Winter pruning of plum trees must be done carefully and meticulously

Plum trees enter their full-bearing period 7 years after planting. The main task of winter pruning at this stage is to maximize yield per unit area and strictly control the formation of alternate bearing and bare zones at the rear.

Winter pruning principles: Heavy pruning is the main approach, combining heavy and light pruning, to maintain the balance between growth and fruiting, with equal emphasis on shaping and fruiting shifting to a primary focus on fruiting.

Winter pruning methods: Cut back the extension shoots of main and lateral branches at all levels by 1/2; appropriately thin out the flower-bud-bearing spurs and short fruiting branches on them to avoid weakening tree vigor; in cases where the main branch tips droop or adjacent trees between rows touch, the main and lateral branches may be appropriately retracted. For fruiting branch groups, the focus should shift to flower-bud-bearing spur clusters as the primary fruiting units, which should account for over 90%; pay attention to cultivating them on 2-3 year old branches, and cultivate them early, because if too late the branches will become bare and very difficult to cultivate. Rejuvenating and revitalizing weakened fruiting branch groups is the key to overcoming alternate bearing and bare zones. The main techniques are “one cut, two release, three retract” and the methods of removing the weak and keeping the strong, removing the outer and keeping the central, removing the lower and keeping the upper, that is, cut back the extensions of main and lateral branches at all levels by 1/3, and cut back the second and third lateral branches by 1/2; pay attention to thinning out water sprouts, densely growing branches, overlapping branches, and crossing branches and cultivate them early; retract branches that flowered and fruited the previous year; for vegetative branches and branches with few flowers, appropriately apply “cut first then release” and “release first then cut” to cultivate medium-sized fruiting branch groups.