Apple & Plum tree pruning

Mack_1111

Hey,

I've just planted a Victoria plum tree that I bought in a local garden centre, (about 6" tall at the moment), I also have two mature apple trees, (17 years old, one eating and one cooking, both producing), that have never been pruned. I was wondering if there are any experienced growers out there that could give me some hints on how to properly prune my plum tree and how to retro prune my apple trees? Also is there any good, not so pricey, books you could recommend?

Thanks

Oldtree

Have attached notes from college about how to prune new apple trees to fruit.
Also on how to prune (very) old apple trees.

If your apples are producing ok, fruit is not woody and they arnt really that old and you have the space, then next winter just prune for future fruit and maby remove crossing branches, also maby remove some that are cluttering up the center of the tree to allow more air in. The fruit is borne in two ways, your plants are either spur or tip bearers, pruning is different for either of these, I still run into problems with the tip bearers.

If you overprune the tree could water shoot everywhere, less is really more here.

Plums should not really be pruned, the old joke "no prunus...!" silverleaf is a real problem as is canker. Use poles to support crop if necessary. My farther in law got advice from his RHS book on pruning plums and was enthusiastic in cutting this years growth back by half in the summer time. This appears to have led to too much fruit and canker. I am going to plant a plum "Victoria" this winter and just leave it alone and see what happens.

Target pruning is the best form of pruning for a tree branches.

http://www.hellistreeconsultants.co.uk/kbi1000023_natural_target_pruning_how_and_where_to_remove_a_branch.html

The overall shape of the tree would be down to your objectives but with apples I like to follow the orchard look by pruning to open up the middle, kinda like a goblet, (put your hands togeather and keep the palms togeather and open up the fingers gives a good representation.

If you post a few pics I could give you a few pointers as to where to prune, when the leaves have fallen would be best.

Mack_1111

Hey thanks for that.

The first two attachments are the apple trees, the cooking on the left and eating on the right. The last attachment is the Victoria plum.

Oldtree

Does your plum not need a support? If it does then a stake at the below oblique angle would be used with a rubber tie, in a figure of 8, to tie stake and tree togeather. Allows for the removal of the stake at a later time without damaging root system. Also stake low on tree as a stake is only there to hold the root system in place and not the stem. Stakes too high can build in a weakness to the stem. Stake should be pointed into the prevailing wind direction.



I always use soft rubber tree ties (hoop collars) or called here supersoft tree ties are what you want, also how to tie picture here to, plastic/buckle ones are rubbish.

http://www.tynemoulds.com/product_type/tree-care/

Apples could do with a little maintainance but come back in winter and i'll do exact points to cut on bare tree for you and we can get advice from others too before final decision on where to cut. You need to know if your trees are spur or tip bearer.