{"id":8850,"date":"2012-12-01T08:00:54","date_gmt":"2012-12-01T15:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/?p=8850"},"modified":"2015-08-06T11:48:04","modified_gmt":"2015-08-06T17:48:04","slug":"pruning-somewhat-neglected-dormant-fruit-tree-in-late-fall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/pruning-somewhat-neglected-dormant-fruit-tree-in-late-fall\/","title":{"rendered":"Pruning Somewhat Neglected Dormant Fruit Tree in Late Fall"},"content":{"rendered":"

I didn’t get around to pruning my plum tree last winter.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0Both the tree and I suffered some for that neglect. \u00a0There was fruit I couldn’t reach, branches that broke, and a general haphazard, gangly form developing. \u00a0Not only did the frenzy of harvest keep me from attending to it, but any extensive pruning in the late summer to early fall,\u00a0here in Idaho, could have damaged it.<\/em> \u00a0So, I put it off longer.<\/p>\n

\"pre-pruning<\/a>
pre-pruning evaluation of neglected plum tree<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Then it was time to put up Christmas lights.<\/strong> \u00a0Fortunately, this lead to being reminded about the plum tree. \u00a0I consulted my two main resources for pruning: \u00a0my son, Ben Blodgett, who has a degree in landscape architecture; and the book titled\u00a0Pruning Made Easy: A Gardener’s Visual Guide to When and How to Prune Everything, from Flowers to Trees<\/a>\"\". \u00a0I was relieved to find that late fall, after the cold temperatures have settled in<\/em>, is considered a reasonable time to prune a somewhat neglected tree.<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>
a basic hand held pruning saw, a bit bent<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There were two branches hanging by threads that had to go first.<\/strong> \u00a0Armed with my slightly bent pruning saw, Ben carefully removed these limbs before making any other pruning decision. \u00a0He was careful NOT to cut too close to the trunk,<\/em> so as to damage it. \u00a0Then he made good use of the lopper pruners and smaller hand held pruners to bring the rest of the tree into balance and down to a height that would aid future fruit picking.<\/p>\n

\"branches<\/a>
branches that had snapped with the weight of fruit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"always<\/a>
always taking time to look at how things are proceeding before making too many cuts in a row<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"making<\/a>
making clean cuts not too close to the trunk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The wood that was cut seemed to be healthy,<\/strong> except for one break that may need to be protectively coated. \u00a0The tree looks better and should be subject to less damage from winter ice or growth next spring. \u00a0If it is able to produce fruit next year (which can sometimes be inhibited by extensive pruning)<\/em>, I should probably try harder to get out and thin the fruit.<\/p>\n

Ben says that he\u00a0consults a pruning book on the different species regularly,<\/strong> because there is a lot of variation in what leads to best shape, health, and production. \u00a0He also recommends disinfecting tools between trees, to be careful to not pass on disease. \u00a0He likes to work outdoors with plants and can prune any fruit, ornamental, or nut tree that can be done with a medium sized ladder, so if you live in the Boise\/Nampa\/Caldwell area and would like to hire some friendly help, send him an email! \u00a0\u00a0entr3pr3n3ur@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>
a nicely pruned plum tree<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I will wait until late winter to prune my other fruit trees,<\/strong> or have them pruned, which ever it ends up being. \u00a0That way it should be more obvious if there was any damage from winter that needs to be trimmed away. \u00a0Hopefully, I will remember the trouble that the plum tree had and be more diligent to get them all attended to. \u00a0I will always think it strange that some plants need to be regularly cut away in order to be healthy and productive!<\/em><\/p>\n