[Caretaker]

Hi all, I have a Victoria (i think) plum tree 5 years old, it looked a bit dead last year but this year has a lot of fruit, do I have to take some of the fruit off?
Any tips would be appreciated.
Reg

[Old Tom]

It may be an isea to wait till the end of the month as fruit trees tend to shed some of the fruit in June. After that thin out the fruitlets if you want bigger plums. I tend to leave them as I don`t mind slightly smaller plums and they taste fine to me.

[Pompey Spud]

I'd thin them out.

I have a Vic plum tree as well.

By thinning out as well as bigger plums as commented earlier. Better air circulation amongst the fruit and when one of them starts to go off...less chance of spreading to others.

That's what I found when someone recommended I did it on the plot 2 years ago. Much better harvest.

Feed the tree with BFB or Bonemeal in October and prune the tree hard in  Dec/Jan. It will be like a new tree.

[Caretaker]

Good tips thanks, if it stop's raining I will have a closer look.
I have not pruned it ever so thats one thing and did not feed, the plumbs are only small and green at the moment about 5 or 6 in a cluster, but loads on the tree.
thanks again Reg

[simonwatson]

I read you should not prune plums in the winter due as this makes them susceptible to silverleaf. I think June is the recommended pruning time for them.

[TerryB]

I'd thin them out.

I have a Vic plum tree as well.

By thinning out as well as bigger plums as commented earlier. Better air circulation amongst the fruit and when one of them starts to go off...less chance of spreading to others.

That's what I found when someone recommended I did it on the plot 2 years ago. Much better harvest.

Feed the tree with BFB or Bonemeal in October and prune the tree hard in  Dec/Jan. It will be like a new tree.

I think you will find that you are advised not to prune plums in the winter but in the summer.
So avoiding Silver Leaf Disease.

[Pompey Spud]

sorry...i meant sept/oct

[sunshineband]

So to recap ---

 
• now is not a good time to prune plums as they might contract silerleaf disease
  
  pruning them in the autumn/winter is OK.


Another question: What do you do with all the water shoots you get thrown up after a hard prune?

[TerryB]

So to recap ---

 
• now is not a good time to prune plums as they might contract silerleaf disease
  
  pruning them in the autumn/winter is OK.


Another question: What do you do with all the water shoots you get thrown up after a hard prune?

RHS Advise
Spring pruning for young trees
Mid summer for established ones.

[sunshineband]

and the water shoots?

[Pompey Spud]

But you wouldnt prune a tree in the summer full of ripening fruit before harvesting; if its a late fruiting type.

As long as it's not done in the dormant season.

[Yorkie]

Leaving it until autumn does not allow enough time for wound healing before the weather turns.  That's why all the advice is to prune in summer.