A Guide To Pruning Plum Trees: Why, When & How

With a plum tree in your garden, you can look forward to deliciously juicy plums, ripe for the picking. But to keep your tree in top condition and ensure that it produces tasty fruit year after year, pruning plum trees is an important task. Regular pruning will encourage strong, balanced growth, resulting in a larger yield and longer lifespan for your plum tree.

Why pruning plum trees is important

1. Promotes health: By pruning your plum tree regularly, you can remove diseased, damaged, or dead branches. This will prevent the spread of illness and improve the overall health of the tree.
2. Looks great: Proper pruning will give your tree a strong structure and make it more resistant to wind and the weight of the fruit, while at the same time maintaining an attractive shape.
3. Preventing mould: By keeping the crown open, you reduce the chance of fungal diseases such as the dreaded silver leaf fungus, which can lead to the death of branches.
4. Boosting fertility: A well-pruned specimen receives more sunlight and air circulation in the crown. This leads to more and better quality plums at harvest.

When to prune plum trees in the UK?

Are you wondering when to prune plum trees in the UK? Knowing the specifics can make a significant difference. 

Unlike many other fruit trees, such as apples and pears, it is not advisable to prune a plum tree in winter. The ideal time to take care of your plum tree is therefore in late summer, after harvest but before autumn begins. The months of August and September are perfect because the risk of fungal infections is then the smallest.

For young plum trees up to three years old, however, light pruning is recommended in early spring, around April. This prevents diseases and makes it easier to spot the flower buds, so you don’t remove fruit-bearing wood.

How to prune a plum tree step by step

Now that you know when to cut back plum trees, you can start the pruning. The best method for pruning your plum tree depends on the age of the tree. Below you will find a detailed guide to the different life stages of plum trees:

Pruning young plum trees (0-3 years)

Pruning adult plum trees (3+ years)

Once your plum tree is mature, you’ll want to leave it alone to produce fruit. Here’s how to prune:

1. Remove water shoots: Prune away only the slender, upright ‘water shoots’ and unwanted or diseased branches.
2. Work from the bottom up: Start by pruning away the bottom dead and damaged branches of your plum tree, working your way further up, as far away from the trunk as possible.

Pruning a wild plum tree

A neglected plum tree is fragile, so it’s not wise to drastically prune it back all at once. Therefore, spread the process over about two years so that you never have to prune back the plum tree more than a maximum of a third at a time. A one-metre branch can therefore be pruned to a maximum of 33 cm.

Flowering and fruiting 

The flowering time of your plum tree will depend on the specific variety, but in general, it is one of the first fruit trees to bloom in the spring, sometimes as early as March. The amount of blossom that a plum tree produces indicates what you can expect from the harvest.

Protect the blossoms from possible night frost by covering them with a fleece. After flowering, leaf growth begins, and depending on the variety, you can enjoy juicy, sweet plums between mid-July and the end of September.

If, after pruning your plum tree correctly, you notice that it is suddenly not bearing fruit, it could be due to several reasons. Perhaps the tree produced too much fruit the year before and needs to recover now. Too little moisture at the roots or a late spring night can also affect the blossoms.

The right tools for pruning plum trees

To be able to prune your plum tree precisely and efficiently, you need sharp and clean tools. Compact pruning shears are perfect for small branches, while loppers or even a small pruning saw are needed for thicker branches.

Sharp tools ensure smaller pruning wounds and less strain on the tree, which significantly reduces the risk of diseases and infections. It is therefore a smart investment to purchase high-quality pruning equipment for a healthy and productive plum tree.

Silver leaf disease

Silver leaf fungus is a persistent disease that is almost impossible to control and can penetrate deep into the wood of the plum tree. You can recognise it by the silver shine colour on the leaves.

If your tree is infested, it is important to immediately prune away all affected branches and mouldy fruits from your plum tree to prevent further spread. Don’t forget to sterilise your pruning tools and use wound coverings after pruning an infested tree.

Protect your plums from pests

To look forward to a bountiful harvest of juicy, delicious plums, it is advisable to protect your tree from the plum moth and plum aphid. These pests are usually most active in June and July.

The underside of the leaves can then be completely covered with aphids in a powdery wax layer, while the plum moth causes worms in the fruit. Be proactive and regularly check for visible pests in your plum tree or plums. This is the only way you can take the right measures to secure your harvest.

Plum tree pruning FAQ

Enjoy a healthy and fertile plum tree

By pruning your plum tree in the right way and at the right time, you ensure that it will produce a rich harvest of delicious plums for years to come. Remember the crucial times: prune young trees in early spring and mature specimens after harvest in August or September. Choose the right method according to its age, use sharp tools, and give your tree the necessary nutrition and protection. 

Do you have any other fruit trees in the garden that you want to guarantee a good harvest? Then find out everything you need to know, pruning apple trees and fig trees. Or, if you have shrubs, you can get started with our guides to pruning strawberries and raspberries.   

Do you have any questions or would you like more gardening advice? Please let us know in the comments section below!

Happy pruning!

Louis Hooft

Founder & Lawn expert

Introducing Louis Hooft, the founder of MOOWY and your reliable expert. With a profound love for stunning lawns and extensive experience in garden maintenance, Louis is here to assist garden enthusiasts in achieving a greener and livelier outdoors than ever before. Count on Louis for invaluable tips, clever tricks, and top-notch products to make your garden flourish!