Such wisdom in slowing down, stepping back and not trying to do too much at once. Great session especially with the emphasis on getting more light to the fruiting branches. Thank you!
Thanks! Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: a.co/d/glwePid And here’s the playlist for all of the tree care videos: czcams.com/video/9ioGcl7gHgc/video.html
Glad it was helpful! Below is a link to several more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
I have learned so much from this man about my 3-4 year old apple tree and how to prune it, and now I'm learning about my fruit-bearing plum tree that I obviously pruned completely wrong last year ha. Lucky me, I learned what to do correctly while they are both still young. Thank you!
Great to hear your getting a lot from Orin's videos. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: www.amazon.com/Fruit-Trees-Every-Garden-Approach/dp/0399580026/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N8Y1MP3KB6DZ&keywords=orin+martin&qid=1650397395&s=books&sprefix=orin+martin%2Cstripbooks%2C522&sr=1-1
Bought a house three years ago, renovated it and now i finally have time to prune 20+ year plum tree. Thank you for the lessons, i could listen to you talk for hours and as a matter of fact i've just done that.
Glad it was helpful. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Yer welcome. Glad it was helpful. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Thank you! I have a 13 year old cherry and it really got away from me, now too tall. But just knowing that I can with care, not doing too much at any one time, reign it back in. Much obliged to you, Sir, and the UC SC team! I am sharing any way I can this valuable information.
The last word “restrained” could go for many things in life. I have tended to make too many cuts to create the perfect shape, and yes, the tree goes crazy and gets congested, now I get it, walk away. Thank you so much 🙏👌
Could you please do a video on how to trim apple trees to prevent deer from taking them. I let my tree grow tall (about 8 feet to the top), but at 4 years old, not sure what to do now.
Glad it was helpful! Here's a list of additional fruit tree videos. Scroll down to the section on trees: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
This is exactly what I need to do. I let my plum tree grow and didn't prune for many years. It got so big I topped it off by a quarter. It grew back even bigger. Oopsie! Now it's about 20 feet tall and very dense. This year we had very few fruit. Hopefully we can reshape our tree with your lesson here. Thank you!
This video is so helpful!!! I have an Apple, two pear and two plum trees and few like every year I’m learning more and more about pruning. I like that you’re taking us along with real trees. I’ve watched a few videos from people who probably grow in formal orchards, but so prefer working with what the tree will naturally do. I’m a little surprised you took off so much! I thought if you take off so much, it would minimize fruit production for the next year?
Hi Leah, great to hear that the videos are helpful. Yes, you will lose some of the fruit production in the following year, but not a lot. If you don't lower the canopy of the tree, the fruit bearing wood will "migrate upwards" until much of the fruit will require a tall ladder to harvest - a dangerous was to pick fruit. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: www.amazon.com/Fruit-Trees-Every-Garden-Approach/dp/0399580026/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N8Y1MP3KB6DZ&keywords=orin+martin&qid=1650397395&s=books&sprefix=orin+martin%2Cstripbooks%2C522&sr=1-1
χαιρετισμούς σε σας. Glad it was helpful. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
@@Kay-xi9kv in other videos (one about apple tree pruning) he's talked about the proper time to summer prune and how to tell when it's the right time for it. I think it's between late August and September there in CA. Of course, it depends on your growing zone, too.
Glad it was helpful! Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: a.co/d/agy9YpI
THANK YOU SO MUCH. GREAT VIDEO. HOW LONG BEFORE FRUIT START GROWING DO YOU PRUNE? I AM JUST BEGINING TO LEARN HOW TO TAKE CARE OF FRUIT TREES THAT HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED FOR YEARS. THANK YOU
I have a Santo Rosa. Finding it very difficult to deside between leaving and thinning out these, what I call watery growth. I want to keep the tree at a reachable height which result in a lot of stump cuts at the top of the leader branches. Do not know what to do with those.
Thank you! Now I have hope to saving my unruly 20 year Santa Rosa plum which has a crowded interior. I am looking forward to this winters prune and will definitely do a summer prune. Do you have a video that addresses scale and leaf curl?
Hi Wayne, yer welcome! Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: www.amazon.com/Fruit-Trees-Every-Garden-Approach/dp/0399580026/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N8Y1MP3KB6DZ&keywords=orin+martin&qid=1650397395&s=books&sprefix=orin+martin%2Cstripbooks%2C522&sr=1-1
Glad it was helpful. Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: a.co/d/glwePid And here’s the playlist for all of the tree care videos: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=9ioGcl7gHgc&list=PLdNOdHei9NV0QjOJDbUTx6wgD-qkiNGah
As a child my dad planted a Santa Rosa plum in our yard & it was wonderful. Today I purchased a semi-dwarf Santa Rosa plum & will be transplanting the 5 gal into a 10 gal container. (No yard just patios) I’m told it’s about 5 yrs old. Obviously I won’t have to worry about your height issues but I did have the nursery cut about 2’ of the past years growth off the height in order for the lower branches to grow thicker. I plan on keeping the actual height approx 6 ft so hearing you say this is a fast growing tree it sounds as tho I w/b pruning a few times a year.
