Pruning a fruit tree while it has fruits on - good or bad?

m33r4

Hi there.

My Czar plum tree has fruited fantastically this year! The fruits that are left on it are far too ripe to eat. Before the cold sets in and as I have time off, I was wondering if it would be a good idea to prune the tree without introducing any disease to the tree whilst so doing?

Thanks for any advice.

m33r4

Primrose

Bad idea I think although I can understand the temptation. It's normally best to prune fruit trees in the autumn after the leaves have fallen and you can see exactly where you're cutting.
What on earth are you going to do with all those plums? I normally find that over-ripe plums are still nice stewed down into a compote (add a dash of lemon juice if you like that plum zingy taste) and frozen but you may be sick of the sight of them by now !!

Kay_Peel

I prune apple and plum trees in June or July. I cut back half of the current season's growth to a leaf.

If I were you I would prune now rather than later.

http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/projects/plums-prune/

Savvy_Spender_South

Can i offer an alternate view?

Autumn pruning means cut ends sit open all winter and new groth cannot start until next spring.

I made a decision a couple of years back to prune trees and shrubs mid summer. I do this every other year and after pruning new buds and shoots spring into action before the end of the season. Then, sugars and all that groth stuff store up in the roots over winter and kick in at the start of spring.

This is not conventional but i believe the autumn thing heralds from an era when it was busy enough spring and summer to leave pruning until later.

m33r4

Thanks for the input everyone!

I have a firepit in my garden so all the pruned branches will be made good use of !

m33r4

Primrose wrote: »

..What on earth are you going to do with all those plums? I normally find that over-ripe plums are still nice stewed down into a compote (add a dash of lemon juice if you like that plum zingy taste) and frozen but you may be sick of the sight of them by now !!

I have given bags of it to friends at work, relatives and neighbours and there is still half a tree left! My Jack Russell chomps on them too!

I will just leave the rest to follow the course of nature now. Next year might be a less productive one - will see.

Lotus-eater

You are supposed to prune stone fruits in summer when it is warm and dry, to reduce the chance of silver leaf disease.
So I would wait until it's warm and dry and do it ASAP if I were you, or wait until next years summer.

m33r4

Thanks for that Lotus-eater

Lotus-eater

Just so you know, I haven't pruned mine yet, I have waited until the fruit is harvested, which it will be tomorrow.
We have a few days of fine dry weather forecast next week, so I plan to wait a couple of days for the tree to dry and then do it on a fine day when the weather the next day will also be fine. You can also paint some stuff on the wound to help it to heal better, although I have never done so and I haven't had any problems.

m33r4

Lotus-eater wrote: »

...We have a few days of fine dry weather forecast next week, so I plan to wait a couple of days for the tree to dry and then do it on a fine day when the weather the next day will also be fine. ....

I hope Derbyshire remains dry too!

I pruned the tree last year and it has shot new shoots like mad this year! I will need a good while spend on pruning the new shoots. My aim is to keep the tree low and accessible.