How to properly prune a plum in the fall: instructions for beginners

Why prune plum trees in the fall?

Pruning a plum tree in the autumn is a set of activities aimed at annually preparing the plant for winter. With the help of timely and correct pruning, a number of negative processes can be overcome:

• the appearance of forks;
• the formation of frost holes in sharp corners that form when a branch deviates from the plum trunk;
• no damage to branches under the influence of strong winds and the weight of adhered snow;
• weak growth of young shoots or “fruits”;
• early exposure of branches due to freezing and short life of fruit buds;
• growth of tops;
• no growth of fresh wood.

If you prune a plum correctly in the fall, it will lighten the crown, improve air exchange and access of light inside the crown. As a result, the tree will be less likely to be attacked by pests. Also, he will not be at risk of fungal and other diseases. In addition, after cutting, the number of eyes that consume moisture and nutrients decreases. As a result, the wood matures faster, and the growth of unproductive shoots slows down. This increases the immunity and frost resistance of the plant, and hence the longevity of the plum. Every year it will produce a generous harvest.

Common mistakes

Let's figure out what novice gardeners most often make mistakes when pruning plum trees in the fall.

• Pruning the plum tree is done too late. It is necessary to saw off excess branches at least a month before the onset of cold weather. This is exactly how long it takes for a plum to “lick its wounds.” If pruning is done too late, the tree may die.
• The plum is sawn until the leaves fall off. Pruning during the growing season is a lot of stress for the tree. Any mistake made can lead to drying out of the tree.
• Sloppy cuts. To reduce the risk of injury to cuts, they must be done very carefully. Avoid chipping. If you are cutting a thick branch, make a small cut from the bottom first. Be sure to use well-sharpened garden tools (lopper, hacksaw, pruning shears, garden shears).
• In the fall, too many branches are cut at once. Because of this, the tree may die. Do not file many branches at once. It’s better to spread out rejuvenation over several seasons.
• The cuts are not treated with garden varnish. An untreated cut is a potentially dangerous place. Through it, an infection can enter the tree.
• Pruning is carried out haphazardly. Do not file down all the shoots in a row. Clearly imagine the scheme according to which you carry out the work.

When to prune a plum tree in the fall

There is no consensus on the question of when it is better to prune a plum tree, in spring or autumn. Many gardeners argue that work should be done in the spring. However, an autumn haircut is also acceptable. The procedure is carried out after all the foliage has fallen off the tree. This serves as a sign of the end of the growing season. Sap flow stops and the plant prepares for “sleep”. Therefore, it will withstand pruning more easily.

The exact timing depends on the climatic conditions of the region. They usually fall in mid-September - early November. It is not advisable to postpone treatment to a later time - the trees will need about a month to recover and get stronger for winter. When frost occurs, the cut areas are poorly tightened, which weakens the crop.

Also, to determine the timing of plum pruning in the fall, novice gardeners can use the Lunar calendar. It was compiled taking into account the influence of the Earth’s satellite on the biological processes occurring in plants. For example, during the waning moon, fruit trees have the most intense sap flow. This period is not used for pruning branches. If you start work on the eve of the new moon, the plum will recover faster.

Table 1. Favorable and unfavorable numbers for pruning a plum tree according to the Lunar calendar for 2022.

It is recommended to prune cherries in the fall only in dry weather. Otherwise, there is a risk of infection entering the wood. If constant negative temperatures are established (from -10? C or more), then the haircut is postponed until the “warm” winter or early spring.

Aftercare

Pruning a plum tree is a simple task that even a novice gardener can handle. However, what is more important is not the procedure itself, but proper care of the fruit tree afterwards.

If the leaves on the plant are yellow, it looks bad and generally produces less, then you should immediately give it more attention.

The main criteria for good care:

1. Cleaning up the site. This is done with a sharp knife.
2. Cut processing. To do this, use garden pitch or oil paint on drying oil.
3. Feeding. After pruning, the tree needs strength to close the wounds, so complex fertilizer will help the plum come back to life.

