Why and when is plum pruning carried out. Plum pruning in autumn: simple tips for a beginner Plum pruning in winter

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.

Do I need to trim the plum

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.

When is the best time to prune - in spring or autumn

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:

from the type of trimming;
climate of the region;
tree age.

The first pruning of the plum tree is done in the spring, it prepares the tree for the fruiting season and includes:

removal of affected and competing branches;
formation of the skeleton and crown.

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:

dry;
broken;
too actively growing;
affected by disease or pests;
annual competitors that thicken the crown.

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.

List of tools and materials

If the garden is young, one pruner is enough for it.

To trim a plum, you need high-quality and well-ground tools:

Secateurs for branches up to 25 mm thick. The bypass model is good for live branches, the anvil model is good for dried ones.
Lopper for branches up to 50 mm thick hard-to-reach places. Long handles will allow you to get inside the thickened crown.
Small and large garden saw (hacksaw) for branches thicker than 50 mm (dead and dry)
Garden knife for burrs and irregularities.

Cuts and cuts need to be treated with garden pitch - prepare it in advance.

When is autumn pruning necessary?

Pruning of a plum tree is carried out depending on the climatic conditions of the region.

Table: terms of autumn pruning of plums by regions of Russia

The tree needs 1-2 months before the cold weather to recover, so carefully follow the weather forecasts and adjust the pruning schedule.

Step by Step Pruning Instructions for Beginners

To pruning plum trees different ages and type needs a special approach.

Scheme of crown formation of young plums

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 skeletal branches.

How is the first pruning of young plums:

Clear the trunk of side branches 50 cm from the ground and cut 1.5 m from the ground.
Cut the rest of the branches in half.

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

Rejuvenating for old trees

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:

Cut off diseased, withered, damaged and competing branches. After a year, thin out the crown, leaving young growths.
Cut off branches that have grown on the tree in the last 3-4 years. Repeat the procedure after 4-5 years.
Trim the tops towards the center of the crown annually.

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.

Columnar

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:

Prune the trunk (up to 2-3 buds) only if it does not grow well.
Trim side branches longer than 20 cm.
Remove every year all shoots, except for the most developed and strong.

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.

Video: correct plum pruning

How to take care of a pruned tree

Pruning is stressful for a tree, you need to help endure the consequences of the procedure with minimal losses:

Clean the cut points with a knife and generously grease with garden pitch.
Feed the plum with fertilizer, mulch the trunk circle.

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 frosts, storm winds, heavy rains are not expected.

You can feed the plum after pruning with a solution of minerals:

35 liters of water;
superphosphates (3 tablespoons for every 10 liters of water);
sulfide or potassium chloride (2 tablespoons for every 10 liters of water).

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.

Plum branches of small sizes are very fond of intertwining. As a result, the fruiting of the tree is reduced and it can be harmed. And the goal of any gardener is precisely the collection of high-quality and large crops. To increase the number of harvested berries, a plum pruning scheme has been specially developed in the fall and in other periods of the year, which, unfortunately, young gardeners often ignore.

The Purpose of Pruning a Plum

With a disorderly interweaving of branches, the tree becomes especially sensitive to negative temperatures. Frost forms on the branches, and they subsequently break. And as a result of multiple branches, the crown of the tree thickens significantly, a shadow is formed that interferes with the full development of the fruit, the germination of young branches. After a while, the plant begins to dry out, it may even die. Accordingly, there can be no talk of a harvest.

Timely correct pruning of trees is primarily aimed at crown formation. This event is carried out throughout the existence of the tree from the moment it is planted in the ground. Only in this way can the branches develop properly. In this case, the tree acquires a more well-groomed appearance , and the fruits will be much more convenient to collect. Therefore, novice gardeners are interested in a diagram of how to cut a plum in autumn, spring, and summer.

spring tree pruning

According to all the requirements of agricultural technology, pruning plums after winter in spring period carried out before the onset of the movement of juice in the tree.

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Advantages:

For your information! The crowns of fruit trees must be cut in calm calm weather without precipitation. The event should be planned at a stable temperature environment+10º for several days.

Features of pruning in the summer

Unlike autumn plum pruning, a similar procedure in summer has its own advantages:

For your information! By summer scheme pruning begins from the moment the plum seedling is planted in the soil. The first year, approximately 20 cm, all branches are pruned. Then every year all excess shoots are removed to the ground.

Autumn pruning scheme

In order to properly cut the plum in the fall, it is recommended to plan this event after the leaves have fallen. At this moment, all the vegetative processes of the plant are completed, it becomes calm. It is recommended to carry out these works in mid-September.

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Advice for new gardeners! Do not postpone this procedure so that the plant has time to get stronger before the cold weather. Autumn pruning of fruit trees is not recommended in regions characterized by severe winters; it is better to postpone the event to the spring.

