thejewster
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2015 10:51 am

Young Plum Tree HELP!

Hello

I was wondering if someone can help me out. I started a plum tree from seed about a year ago and it is now March and it has come out of hibernation and is starting to sprout.

There are 5 or 6 very small branches at the bottom and then the stem shoots straight up.

I have included a picture.

It is very slim.

My question is:- should it be this slim and should I be pruning this plant for the future or do I just let it grow.

If it does need pruning can you tell me what I should or shouldnt be cutting off.

Also is it too late now to prune it.
plum.jpg
Hope you can help

Jewster

tomc
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Posts: 2661
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 2:52 am
Location: SE-OH USA Zone 6-A

if that was my plum tree I might want it planted rather farther away from a building.

Yokoharu
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Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2015 7:34 am

I have plum trees in my garden for several years now and each year it grew more suckers similar to what you have. We dug it out and distributed to whatever wants 2 suckers for cross pollination. It is time to plant it. Do not try to prune it as the plant will do her own thing as she gets bigger. It takes about 3-4 years before it will produce fruit. I don't know which variety you have. We have lots of fruits in fall.

JONA
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Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:11 am
Location: Sussex. England

Just a couple of points jewster,
I would leave those small shoots at the bottom of the tree for a while until the whole plant has built up some more strength. In the end though they will have to go as they are far too low.
As regards cutting the leader. Once it has reached around knee height then it would pay to cut the tip as this will encourage it produce side shoots ( feathers) at that point. These would be at the ideal height once the three was mature.
Any tree planted from seed is going to be a chance as you do not know the other parent. It may turn into a lovely plum....or just a wild sport that is poor quality....you take that gamble when you plant from the stone.Good luck.

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sweetiepie
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Posts: 397
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2015 12:18 pm
Location: York, ND (Zone 3b)

I wouldn't prune this year. Give it a year to get going. It needs a certain amount of leaves to have good transpiration. I think it looks great since it came from a seed. But then in ND, I have a hard time getting trees to grow from seed without a lot of work.



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