What tools will you need?

Pruning fruit trees in autumn is not possible without quality tools. To work you will need:

• pruner - cuts young shoots up to 1 cm in diameter. There are also more “advanced” models that can cope with branches up to 3 cm thick;
• lopper Designed to eliminate adult plum branches located at the top of the tree. Using such a tool, you can cut shoots in inaccessible places (for example, inside the crown);
• garden hacksaw - helps to remove the thickest branches, with a diameter of over 5 cm. Its teeth have an unusual sharpening and arrangement, which allows you to cut raw wood;
• Pruner - used for cutting branches at a height of more than 2 m. Essentially, this is the same pruner, but on a long rod. The knife cuts the shoot when the string tied to it is pulled.

The tool must be sharpened well: flattened sections with burrs take a long time to heal. You will also need a stepladder and gloves made of thick fabric - the trunks and perennial branches of plum trees have short spurs that injure your hands.

To disinfect fresh sections you will need copper sulfate. After disinfection, they are covered with drying oil paint. Alternatively, the saw cuts can be treated with a garden varnish made from pork fat, wax, rosin and 1/4 part of linseed oil. This composition is applied to wounds larger than 1 cm. Small cuts do not require protection - they will heal on their own.

Rules for forming a plum

Each manipulation carried out with trees has its own rules. To obtain healthy plants and a rich harvest, only garden pruning shears are used. It is forbidden to break branches, this will reduce immunity. Disinfect instruments before performing the procedure.

Attention!

Removed branches must be burned, as plum parasites may appear there. They can spread to healthy trees, which will not have the best effect on the harvest.

Branches that grow inward must be removed. Weather conditions must be:

• dry;
• warm (temperature should be about 10 ° C).

The crown must be thinned annually and step by step. This stimulates protection from cold weather and a bountiful harvest. Finally, you can feed it with fertilizers. Feeding plums in the fall will have a beneficial effect on the harvest in the summer.

A gardener's arsenal should include the following tools:

• hacksaw;
• garden knife;
• pruner

Before pruning, all tools must be disinfected. Especially if they were previously used on sick and contaminated crops.

Diseases can be transmitted from one tree to another. The tool must be sharpened well to prevent frayed cuts on the branches. Such areas will take a very long time to heal. Skeletal branches are cut using a hacksaw. A knife is needed to remove young shoots. Before work, you can practice on unnecessary rods. This will cause less damage.

Secateurs are perhaps the most indispensable tool in a gardener's arsenal. They can be used to remove thick branches. The pruning shears must be sharpened regularly to avoid damaging the cutting area.

Types and techniques of autumn plum cutting

The cutting technique is selected depending on the diameter of the branches that need to be removed. On thin growths of the current year, a haircut is carried out “on the bud”. This gives the branches the correct direction of growth and allows the plant to form new fruiting rings. The essence of the procedure is as follows: first, select a bud located on the desired side of the shoot. Then, stepping back 5 mm from it, a cut is made. The optimal tilt angle is 45 degrees. If these requirements are not met, bacteria may accumulate at the base of the kidney. Over time, the shoot will begin to hurt or dry out completely.

When it is necessary to remove an entire branch, the cut is made “on the ring” (an influx at the base of the shoot). A pruner or hacksaw is held so that the cutting part is located near the trunk. You need to cut from top to bottom, moving parallel to the trunk. This way the cut will be even and smooth, without stumps and burrs.

Many people are interested in how to prune a plum tree in the fall if the tree has very large branches. In this case, they act according to the following algorithm:

1. First stage. The branch is cut down to 1/3 of its thickness. This will help prevent the bark from scuffing on the trunk.
2. Second phase. You need to cut from above, slightly retreating from the lower projection of the cut.
3. Third stage. The resulting branch is cut into a ring.

The cuts made with a hacksaw are carefully cleaned with a knife. Next, they are allowed to dry for 2–3 hours and covered with garden varnish.

