How to cut a plum in the spring? Prune and care for old plums

Every gardener dreams of getting a decent harvest. Growing on the plum area with proper care will please with its fruits, from which you can make jam, make compotes. In addition, the plum has healing properties.

How to plant a plum

The best time to plant is spring. The pit is prepared two weeks before the procedure. Its diameter is about 80 cm, depth - 70 cm. To fertile soil it is necessary to add humus, organic and mineral fertilizers and mix. The soil mixture is laid in a pit and well watered.

The roots of the tree are sprinkled with the top layer of soil, a little rammed. Planted plum immediately watered with 3-4 buckets of water, the soil around mulch.

How to care for the plum?

In order to get a good harvest, you need competent and regular care. Plum is a water-loving plant, so it should be watered regularly and abundantly, especially in hot seasons.

In the first three years there is no need to introduce fertilizers, but then, during flowering, you need to feed the tree using nitrogenous fertilizers. In the autumn time, they feed on organic fertilizers (manure, urea).

Of course, fertilizing the plum in the spring is very important, but apart from it, the tree needs protection from pests and diseases so that it grows healthy and yields a good harvest. It is very important to observe precautions when working with chemicals.

An equally important element of care is pruning plums. Forming pruning is carried out in order that the fruits receive enough sun and air. For old trees, rejuvenating pruning is carried out, which allows to extend the life of the tree.

Let's take a closer look at each stage of care for the plum.

How to cut a plum in the spring?

An important stage in caring for a tree is its pruning, which must be carried out annually to prevent thickening of the crown. Such care for the plum is necessary in order for the tree to grow strong and healthy. The best time for this procedure is spring (late March - early April).

The first stage of pruning is thinning. At the same time, remove excess branches and cut off shoots that grow upward.

The next stage is called a shortening. It is necessary to trim last year's gains. This is necessary in order that next year the tree has new fruit branches.

Pruning of plums is carried out with the help of special tools. Sections should be treated with garden swarf or special means.

Formation of sparse-longline crown occurs for five years. At the base, you need to leave five to seven large branches that are at an angle of 40-50 degrees from the trunk. Between the main and skeletal branches should be a distance of about 25 cm, best of all, if they look in different directions. The main branches relative to the crown tiers should be arranged as follows: two of the three branches of the lower tier are on the same level.

To form a two-tiered crown, the two main branches of the second tier should be at different levels.

Trimming a young tree

How to cut a plum in the spring in the first year of life? Plum is characterized by heterogeneous growth of shoots, so pruning young trees should be done two to three times a year, with the central trunk shortened once a year. In the first year of life, the tree will lay the foundation for the growth and development of skeletal branches. It is during this period that it is necessary to determine the height and shape of the tree.

Prune the young plum as follows. First, shorten the lower branch to the level of a good kidney, the upper part with an underdeveloped kidney is cut off. Then, the remaining branches are shortened, except for the conductor. They are shortened to the level of the cut of the lower branch. The conductor is cut in such a way that it is 20-25 cm higher or lower than the other branches (depending on what shape the crown should be formed).

The skeleton of the crown is formed by pruning or tilting the branches that grow in the wrong direction, so that they are in a semi-skeletal position.
Such actions are repeated until all the branches of the growing tree are laid.

Pruning plums in the second year of life

The procedure is carried out in the middle of March, during this period the wound healing is faster. First of all, choose 3-4 skeletal branches, which are cut to half or a third.

During the vegetative period shoots on the trunk may be formed. They are cut off for five to seven centimeters. In the second growing season, shoots are cut off entirely.

Trimming an old tree

Many gardeners are interested in the question of how to properly cut the plum in the spring, if it is not young? The pruning of old trees lasts about 15 years, until reaching a drainage height of about two meters. Then you need to cut the main trunk, as well as the largest branches. This procedure stops the growth of the plum, so make sure that the crown is well lit.

The old tree is usually cut only damaged and weak branches. How to cut a plum in the spring, when the growth of new shoots is suspended or the yield is reduced? In this case, rejuvenating pruning is performed. To do this, early skeletal branches are cut in early spring. Formed wounds grease with garden fumes. When pruning large branches, not to damage the tree, they are filed from below, then remove the length.

On the cut, new shoots grow. Among them, you need to choose 3-4 strongest, removing the rest in July. The whole complex of rejuvenating procedures should be stretched for 2-3 years, so as not to deplete the tree.

Top dressing plum

A growing tree needs "nitrogen support". To do this, spray the plum with urea diluted in water (2 tablespoons per 10 liters) in the first half of May. Plums that have entered the fruiting stage are fed as follows. Before the tree blossoms, it is necessary to loosen the soil around it, moisturize and pour a solution of urea and potassium sulfate (2 tbsp per 10 liters of water).

The next feeding of plum in spring occurs when berries are poured. For this, a solution is used - urea (2 tbsp.), Nitrophosphate (3 tbsp.), Water (10 l).
After the tree is fertilized, it is fed for the third time. For watering in water (10 liters) dissolve potassium sulfate (2 tbsp.) And superphosphate (3 tbsp.).

In addition, every year during the fruiting period, manure humus (1 bucket) is added to the soil around the plum mixed with lime-pushenka or chalk (1 tbsp.). Such care for the plum will yield a good harvest.

Protection against pests

For the prevention and treatment of fungus, it is necessary to remove diseased leaves, fruits and shoots. All damaged branches must be burned. Garden putty or lime milk with the addition of copper sulfate is used to decontaminate the slices. In the spring, before the appearance of the leaves, the tree is treated with a Bordeaux liquid.

In the struggle with plum moth, the use of Bitoksibacillin, Lepidocida, and Haupsin is effective. Treatment of plum in spring is carried out 4-6 times in 7-10 days.

For protection from plum pollinated aphids, special preparations are used or the leaves are sprayed during dissolution, the infusions of such plants are used: garlic, chamomile, onion, wormwood, yarrow, dandelion, celandine.

Kamedetechenie also adversely affects the development of the tree. Gum reproduces in the gum. There is a gum production in the event that the tree grows in a damp and cold place. For protection, it is necessary to wipe off all wounds with a knife, and cover with garden varnish. Large wounds are tied with a bandage bandage.

Caring for a plum tree is not much different from caring for other fruit trees. The main thing is to do everything correctly and on time. And knowledge about how to cut a plum in the spring, feed it and protect it from pests will allow you to get a good harvest every year.