No matter what species of tree you are looking to prune, whether it is fruit.

Late winter, while the tree is dormant, is the best time to prune these trees. 1 Disinfect all pruning tools with rubbing alcohol, diluted bleach or a household disinfectant.

Use bypass pruners for. Sep 14, In July or August shorten the growth that the tree has made this summer. Cut each main branch (the leader) back to eight leaves remaining and then cut each side branch of these main branches back to six leaves remaining. Cut back any daft vigorous growth the might have occurred at. Younger trees are best pruned in spring and established trees in mid-summer.

Winter plum tree pruning should be avoided because it can leave the tree prone to infection by silver leaf disease. This is a fungal disease of the leaves and wood to which plum, apple, apricot and cherry trees are bushfalling.barted Reading Time: 6 mins. The tree responds well to pruning, showing better health and better fruit quantity and quality.

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Most pruning takes place while the tree is dormant, during the late winter or very early spring, before the tree buds start to swell. Keep in mind the practical reasons for pruning: to train the plant, maintain plant health, improve the quality of flowers, fruit, foliage or stems, and to restrict growth. As for all plums and greengages, pruning should not be done in winter, which would increase the risk of bacterial canker and silver leaf.

Pruning should be done when the tree is in full leaf. Watch a video tutorial about the open-centre greengage bushfalling.barted Reading Time: 6 mins. Aug 06, Prune. Early Spring or Mid Summer. Unlike pruning fruit such as apples and pears where you prune to flower/fruit buds, plums basically require a general tidy up. With all trees, the center of the tree needs to be kept open. The best time to rejuvenate large, overgrown shrubs is late winter or early spring (March or early April). Heavy pruning in late winter or early spring will reduce or eliminate the flower display for 2 or 3 years.

However, rejuvenation pruning will restore the health of the shrubs. Keep free from weeds and water regularly.

Growing Greengages Plant bare-rooted stock in November-December, during the dormant period.

As the fruit begins to form usually in mid-May, thin by removing any damaged or diseased looking fruit, allowing sufficient space for each fruit to grow to full size without touching a neighbour. Check again for overcrowding after a further month or so.

Dec 28, If you fail to thin plum trees, the branches become to laden with fruit which, in turn, may damage the branches and encourage disease. Prune the plum trees in the late spring or early summer. Green Gage plums will be ready for harvest from late summer into early fall.