Even on semi-dwarfing rootstock, a Santa Rosa plum is a vigorous grower and you'll need to continue to prune each year to keep it to 6 feet. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: www.amazon.com/Fruit-Trees-Every-Garden-Approach/dp/0399580026/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N8Y1MP3KB6DZ&keywords=orin+martin&qid=1650397395&s=books&sprefix=orin+martin%2Cstripbooks%2C522&sr=1-1
Most excellent presentation. It’s now January 31. I’m going to thin mine, the height is where I want it for a small backyard tree. I know you are suggesting summer pruning but I’m going to give it a go. Then on to our apricot. It’s hard to do with leaves on it so I’m here in California winter. We need to be able to cover them to protect from squirrels, raccoons and giant flying fruit beetle ( I hate them) as well as birds
Thanks for the kind words. Glad it was helpful. Seems that the "critters" love fruit as much as us humans. Covering them is sometimes the only way to have anything left to pick. Best of luck with yer trees.
Thank you for this lesson on pruning a Santa Rosa plum. I have a Santa plum that I planted in ground 4 years ago. It has grown so tall, never been pruned, flowers every year but has not given any fruit. Any suggestions or advice is appreciated.
You are welcome! Without seeing the tree it's difficult to determine why it isn't fruiting, but one of the most common causes of plum trees not producing fruit after blossom time is the lack of a co-pollinator. Plums are not self-fruitful and need another plum tree nearby of a different variety for pollen transfer. This is done with bees, moths, and other pollinator's help. Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: a.co/d/glwePid And here’s the playlist for all of the tree care videos: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=9ioGcl7gHgc&list=PLdNOdHei9NV0QjOJDbUTx6wgD-qkiNGah
I got a dwarf Santa Rosa plum tree is about 6 feet tall had it for 7 years this is the first year gave lots of fruit this year, I say eazy about 150+ or more plums only thing gave them small the size of a golf ball but they are very tasty and juicy, just wondering if that’s normal for a dwarf Santa Rosa tree to give them small.
You need to thin the fruit to get larger size, I take about 30% of the fruit out once it is set, removing any that are small, damaged, crowded, first. It is good you are watching this video, he is a master.
Thank you, I learned a lot. Although I wonder why let it grow to 15'~18' in the first place? Would it be too aggressive to trim every [other] year and keep it at 12'?
Yer welcome! During Covid, the farm was closed and the trees didn't get pruned. If you prune every year, you can easily keep the height to 12 feet. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Excellent video, but if I did this kind of pruning in summer, at least down here in San Diego, my plum trees would get SO many diseases from those open wounds. All my structural pruning on plums (in fact, all stone fruits) has to be done in winter.
Yes, this type of pruning is appropriate for reducing the size of a tree that has become too tall. It can also be used to reinvigorate a tree that has been slow to grow and bare fruit. Here's a series of videos that demonstrates how to reinvigorate a fuji apple with severe pruning. Within a year, the fuji was twice it's "pre-pruned" size and it's now quite vigorous: czcams.com/video/ME7-JlR7qHA/video.html
I use ARS long-reach pruners, they come in fixed and extendable. Head styles of lopper, pruner, and grab and hold pruner. Expensive, but I use them all the time
I have a mature(?) cherry tree, perhaps 10-15 years old that has never really been pruned other than trimmed up for mowing underneath. Tree appears to be perhaps 20ft tall. Is it possible or even serve any benefit to cut out the center at this point? That piece is perhaps 8-10 ft high and has the diameter of the trees trunk in this video. This cherry tree really does not produce any meaningful fruit.
Probably best to wait until the tree has gone into winter dormancy...it will have lost most or all of its leaves. These videos may help: czcams.com/video/p_-f610rFEU/video.html czcams.com/video/p_-f610rFEU/video.html
With an open center form, the sunlight is pretty well distributed (that's the whole point of the open center form) during the summer when the sun is high in the sky as long as the tree is out of any shade and in full sunlight. During the winter when the sun is low, there is probably more light hitting the southern side of the tree. But during winter, the tree is dormant and there are no leaves producing photosynthesis and sunlight is not a factor. So...there isn't consideration given to the directions of the compass when pruning.
Hi, I would like to reduce the height of a plum tree that is starting to shade a greenhouse. When you say not to make too many cuts in one session, what time period between sessions would you suggest please?