Where to plant a plum on the site

To plant plums, select an area with well-drained soil with an acidity (pH) in the range of 6.5 - 7.2 (liming the soil is often required). The place should be well lit, but at the same time be naturally protected from winter frosts.

The soil in the selected area is weeded from weeds, dug up and fertilizers are added to it. Next, you should take care of preparing the planting holes. On average, they should have a diameter of about 40 cm and a depth of about 35-45 cm. You should carefully examine the roots of each seedling and remove diseased or damaged parts.

The seedling is placed in a hole, the roots are evenly spread throughout its entire volume and carefully sprinkled with earth. A stable wooden or plastic peg should be dug in next to the seedling being planted, which will serve as a reliable support for it for the first time, until it has sufficiently taken root in the new place. The seedling can be tied to the peg with twine, a piece of cloth or other safe fabric (that does not damage the bark). Upon completion of the procedure, the planted seedlings are watered abundantly.

Scheme for pruning young plums in autumn

For the first time, a plum is pruned after transplanting into open ground. This is necessary so that the root system of the seedling can provide the skeletal branches with nutrients. The trunk is shortened at a distance of 1.5 m from the ground and cleared of side branches at a height of 50 cm. The remaining shoots are cut to 1/2 the length.

Next autumn, in order for the crown to be as strong and compact as possible, and to allow sunlight and air to pass through well, a formative haircut is carried out. The following plum pruning scheme for novice gardeners helps to achieve this goal:

• elimination of weak branches;
• removal of shoots growing into the center of the crown and thickening it;
• correction of the position of shoots deviating from the trunk at an excessively acute angle;
• laying evenly spaced, powerful skeletal branches with good development prospects.

As soon as the fruiting period begins, the formation of the plum crown is stopped for 2–3 years. During this time, the tree will have time to acquire young growth, which will give a good harvest. Only sanitary pruning is permissible - removing dried, broken shoots affected by diseases and pests. It is carried out at any time, as needed.

Scheme

Any intervention can increase the release of sap in the places where the cut is made. This will significantly weaken the tree and may cause its death. The main plum should be given a pyramidal shape. Anti-aging pruning should be done every 3-4 years. Pruning should not be done during the flowering period. During this period, there is an active movement of juice from the plum. There is a different type of pruning for different ages of trees.

Young trees

Pruning must be done immediately after planting the plant in the soil. This provides the root system with nutrients and minerals. Usually 4 branches are active, which in the future will form the skeleton of the tree. For planting, one, two or three year old seedlings are used. A three-year-old has the strongest immunity. Trees one and two years old require more gentle shaping.

Rules:

1. The seedlings have uneven growth. Because of this, some grow taller, while others grow slower. The work must be carried out at least 3 times a year.
2. The central stem is trimmed once a year. It is necessary to regularly thin out the crown in order to maintain the lower leading positions during growth.
3. The shape of the crown needs to be thought out in advance, its size and appearance determined. Further, the form must be maintained regularly.

A plant that is less than 5 years old is considered young. At this time, strong skeletal branches are formed and the appearance is determined. Pruning to determine the shape is carried out in the spring, for better adaptation to the new species. Also, during warm winters, it is possible to prune in the fall.

Basically, the tree is formed into one of the following types:

• cup-shaped;
• sparsely tiered.

You can watch a video about caring for plums in the garden in the fall and follow some simple tips. If the crown has more than one level, then it is possible:

1. When planting, determine the standard zone. It is installed 50 cm from the ground level.
2. Next, 7 buds are counted upward from the standard zone and the top is cut off.
3. The lower tier is formed from the remaining buds.
4. Of the remaining shoots, the strongest ones are formed, which depart at 60 °C. The remaining shoots are removed onto the ring.
5. The second tier is usually formed in the 3rd year. It consists of two branches. The maximum distance to them is 30 cm.
6. Next year, according to the existing scheme, the 3rd tier is formed.

The crown of young trees is formed according to the following method:

1. First, the lowest tier is formed. The shoots should grow at an angle of 60 or 90 ° C from the trunk. The main distance from the ground to the branches is 40-50 cm.
2. To strengthen the branches, the central trunk should be removed.
3. Subsequent formation is carried out through the removal of diseased branches and by regulating the timing of crown growth.

