Alex Tyrrell

Megan Palmer wrote:I’d wait until summer after the tree has finished fruiting and cut the large centre branch on an angle to reduce water pooling in the centre of the tree.

Summer pruning reduces the vigour and there ought to be fewer water shoots than when pruned in winter.  

Nevertheless, rub out all new shoots that grow from the stump of the pruned branches.

Thanks for that. Yeah I had already decided to cut that big center at an angle to allow the water to run off and probably seal it with something as well.

Alex

Many thanks for the reply. Very helpful.

Many thanks for this useful reply.

No this has never been cut at any time. I bought them all as bare root trees and the only cutting was top branches.

Alex

Hi folks, I need some help here regarding my plum tree.

I planted it 4 or 5 years ago and it never produced any fruit until this year so unfortunately it was just left to grow and the photo is the result.

I think I read somewhere that a plum tree should be cut back until it resembles a champagne glass, three uprights if that makes sense.

Could someone advice me on the best way to deal with this one as it's sort of out of control?

Should I cut away that big thick center part to begin with and then try and shape it from there?

Many thanks for any help. I'm 71 and just getting into growing fruit trees. I have this plum tree, a black cherry tree, an apple tree which is growing well and a pear tree which has also just produced fruit for the first time this year. They were all planted at the same time 4 or 5 years ago.