Depends on how much you need to cut off to eliminate the shade. If it's only a few feet, then you could do it all in a single winter pruning. If you need to reduce it by 5 or more feet, probably best to do it over two winters. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Thank you. To eliminate shading my greenhouse, I would like to reduce my plum trees growth from its actual height down to it’s effective height in summer to avoid Silver leaf disease. Would this be acceptable or would this induce vegetative growth or stop fruit production the following year please?
Oh dear have a marjorie plum and did it completely wrong last summer as it was just shooting up in very strong straight branches with no fruit buds...so it was cut pretty much straight across the top is a lazy arch shape with water type shoots cut out to let light in middle. But presumably it'll just go straight up again in vigorous growth... better wait for a year to see what it does ...
Sorry, but that pruner was purchased some 20 years ago. It doesn't have a label and no one can remember the brand name or where it was purchased. Below is a similar pruner made by ARS. We haven't tested that ARS pruner, but we have dozens of ARS pruners of smaller sizes and ARS makes exceptionally good quality tools. gemplers.com/products/ars-longreach-loppers?currency=USD&variant=21171439435865&Google%20Shopping&stkn=cef260d508aa&{cname}&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0MexBhD3ARIsAEI3WHJS8BZxq_2rHYmB_hmrU-eSKBIYTTwnRx_InwQUUi0WRHMke1M6GwQaAqrWEALw_wcB
Depends on how big you let your trees grow. If you have a 10 foot tree, 8-10 feet in-row spacing is good. The spacing between rows, sometimes called "alley ways", depends on whether or not yer going to drive a tractor down the alley ways for cultivation and such. Then the alley way spacing depends on the width of your tractor. If you're working by hand, then you can space the alleys about 8-10 feet. Hope this helps. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: www.amazon.com/Fruit-Trees-Every-Garden-Approach/dp/0399580026/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N8Y1MP3KB6DZ&keywords=orin+martin&qid=1650397395&s=books&sprefix=orin+martin%2Cstripbooks%2C522&sr=1-1
By runners I assume you mean the "sprouts" that come out of the ground around the base of the trunk. These should be cut off just about the ground a couple of times a year.
Many sprouts come up from the base of the trunk and even feet away from the trunk. Wondering if I did something wrong in its early years or if that’s just the way plum trees grow.
Geez, I just planted a 15 gallon santa rosa. I have it in an open center. it's about 4ft tall and I'm keeping it no more than 6ft. It's crazy to see how big they can get if left alone.
Pears react very similar to apples. Here''s a link to a list of videos by Orin. There are several videos on pear trees. Hope this helps. agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
@@ucscagroecology should we put anything over the open cuts where the limbs have been removed? Or does the tree itself seal her self? Thanks for responding. I will make a video of my trees and maybe you can let me know what else I need to take off. I only opened the older one up and I followed what I heard only a 1/3 off at a time.
Sounds like a good idea, but most of our trees are patented varieties that we purchased and selling them would be illegal. Also, all of trees at the farm are on semi dwarfing or dwarfing rootstock. If you sprout roots from the scion (the part of the tree above the rootstock union), you won't have a tree on dwarfing rootstock and you'd wind up with trees that would growth 20-40 feet tall....way too tall to care for.
Below is a link to several more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html Good luck with you trees!
Fantastic. Really sums up the theory on pruning. Best video I have seen on CZcams about pruning!
now thats how you inform the public when buying and growing a santa rosa plum fruit tree his demonstrations are the best i have seen
Such wisdom in slowing down, stepping back and not trying to do too much at once. Great session especially with the emphasis on getting more light to the fruiting branches. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it! Sunlight=heat=sugar production=tasty fruit.
Thanks for giving a such detailed information- I’m beginning to understand how to strategize
This is the best video that I have ever seen on pruning a plum tree. Thank you!!
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent Again! Clear directions! Thank you so much 🦋
Greeting from south of the United Kingdom and thank you for these marvelous lessons I am truly inspired by your instructions in tree prouning.
without a doubt my favorite educatioanl pruning program.Orin makes it simple,i think i'm starting to get it right slowly.
Thanks! Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: a.co/d/glwePid
And here’s the playlist for all of the tree care videos: czcams.com/video/9ioGcl7gHgc/video.html
Interesting to learn about thinning to weakness, this was counter intuitive for me and helpful info. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful! Below is a link to several more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”:
agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Such a good lesson thank you
I have learned so much from this man about my 3-4 year old apple tree and how to prune it, and now I'm learning about my fruit-bearing plum tree that I obviously pruned completely wrong last year ha. Lucky me, I learned what to do correctly while they are both still young. Thank you!