For mature trees

Old plums require rejuvenation. It should be done no more than once every 5 years. Experienced gardeners advise extending the procedure over several years. This will reduce stress on the plant. Pruning is carried out provided there are no young shoots.

Main stages:

1. It is necessary to remove 2-3 main branches. The fewer branches removed, the less stress there will be.
2. For an even cut, the branch needs to be sawed on both sides. This will protect the branches from breaking off.
3. The cut must be treated with garden varnish.
4. Next year new shoots will grow in this place. Gardeners recommend leaving no more than 3 branches.
5. When the tree tolerates pruning well, it is repeated.

Recommendation!

If a small number of fruits are formed, if the plum is sluggish and has few buds, then you should not rush into pruning for 2 years.

Pruning is stressful for the tree. It is better to carry it out in the spring so that the tree gets used to weather conditions by winter. After cutting the branches, the tree should be fed with fertilizers. You need to remember that there is no need to remove shoots from mature trees. It is ideal for them to perform sanitary pruning.

Columnar varieties have a regular crown shape and their own characteristics. Since the tree bears fruit on the trunk, the side branches must be removed annually

The crown is initially formed by the bush. In addition to sanitary pruning, it is necessary to remove branches that form near the roots. There are quite a lot of them. Do the work carefully, without damaging the roots, since they are located near the surface. The shoots are cut out near the root, the top layer of soil must be excavated. If pruning is above the soil level, the situation will worsen and the shoots will grow even more. After the procedure, all sections should be disinfected with brilliant green or copper sulfate solution. After some time, cover the cut with oil paint or garden varnish. This will make it easier for the tree to withstand intervention.

How to prune an old plum tree in the fall

This crop will require rejuvenating pruning 10 to 15 years after planting (depending on growth vigor and variety). The procedure will not only improve fruiting, but also extend the life of the tree. It also stimulates the formation of new shoots and ensures a physiological balance between the root system and the crown. Moreover, such pruning is important at an earlier stage. For example, on trees aged 6–7 years, the annual growth of young shoots slows down, which means the yield decreases.

Rejuvenating plum pruning is performed as follows:

• remove diseased, dry and growing branches towards the central conductor;
• the standard is shortened to 2 m;
• then in the fall the plum is thinned out - 3 main skeletal branches are selected, and the rest are cut “into a ring”;
• on the preserved branches, up to 30% of last year’s growth is removed (“to the stump”). The top branches are cut above the side branches growing outward.

The shoots that appear at the base of the trunk cause the most trouble. This is due to the fact that plum is its own root crop. The shoots grow most intensively 4–6 years after planting the tree. It should be cut down at the very base.

Seasonal sanitary pruning, which will also help tidy up a neglected tree

This type of pruning is carried out annually, starting from the 2nd or 3rd year of growth of the plum tree. During this procedure, do the following:

• remove broken, shriveled, damaged branches;
• cut out crowns growing inward and thickening shoots;
• closely growing, rubbing against each other and thin, weak processes are also removed.

Sanitary pruning is regularly carried out in early spring. But there is also a possibility that the procedure will need to be repeated both in summer and autumn.

Pruning different varieties of plums

In addition to the usual low-standard plums, there are columnar and dwarf types. A columnar tree is distinguished by branches pressed to the trunk. Fruit buds are formed along the skeletal branches. Some gardeners form the plant in the form of a bush. Pruning a plum is usually aimed at eliminating side shoots that do not bear ovaries. The side and central conductors are trimmed so that it is convenient to harvest. If the top of the main shoot freezes, then over time, additional 2 to 3 shoots will grow in its place. In this case, they save one, the most developed one.

