When to Prune an Italian Plum Tree
- 1). Remove the tips of the tree's stems by pinching them off with your fingers. Do this while the tree is young to prevent a future need for a more severe pruning.
- 2). Thin your Italian plum tree by removing all the dead and dying branches. Take the branches off at the trunk to allow more light into the inner parts of the tree.
- 3). Maintain the desired shape of your Italian plum tree by cutting the branches off at the top, and around the tree, using electric shears.
- 4). Reduce the size of your tree to prevent overgrowth. If you can't reach the fruit without a ladder, the tree is too tall. Cut back a third of the tree at each pruning. Pruning back the branches also promotes new plant growth.
- 5). Make cuts clean just above a bud, and seal all cuts with a sealer to prevent infection.
- 6). Avoid silver leaf disease by pruning your Italian plum in June while the tree is rapidly growing.
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