"SyrianPrince" wrote in message
...
Last winter I very heavily pruned a very old plum tree, to leave 4 or 5
large diameter (6 inches)shortened limbs. Come spring, it's resprouted in
many places. I know I should remove shoots obviously in the wrong place,
inward growing, crossing etc but I would like some help about which shoots
I should remove to train to become new branches. There are heaps around
the cuts I made, but none seem like obvious keepers at this stage... is it
just a matter of removing most? and should these themselves be pruned? if
so when? All shoots are basically aiming strongly and straightly skyward..
love and peace
SyrianPrince


A gardening customer had a green street clean up in February and called me
over. He wanted his plum tree to be pruned. The tree is huge and has 3
grafts on it of different plums. He has never been happy with it. I told him
it was the wrong time to prune but he insisted I do it. Even though I cut
out most of the centre growth and left plenty of fruiting spurs it only had
a handfull of flowers. On the other hand the leaves that have returned are
nice and green and now plenty of light and air gets to the centre of the
tree. Hopefully next year a bumper crop.

I have seen people tie branches down on fruit trees this encourages more
flowering and bigger fruit. Perhaps you could do that with some of the
branches. Then the fruit is at a picking height. Rather than some long water
shoot that has gone to the sky which you need a cherrypicker to get access
to pick fruit.

My customer is lamenting his decision to prune now as he will get no fruit
this year. he also believes that grafted trees with several varieties are a
waste of time.