Hello,

I have very limited gardening experience.....

We moved into this property which had a large, well tended garden, by a retired couple.

It had this lovely Plumb Tree which produced a huge harvest each year. However, I had not pruned it for 3 years and branches had grown too large and the plumbs were threatening to bring them down.

I decided to prune it back last Autumn, however, I think I may have been too harsh. Now it has many of sprouts from the branches and, not surprisingly, has produced little fruit. I am told that it has been "shocked" and is furiously growing branches. I am now afraid to take off the sprouting shoots in case it makes the situation worse!

Question is, how do I bring this under control to a manageable sized tree that will produce fruit once again?

Many thanks!

Darren.

Darren Wingham wrote:

I have very limited gardening experience.....

We moved into this property which had a large, well tended garden, by a
retired couple.

It had this lovely Plumb Tree which produced a huge harvest each year.
However, I had not pruned it for 3 years and branches had grown too
large and the plumbs were threatening to bring them down.

Must be one of those rare plumb bob trees... be alert to plumber's
crack.

On May 10, 1:35*pm, Darren Wingham darren@realpeoplephotography-DOT-
co-dot-uk wrote:
Hello,

I have very limited gardening experience.....

We moved into this property which had a large, well tended garden, by a
retired couple.

It had this lovely Plumb Tree which produced a huge harvest each year.
However, I had not pruned it for 3 years and branches had grown too
large and the plumbs were threatening to bring them down.

I decided to prune it back last Autumn, however, I think I may have been
too harsh. Now it has many of sprouts from the branches and, not
surprisingly, has produced little fruit. I am told that it has been
"shocked" and is furiously growing branches. I am now afraid to take off
the sprouting shoots in case it makes the situation worse!

Question is, how do I bring this under control to a manageable sized
tree that will produce fruit once again?

Many thanks!

Darren.

--
Darren Wingham

Depending how you pruned the "plumbs" (aka plums). You needed to
prune the OLD wood, not the new. If you really want action out of
this "plumb" tree in future, look up correct pruning technique on the
Web, and learn to recognize what should come and out what shouldn't.
Even better: Spring for a professional to come in and rectify the
situation, and have him/her teach you proper technique in the process.
Would be $ well spent.

HB

Darren Wingham wrote:
Hello,

I have very limited gardening experience.....

We moved into this property which had a large, well tended garden, by
a retired couple.

It had this lovely Plumb Tree which produced a huge harvest each year.
However, I had not pruned it for 3 years and branches had grown too
large and the plumbs were threatening to bring them down.

I decided to prune it back last Autumn, however, I think I may have
been too harsh. Now it has many of sprouts from the branches and, not
surprisingly, has produced little fruit. I am told that it has been
"shocked" and is furiously growing branches. I am now afraid to take
off the sprouting shoots in case it makes the situation worse!

Question is, how do I bring this under control to a manageable sized
tree that will produce fruit once again?


Heavy pruning of plums can decrease fruit production for a year. You can safely
remove unwanted shoots without affecting the future production as long as you
leave the right fruiting branches. For instance, removing vertical "water
shoots" will help get sun to the ripening fruit and the desired fruiting
branches.

Great, thanks for the advice.

You see I've had so little to do with this fruit, up until now, I even get the spelling wrong!!

Any more tips on plum tree care greatly appreciated.

Darren.

On 5/11/11 1:08 AM, Darren Wingham wrote:
Great, thanks for the advice.

You see I've had so little to do with this fruit, up until now, I even
get the spelling wrong!!

Any more tips on plum tree care greatly appreciated.

Darren.


Now that everyhone has had a good laugh, you need to tell us where the
tree is. That is, what is your climate, which determines when you
should prune the tree.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

"David E. Ross" wrote:
Darren Wingham wrote:

Any more tips on plum tree care greatly appreciated.

Now that everyhone has had a good laugh, you need to tell us where the
tree is. That is, what is your climate, which determines when you
should prune the tree.

For pruning stone fruit trees knowing the climate is really not
necessary, that they grow there tells the climate, obviously. Pruning
is best accomplished according to season and growing habit.
"always prune plum trees when they are growing strongly, mid-June is a
good time."
http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_...ch_2e_plum.asp

On 5/11/11 11:54 AM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
"David E. Ross" wrote:
Darren Wingham wrote:

Any more tips on plum tree care greatly appreciated.

Now that everyhone has had a good laugh, you need to tell us where the
tree is. That is, what is your climate, which determines when you
should prune the tree.

For pruning stone fruit trees knowing the climate is really not
necessary, that they grow there tells the climate, obviously. Pruning
is best accomplished according to season and growing habit.
"always prune plum trees when they are growing strongly, mid-June is a
good time."
http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_...ch_2e_plum.asp

Ornamental (non-fruiting) stone fruits should be pruned just after they
flower. After pruning, the new growth in late spring and summer will
produce next year's flowers. Pruning too late will remove next year's
flowers.

Fruiting stone fruits are pruned while dormant. In my climate, that is
in January. Then, I can most easily tell which is new fruiting wood snd
thin it without removing all of it. Where winters produce snow and
freezes, pruning should be done just before buds open. Then, you can
remove wood that failed to survived the winter in addition to thinning
new fruiting wood.

Many varieties of plum do not really require significant pruning. They
only require corrective pruning: removing dead, broken, or crossing
branches.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

On Wed, 11 May 2011 16:17:49 -0700, "David E. Ross"
wrote:

On 5/11/11 11:54 AM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
"David E. Ross" wrote:
Darren Wingham wrote:

Any more tips on plum tree care greatly appreciated.

Now that everyhone has had a good laugh, you need to tell us where the
tree is. That is, what is your climate, which determines when you
should prune the tree.

For pruning stone fruit trees knowing the climate is really not
necessary, that they grow there tells the climate, obviously. Pruning
is best accomplished according to season and growing habit.
"always prune plum trees when they are growing strongly, mid-June is a
good time."
http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_...ch_2e_plum.asp

Ornamental (non-fruiting) stone fruits should be pruned just after they
flower.

Changing the subject always makes one look intelligent.