Autumn pruning depends on the age of the plant and consists of three stages:

Autumn pruning is done in September, when all the foliage has fallen, before the onset of cold weather. Pruning plums in the fall after the first fruits are either not performed at all, or only problematic branches are removed. An integral part of this period is sanitary pruning. During this procedure, damaged and diseased branches that can lead the plant to death are removed. Infected branches are recommended to be burned to prevent the spread of the disease or harmful insects throughout the backyard.

Rejuvenation of an old plum

After a certain time of fruiting the plum, the period of its rejuvenation approaches, especially if it was not always cut off. The signal for the need for this event is a rare flowering, weak ovaries in the upper section of the crown.

Anyone who has even a small land plot, probably grown among other fruit trees and plums. This tree bears wonderful fruits, from which you can cook delicious compotes, jams, preserves and enjoy them right from the tree.

To get stable and high yield plums need care. Plum pruning in autumn and spring is one of the important points in this process.

Pruning plums: rules and patterns

In order for the plum to please with its harvest, it is necessary to carry out regular pruning. Most gardeners are confident that this process is best done in the spring, as the cuts heal longer in the fall, in winter time freezing is possible.

Plum pruning should begin almost immediately after planting a young seedling, as it is different rapid growth and in a couple of years it can already begin fruiting. It is this process that will help to form the crown correctly.

The first pruning of the plum should be carried out in the spring with the onset of stable warm weather, it is not scary if the tree has already released the first leaves. If there are no night frosts, then the plum seedling will perfectly endure this manipulation.

Some gardeners are of the opinion that early pruning of a young plum in the spring, immediately after the snow has melted, makes it easier to bear the injury, since the tree is still at rest. But it should be noted that such a technique is appropriate to apply only in areas where there are no severe frosts in early spring.

The main nuances of pruning plums

It doesn’t matter at all when you decide to start pruning plums, the most important thing is that some points are taken into account:

When starting to trim a plum, it is important to imagine the shape of the tree that you want to see.
And the second point that you need to pay attention to is the possibility of reducing the risk of developing various diseases, for example, gum disease or white rot.

In order to significantly reduce the risk of tree damage, it is advisable to prune plums either before the leaves bloom or already in early June.

Advice: It is important that the air temperature is not below +5 degrees, otherwise the plum pruning process can adversely affect the plant.

To trim the plum, you need to stock up on a saw with small teeth or a sharp knife. All cut branches will need to be burned to prevent the spread of pests or diseases, if any, and fresh cuts must be treated with garden pitch.

How to prune plums in spring

If the plum seedling has grown up for a long time, and you have never done pruning, then you will have to make a little more effort to transform it into better side your tree. It is best to start this process before the leaves bloom, until the process of sap flow has begun. The tree is already mature and may die.

Prepare sharp secateurs and a saw and you can get to work.

At the first stage, pruning a young plum consists in thinning the crown. It is necessary to remove all unnecessary shoots and those that grow vertically upwards.
At the second stage, pruning of an adult plum aims to shorten the branches. It is necessary to cut off all the growths of the previous year. This process contributes to the emergence of new fruit branches.

Advice. Be sure to remove those plum branches on which the birds have damaged the kidneys.

After pruning is completed, the tree should have 5-7 branches, which are located at an angle of 45 degrees to the trunk. Once the plum has been properly pruned, the gardener will only have to remove old branches, diseased and those that do not bear fruit, every year.

Spring plum pruning scheme (for beginners)

Photo: Vase-shaped pruning of a plum tree

If you planted a plum seedling in the spring, then it's time to start caring for it. Most often, biennial plants are planted, but annuals take root well and grow quickly. The whole process of plum pruning can consist of the following steps:

After planting a plum seedling, you can immediately shorten it by cutting off the top with a sharp knife at a distance of 60 centimeters from the ground. The kidney under the cut must also be removed.
If the plum root system is strong, then the seedling grows quickly and forms young shoots. It is important to trace those branches that grow incorrectly and immediately remove them.
The following year, in the spring, the plum seedling is shortened by another 40 centimeters, this also applies to all side branches.
It is necessary to cut towards the outer kidney. The lower shoots, which are only auxiliary, can only be shortened in the first year, and completely removed in the second, fruits still do not form on them.
With the onset of the third spring, plum pruning should be carried out in such a way that more side branches are preserved.

Advice. Most importantly, choose 7-9 plum branches that are the strongest and strongest and are evenly spaced.

All skeletal branches of the plum, which are located in relation to the trunk under acute angle must be removed. At least 4-5 buds should remain on pruned branches.
All subsequent pruning of a plum tree should be reduced to removing all branches that do not grow correctly, thicken the crown. This can lead to the development of diseases and reduced yields.

If the plum is pruned correctly, then in a few years a tree will form with 8-10 main powerful branches, which are evenly spaced around the trunk.

pruning plums in autumn

If the pruning of a young plum in the spring has not been done and time has been lost, then there is nothing left but to prune in the fall. You should start when all the leaves are shed and the tree begins to prepare for a state of rest.

