Newbie with question #1: very neglected fruit trees

Hello everyone.

I'm glad to be amongst like minded growers & looking forward to contributing what I can of what I've learnt so far.

At the minute I've many questions about fruit trees - if anyone could help me (without actually looking at them) , even if it's to recommend a good book, I'd be very much appreciated.

Like most plotters (I guess) I took over a neglected plot. It runs East - West. That was this time last year. I've got it all into shape except for the 6 or so woefully neglected fruit trees up the top that I've just given a 1/3rd 1st prune to- clearing out the centres & the dead wood as best possible. The plot next to mine (to the south) has some superb & very grand old Apple trees on it that cast quite a shadow across all my trees which has made them grow toward them to get some sun - making them very tall, spindley & bare on the other side.

Two are Apple trees that I recon were started off as cordonned but have long been left to grow at 45deg angle but up to 10 meters high- easily...the first branches only start at 3 meters off the ground. Will these ever do anything? Could I pollard them? Last year they produced nothing of worth..was last year a poor year for apples, are they biennial?. I've 2 more Apple trees in similar condition but at least growing upward... they are much older though...but still really tall.

..then there's 2 Victoria (?) Plum Trees - these are massive (to my mind  anyway)..+_ 15 meters high - but again too tall to prune properly let alone pick fruit from...even with a telescopic scrumping pole with catcher. These too have grown mainly only into the light.

The soil they are in looks great.

Last year the only well shaped apple tree I have got battered by hail when in blossom & then dropped most of it's fruit early due to.. insect attack &/or disease ..I recon.

I neither want to wait in vain nor cut them down without giving them a chance - so I'm prepared for a 2- 3 year plan of action ..if that's what it'll take.

kr
Togalosh

Hell- that was fast.

Thanks.

Here is an article about pruning plum trees which I hope is helpful  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/pruning_prunefruittrees1.shtml

Here is an article about pruning plum trees which I hope is helpful  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/pruning_prunefruittrees1.shtml

Thanks for that SSB - so there's hope yet.

Am I the only one who needs pictures to understand instructions?

Here's the RHS page for pruning plums.

It advises leaving it till mid-summer for established trees.

There's a link on that page to apple tree pruning too, and this does need to be done in winter.