How to Prune an Old Plum Tree

Locate and cut out dead and diseased branches. Disinfect the tools after each branch to avoid spreading the disease.

Trim broken branches or cut them out completely, depending on the importance of the branch to the structure of the tree. Trim a scaffolding branch (main branch), if necessary, to a point where it will be able to recover. Remove small or side branches.

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Cut out branches that have grown across each other so they do not become damaged and provide an entrance for silver leaf disease.

Trim new growth back by one-third on branches that you want to keep intact. Cut off the new growth, such as suckers and water sprouts, if it does not promote fruit production.

Apply the protective sealer to the pruning cuts, if desired, especially those larger than 2 inches in diameter.

How to Prune a Plum Tree

9Plum trees generally are pruned in a vase type format. That means what you want to do is encourage the growth of a fairly short trunk and then encourage three or four major branches to splay off the top of that trunk at about a forty-five degree angle.

Now this is generally accomplished in the winter. In fact the very best time to prune plums is in the very late winter right before bud break. Because at that time, the wounds that you create have less time in which they have to heal before the tree starts to resume growth.

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Now a vase type arrangement is ideal for plums because it allows a great deal of sunlight to get to the interior of the tree and to get to the fruiting wood. And remember whenever you're pruning, whether it's a plum or any other deciduous tree, never ever leave a stump on the tree. You want to prune it right back to the next major, either to the trunk or to major branches.



A stump is a way that insects, disease and fungus can find their way into the tree. In addition to basic winter pruning, which I've just spoken of, you can also do some light summer pruning. For instance if you get over vigorous shoots, water sprouts or crossing or damaged branches, by all means take those out. However the major pruning, the major shaping of the tree should take place in late winter.  Happy growing !

How to Prune a 5 Year Old Plum Tree

Inspect the tree in the spring before it begins actively leafing out. Cut out dead or winter-damaged branches with a pruning saw. Cut them flush with the nearest healthy branch or the trunk.

Trim out any crossed branches that are rubbing together, as the damage caused by rubbing can lead to disease or insect problems. Cut the branches back to the nearest main branch from which they emerge.

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Locate any water spout branches on the plum tree. Water spouts grow straight up from one of the side branches, often crowding the upper branches and weakening the branch they emerge from. Cut out the water spouts flush with the branch of their origin.



Cut back the top and sides of the tree to maintain the shape and size. Cut back each overgrown branch to a leaf bud nearest the desired length of the branch.

Plum Tree Pruning

Pruning is recommended to preserve or improve tree structure, heartiness and life-span. Prune plum trees right after flowering to promote vigor. If controlling tree size, it is best to prune in the winter.

Pruning can reduce specific defects or structural problems in a tree to greatly lessen the risk of failure. Broken, diseased, or dead branches are typically removed in order to prevent decay-producing fungi from infecting the wood in other areas of the tree.

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Removal of live branches is occasionally necessary to allow increased exposure to sunlight and circulation of air within the canopy. This assists in reduction of certain diseases. We also advocate the removal of branch stubs to promote successful and proper healing over of wounds.