An approximate scheme for pruning plums in the fall (for beginners):

The first step is to remove all branches that are damaged by pests, diseases, or broken under the weight of the crop.
If the top of the plum has grown too much, then it is also desirable to shorten it.
Remove all fast-growing shoots that only thicken the crown and prevent the penetration of light to the main branches.
Plum shoots should be shortened by a third of the length.
If the tree is already old, then it is necessary to remove all bad branches and those that do not bear fruit.

Advice. If the plum is cut for the first time, then the main trunk is shortened by a third, and the side branches of the plum by two thirds of the length.

After the pruning of the plum is completed in the fall, the branches must be burned, and all cuts should be treated with var to prevent damage to various diseases. Pruning young and adult plums is a very important process, without which it is impossible to form the crown of the tree correctly and obtain stable and high yields.

Video: how to cut a plum in the fall

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 amount of nutrients onto themselves, taking them away from the rest of the tree.

spring pruning plum

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:

All incorrectly growing branches should be removed. In early spring, when the crown has not yet been covered with foliage, it is especially convenient to do this - it is easy to immediately distinguish incorrectly growing branches.
If the plum crown is very lush, it is worth thinning it out.
All last year's gains should be shortened. This is done in order to grow fruitful branches in their place next year.

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. V 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.

autumn pruning plum

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 cut a plum in the autumn, you should follow this pattern:

If the tree is pruned for the first time, then it must be shortened in height by 1/3;
Fast-growing shoots must be shortened by 2/3;
If the tree is old or running, all old branches must be deleted;
It is worth thinning out the crown of the plant as much as possible.

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.

How to prune an old plum

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 the elderly, 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.

Regular pruning is a fundamental element proper care behind the trees and shrubs in your garden. Depending on the pruning method used, the timing of the work, the age of the plants, different results can be achieved.

Regular pruning of plums

The main goals of the event are:

getting a healthy tree that can bear fruit every year;
creating a strong skeleton;
maintaining a beautiful crown;
creation of illumination in the crown for the normal development of the seedling;
the ability to regulate growth and fruiting;
increase in the quality of plums;
facilitating harvesting;
reducing the risk of diseases and the number of pests;
creation necessary conditions plant growth and fruiting in different periods of the tree's life;
rejuvenation.

If you leave pruning for later, the trees will be very tall, with a sprawling unkempt crown, with small fruits. In addition, this will lead to a decrease in the winter hardiness of plants.

Plum pruning in the autumn is second only to spring pruning. Operations are best carried out in mid-September, when the trees have already passed the leaf fall and the growing season has ended. Also, by winter, the wounds on the cuts will have time to overgrow, and the tree will be completely ready for wintering.

Pruning plums in autumn

That is why it is so important not to delay with autumn pruning so that the trees have time to prepare for winter period. There is an autumn scheme:

We remove all dry and affected by diseases or pests shoots.
We shorten the tops of the trunks.
We cut off rapidly growing shoots and branches of “competitors” that thicken the crown (they need to be cut by 30%).

True, pruning old and young plums has differences, but we will talk about them in more detail below. But the regulatory pruning of the crown can be carried out according to a single scheme for all trees - it is used for thinning the crown, therefore, absolutely all strongly overgrown shoots must be cut. Tip: It is advisable to burn the cut branches to prevent the spread of insects and diseases in the garden.

How can you cut a young plum of one year of life? This event is carried out immediately after planting the seedling, which is necessary to provide the root system with all the necessary nutrients - they will go to the roots, not to the shoots. You should take into account the condition of the young plum - if it seems weak or does not take root well, it is better to postpone pruning for the next year.

True, this can lead to the fact that the shoots will grow rather slowly, which means that they will have to be cut very carefully in the next few years, which can bring a lot of trouble to gardeners. Young plum seedlings are characterized by uneven shoot growth - some will be longer than others. Therefore, those branches that grow unevenly should be cut off constantly, but the central trunk - just once, so that it becomes the "leader" among the other shoots. The first pruning in the second year of plum life is carried out in mid-March - in this case, the wounds on the tree will heal faster.

To begin with, select 3-4 of the most powerful skeletal shoots on the tree, then cut them off by 30%, while the cut should be located in the place of the kidney, which is turned outward.

Pruning a skeletal shoot

How to cut an old plum? The duration of work for "older" trees is approximately 15 years - all this time you will need to maintain the uniform development of the central conductor and skeletal shoots. This stage continues until the height of the plum reaches 2.5 m, after which the main trunk and the most developed and powerful branches are cut.

Do not be afraid, because this event can temporarily slow down the development of the tree. During this period, it is very important to remember the right one - try not to let it be in the shade. Also during this period, you need to cut off broken or diseased shoots, and thin young branches should not be touched, which will lead to the formation of new branches - the tree will detect wounds and direct all its forces to their healing. As a result, new shoots will begin to grow in place of the old shoots, of which about 4 of the strongest should be left, while the rest will have to be ruthlessly cut off.

Remember that you should not overload the old tree with pruning in one year - the plant may not survive the formation of a large number of wounds, therefore the procedures should be extended for at least two seasons.