowfall;
Remove all dry and diseased branches;
The plum crown is thinned out as much as possible.

If the plum is being pruned for the first time, that is, it has a thickened, multi-level appearance, it is advisable to “cut” the entire crown by ⅓. But it must be emphasized that this recommendation is more acceptable for southerners. In the northern regions, it is better to postpone thinning to the spring, and carry out only sanitary pruning in the fall.

In regions with harsher climates, pruning is recommended in spring and summer;
In the year when the plum tree begins to bear fruit, we do not recommend pruning the skeletal branches, since it may interfere with its full development. If you think that the plum tree still needs to be trimmed, then limit the cuts by treating only the problem areas of the tree. After fruiting, continue pruning;
As for the crown shape, for small private gardens, as we have already said, it is best to choose a sparsely tiered or bowl-shaped form.

In our experience, the bowl shape significantly increases plum yield. In order for the crown to have this appearance, pruning and bending of branches is done a little less frequently than usual. Only no more than 3 skeletal branches are left, their angle of inclination to the main trunk is increased to 120°, and the distance between them is increased to 0.5 meters.

How to prune an old plum tree

An old plum is a special point in pruning; it must be treated with the utmost care and caution. In general, pruning of a plum tree should be carried out throughout its growth, which is an average of 15 years. It ends its growth when it reaches the maximum height for its variety. After this, the plum is pruned differently, shortening the trunk and skeletal branches.

Pruning an old plum is mainly of a rejuvenating nature, which allows you to preserve the crown and harvest. The procedure is most often performed in the spring. Many people like to perform total pruning - cutting off the entire crown at once. We do rejuvenation in stages, just like with apricot. In this case, you need to prune the old plum tree over several years, acting carefully and, so to speak, “in portions.”

You should start with the skeletal branches. Some of them hardly grow and do not bear fruit. They obviously interfere with the tree and are cut off, but not all of them. They are pruned using a garden hacksaw, making sure to make cuts on both sides so that during pruning on one side the branch does not break off under its own weight.

The cut should be even - this will ensure healing of the wound with bark and good growth of new young shoots, which are needed to rejuvenate the old plum. If the cut is broken off, it may not produce new growth and the tinder fungus will get into the wound. As a result, the fungus will quickly eat away at the wood and the tree will die.

After pruning has been done, especially large cuts of plum branches should be treated with a mixture of clay and mullein, which will provide nutrition to the bark and protection from fungi. On small sections, it is enough to straighten the bark with a knife - remove its edges, like sharpening a drawing pencil.

You should also make the cut itself correctly. It should be close to the side branch, not too oblique, but not too hollow. Stumps cannot be left. If the cut is made incorrectly, this threatens the bark peeling off and damping off.

After trimming the skeletal branches, observe the growth of new shoots. If there are too many of them, you should not leave them all - there is no need for excessive density of the tree crown. In mid-summer, it is advisable to remove unnecessary shoots, leaving only a few of the strongest ones.

Old, broken and diseased plum branches are also removed. It is advisable not to touch young shoots and shoots (meaning with pruning shears; bending them to shape them, of course, is possible and necessary). This will ensure an irreducible yield for the old plum.

By following all the above recommendations for the formation of plums, you can grow healthy and beautiful tree, bringing maximum yield as a result of your efforts. We hope that now pruning a plum tree to reduce the tree’s upward growth will no longer be a problem for you, and you can easily form the desired crown.