Advice Pruning Opal Plum Tree

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Hello -  I belive this is an Opal plum tree in my garden ? This years Ive had a very good crop of good fruit,  been able to make plum wine,  chutney , fresh plum juice feach day and also frozen around 150 plums , cropping is just about ending now.

Problems are that many of the fruit are bad and each day many bad ones drop off onto the ground. Also its too high to reach much of the fruit.

Im looking to address the issues with bad fruit, reduce the height and try improve overall health and get furture harvests that are better quality and easier to reach.

Looking for tips and advice, specifically what I can do as a  non-expert and when I should be doling it


Many Thanks  

Dustyevsky

I wish I could help, but I get the same problems on my old tree, which doesn't look as healthy as yours! I've no idea what variety it is, but the height of fruit trees is largely determined by rootstock.

There is already plenty of info out there about pruning, thinning and feeding plums, so the only helpful thing I can say is your location and soil will be significant factors in success. I'm not in a good plum growing location, so I console myself with that. I've just planted an unfussy damson, rather than risk another plum.

twopenny

I see your problem.
If you cut it down by half you will only get a few plums for a couple of years. But it may be worth the sacrifice.

Don't think it would work but for apples I used a long pole with a large empty cola bottle attached to the spout with duck tape and the big end cut off.
It worked like a cup, under the fruit push up gently and wiggle.
An apple will come off when ripe. Not sure plums would as they need a pull.