Trees on dwarf rootstocks grow up to 2.5 - 3 m in length. The crown of such a plum is formed in the form of a pyramid. To do this, the side branches are shortened annually to 20 cm. The adult plant is stopped pruned in the spring. But in early autumn they begin to carry out preventive haircuts to prevent interweaving of shoots, excessive fouling, and the development of diseases and pests. In subsequent years, the focus is on the central conductor. Its height should not exceed 2.5 m.

One variety that requires unusual trimming is the yellow plum. This tree is a hybrid of yellow cherry plum. Late varieties of the crop ripen in the tenth day of September. The autumn pruning scheme involves freeing the crown from damaged, dry and diseased branches. The convenience is that the procedure can be combined with harvesting. At the same time, long shoots are shortened by 1/3 of the length (you can do it directly with the fruits).

Caring for plum trees after pruning in autumn

The first step is to collect cut branches and fallen leaves. Then take them outside the site and burn them. This will prevent further spread of the infection. In addition, autumn care includes:

• timely watering;
• fertilizing;
• mulching;
• protection from diseases and pests.

Each event helps the tree to get stronger after pruning in order to safely survive frosts.

Watering

In autumn, moisture-recharging watering is important. Water consumption depends on the soil. If groundwater passes close to the surface, then the ground around the plum is not moistened too abundantly (1 m deep). If the substrate is quite dry, then 2 m. Pre-winter watering is carried out after the autumn leaves fall, but before the onset of frost.

Feeding

There is no point in pruning a plum tree in the fall if the tree is not fed later. During this period, the plant needs three types of fertilizers:

• phosphorus-containing - 50 g per 1 m2 of land. The composition strengthens the root system, helps absorb sugar and protein compounds;
• potassium-containing - 100 g of dry suspension per 10 liters of water. It is applied under the trunk or by spraying the crown and branches. Potassium removes excess liquid from the trunk and shoots, which prevents winter freezing;
• wood ash - 200 - 300 g for 1 copy. Ash enriches the roots with useful mineral compounds and lowers the pH of the soil.

It is recommended to apply fertilizers 15–20 days before the cold snap so that they have time to be absorbed. But plums are not fed with organic compounds (chicken droppings, compost, manure) in the fall. They release nitrogen, which stimulates shoot growth.

Mulching and protection from natural enemies

When the plum tree is watered and fed, the tree trunk circles need to be mulched. To do this, the soil is sprinkled with straw or sawdust and covered with burlap folded in several layers. Add additional soil on top. This procedure insulates the roots and retains moisture throughout the winter.

It is equally important to know how to protect plums from pests and infections. Everything is simple here - you need to clean the trunk of growths and old bark with a brush or metal scraper. Then whiten with a solution based on clay, mullein and lime. Copper sulfate can be added for disinfection.

Pruning a plum tree in the fall is a completely solvable task for beginning gardeners. The main thing is to carry out the procedure according to all the rules and on time. In this case, it will bring more benefits than in spring or summer.

Regional features

Circumcision is carried out every year in the spring. In the center of Russia in March, in the north in April, and in the south there are no restrictions. The only condition is the need to meet the period before the movement of juice and swelling of the buds, but when the temperature is no less than -6 oC for a long time, since in this case there is a high risk of injury to the plant.

Seasonal work:

1. In summer, prune in early to mid-summer. This procedure is relevant for young plants; older trees are pruned only when the need arises. Also during this period, you can cut off shoots that have frozen over the winter, if this was not done during care in the spring, since now they become clearly visible and easy to recognize.
2. Autumn pruning is necessary in September; in areas with a persistent warm climate, the prevention procedure can be performed in early October. In areas where winter comes early or is prolonged, if possible, you should refrain from pruning in the fall, since the fruit tree will not have time to adapt before frost. The exception is the need to carry out a sanitary procedure, but this must be completed as soon as possible.
3. Pruning in winter has become popular not so long ago; the main advantage of this method is to stimulate the growth of young shoots in the spring. This is explained by the fact that the plum tree tolerates wintering much better than other stone fruit species.

During severe frosts, such a procedure should still not be carried out, as this may affect the growth and development of the plant crop. This pruning is only suitable for the south, where it is warm even in February.