Plum Tree

blackbox

I've just harvested a good crop of plums from my Lidl plum tree (first crop after several years)

It was quite a challenge to pick some of the higher ones, and they'll be higher next year unless I do something about it.

Does anyone know if it would be OK of I lopped the higher upright branches or will that ruin it for the future? Can I cut it now?

Marhay70

Too late to do anything with plums without risking silver leaf. Leave it until June/July and if you lose some of the crop, so be it. Plums often need to have some of the fruits removed anyway as they are such prolific fruit bearers that branches can actually break under the weight. Once you get it to a manageable size, keep it at that.

smacl

Marhay70 wrote: »

Too late to do anything with plums without risking silver leaf. Leave it until June/July and if you lose some of the crop, so be it. Plums often need to have some of the fruits removed anyway as they are such prolific fruit bearers that branches can actually break under the weight. Once you get it to a manageable size, keep it at that.

Good to know, I've always pruned mine in winter which apparently is not so clever, though I've had no issues to date.

blackbox

I'm going to wait until next summer - I've also heard it's a good idea to paint the wounds.

Marhay70

Jury is out on painting pruning cuts. Nowadays, most of the top gardening experts say not to, the reason being that you can actually lock pests and diseases into the plant by painting the wound.