Pruning neglected fans

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Pruning neglected fans
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NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4594
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 14 4:51 pm Post subject: Pruning neglected fans

As part of my new life as Waitress, I'm also gardening

There are 3 kinda-fan-trained trees in a walled garden. One Victoria plum (thank god for the label) and 2 figs (ambitious, even for me).

I understand the principle behind fan training, but am a little cautious as these belong to my boss/landlord. So I can prune the plum before the last frosts correct? To avoid the fungal disease. But the figs have to wait until after last frost?

By "neglected" I mean ignored for a year or two, not an ancient beast that has never seen the secateurs

LynneA

Joined: 25 Oct 2006
Posts: 4893
Location: London N21

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 14 5:52 pm Post subject:
Plums must be pruned once growing - so should be about right time. I pruned my figs last weekend, so probably wait a couple more weeks. For fan trained trees, the main object is to get rid of anything growing out from the fan shape, then cutting back any overgrowth. I'm sure there's proper instructions online.

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4594
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 14 6:06 pm Post subject:

LynneA wrote:

Plums must be pruned once growing - so should be about right time.

I pruned my figs last weekend, so probably wait a couple more weeks.

For fan trained trees, the main object is to get rid of anything growing out from the fan shape, then cutting back any overgrowth.

I'm sure there's proper instructions online.

Thanks

I've rummaged in my books but the directions for timing are "early spring" which is slightly vague!
There are buds just starting to burst on the plum, sound about right?

How brutal do you think I can be? I normally err towards hard pruning.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45454
Location: Essex

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 14 6:39 pm Post subject:

Plums are usually julyish you need dry and sunny, normally this would be a bad time this year however the conditions are ideal BUT I would not prune now as the sap is rising quite fast. I'd wait till end apr once the trees have properly leafed out. You can be brutal with plums but pruning out too much will result in a lot of new growth as the root system stays the same size. Use it also as an opportunity to thin, very easy to overcrop a fan

Mithril

Joined: 22 Jul 2011
Posts: 1755
Location: wessex

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 14 8:43 pm Post subject:
I need to do this - my fan plum has gone slightly awry. I was always told not before May for plums, I think because of the risk of silver leaf.

earthyvirgo

Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 7972
Location: creating prints in the loft, Gerlan

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 14 9:32 pm Post subject:
Both Plum (Victoria I think) and Damson here are in flower, so watch out for pruning off your fruiting buds if you do anything now. EV

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4566
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 14 11:21 pm Post subject:

Here`s a link to an old book,turn of the last century,its a Gardeners and poultry keepers guide and catalogue,its 25 pounds,but its a genuine one,there are others on Amazon and such,but their half the size,there are excellent articles about pruning and training tree`s as the old victorian gardeners did.

If you don`t feel like spending that amount on an old book,
Send me a PM with your details and i`ll post you mine for a look,which is a different colour to all advertised on line ,so could be an older copy,the first was written in the 1860`s apparently.

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4594
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Sun Apr 06, 14 7:31 am Post subject:
Couldn't see a link, but was it this one? I'm a sucker for old books but some of these are abridged apparently.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15644

Posted: Sun Apr 06, 14 9:27 am Post subject:
I would wait until June/July to prune the plums to avoid the risk of silver leaf. Best thing to do as they haven't been severely neglected is to cut out only some of the fruiting spurs and to only cut out the worst ones spoiling the fan shape. Sorry, don't know about figs as we have never grown them since I was a child, and that was Dads problem.

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4594
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Sun Apr 06, 14 10:12 am Post subject:
Am I allowed to chop off the branches trying to poke me in the eye?

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15644

Posted: Sun Apr 06, 14 10:26 am Post subject:
I would try to tie them out of the way for now and prune them later. Those are the main ones that should come out as they are the ones spoiling the fan shape, as I assume they are pointing straight out of the tree.

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4566
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Sun Apr 06, 14 11:26 am Post subject:

NorthernMonkeyGirl wrote:

Couldn't see a link, but was it this one?

I'm a sucker for old books but some of these are abridged apparently.

Sorry,i forgot to paste the link,

https://www.antiquedoorfittings.co.uk/ourshop/prod_2449980-The-Gardeners-Poultry-Keepers-Guide-Illustrated-Catalogue.html

This is the genuine article,but the pages you need are missing,i checked with mine,the majority are abridged only 300 pages ,this old one has 638 and mine is Green.

Your welcome to have a lend.

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4594
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Sun Apr 06, 14 11:31 am Post subject:

Ty Gwyn wrote:

NorthernMonkeyGirl wrote:

Couldn't see a link, but was it this one?

I'm a sucker for old books but some of these are abridged apparently.

A loan would be wonderful, thank you! Only if you're sure it will survive the post?

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4566
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Sun Apr 06, 14 11:51 am Post subject:
PM me your details,and i`ll get it packed up in the week, I`m sure it will help you with the pruning etc In-fact there is so much knowledge in this book about so many things,there is something for everyone.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sun Apr 06, 14 9:27 pm Post subject:

NorthernMonkeyGirl wrote:

Am I allowed to chop off the branches trying to poke me in the eye?

Isn't that what pruning means? You chop off the bits that are in the way and hope for the best?

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