Great to hear your getting a lot from Orin's videos. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”:
agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: www.amazon.com/Fruit-Trees-Every-Garden-Approach/dp/0399580026/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N8Y1MP3KB6DZ&keywords=orin+martin&qid=1650397395&s=books&sprefix=orin+martin%2Cstripbooks%2C522&sr=1-1
Excellent video. Excellent comments and instruction.
Bought a house three years ago, renovated it and now i finally have time to prune 20+ year plum tree. Thank you for the lessons, i could listen to you talk for hours and as a matter of fact i've just done that.
Glad it was helpful. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”:
agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Awesome job on video!! Loved the visuals! Thanks so much!
Yer welcome. Glad it was helpful. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”:
agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Thank you! Very clear instructional video. I'm so glad i found your presentations.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you! I have a 13 year old cherry and it really got away from me, now too tall. But just knowing that I can with care, not doing too much at any one time, reign it back in. Much obliged to you, Sir, and the UC SC team! I am sharing any way I can this valuable information.
Which variety of cherry 🍒 plans you have?
The last word “restrained” could go for many things in life. I have tended to make too many cuts to create the perfect shape, and yes, the tree goes crazy and gets congested, now I get it, walk away. Thank you so much 🙏👌
So true! Leaving a few "long" branches in the crown of the tree will help to slow the vigor of vertical growth. Good luck with you trees,
Could you please do a video on how to trim apple trees to prevent deer from taking them. I let my tree grow tall (about 8 feet to the top), but at 4 years old, not sure what to do now.
Great video
Hi! What type of long armed pruner is that? Could you share a link of the pruner tool?
Excellent video and priceless knowledge. Thank you for sharing!
Glad it was helpful! Here's a list of additional fruit tree videos. Scroll down to the section on trees: agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Thanks for the lesson and the rules will do have several stonefruit trees
You are such a good teacher
And without a ladder!
This is exactly what I need to do. I let my plum tree grow and didn't prune for many years. It got so big I topped it off by a quarter. It grew back even bigger. Oopsie! Now it's about 20 feet tall and very dense. This year we had very few fruit. Hopefully we can reshape our tree with your lesson here. Thank you!
did you not summer prune?
@@lydiaahubbell8545 No, I didn't prune it at all :), but I got it under control now. I pruned it last summer. Now it's looking good
This video is so helpful!!! I have an Apple, two pear and two plum trees and few like every year I’m learning more and more about pruning.
I like that you’re taking us along with real trees. I’ve watched a few videos from people who probably grow in formal orchards, but so prefer working with what the tree will naturally do.
I’m a little surprised you took off so much! I thought if you take off so much, it would minimize fruit production for the next year?
Hi Leah, great to hear that the videos are helpful. Yes, you will lose some of the fruit production in the following year, but not a lot. If you don't lower the canopy of the tree, the fruit bearing wood will "migrate upwards" until much of the fruit will require a tall ladder to harvest - a dangerous was to pick fruit. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”:
agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: www.amazon.com/Fruit-Trees-Every-Garden-Approach/dp/0399580026/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N8Y1MP3KB6DZ&keywords=orin+martin&qid=1650397395&s=books&sprefix=orin+martin%2Cstripbooks%2C522&sr=1-1
So much knowledge in just a short video... Thank you for giving your advice for free, greetings from Greece!
χαιρετισμούς σε σας. Glad it was helpful. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”:
agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Very useful video and you sound like you been at this a while. Curious what eat the holes in all the leaves? Also what is the brand of the shears?
One of the best pruning lesson .
Glad you think so!
Great video! When is the ideal time to prune in the summer? Looks like you did this post-harvest
@@Kay-xi9kv he mentioned full of buds so I’m not certain
@@Kay-xi9kv in other videos (one about apple tree pruning) he's talked about the proper time to summer prune and how to tell when it's the right time for it. I think it's between late August and September there in CA. Of course, it depends on your growing zone, too.
Wonderful. Thank you
Welcome!
Very informative!
Glad it was helpful! Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: a.co/d/agy9YpI
THANK YOU SO MUCH. GREAT VIDEO. HOW LONG BEFORE FRUIT START GROWING DO YOU PRUNE? I AM JUST BEGINING TO LEARN HOW TO TAKE CARE OF FRUIT TREES THAT HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED FOR YEARS. THANK YOU
I have a Santo Rosa. Finding it very difficult to deside between leaving and thinning out these, what I call watery growth. I want to keep the tree at a reachable height which result in a lot of stump cuts at the top of the leader branches. Do not know what to do with those.
I love this guy!
we do too! Thanks for watching!
Thank you! Now I have hope to saving my unruly 20 year Santa Rosa plum which has a crowded interior. I am looking forward to this winters prune and will definitely do a summer prune. Do you have a video that addresses scale and leaf curl?
Sorry, we don't a video on scale and curl. May have one in the future.
Thank you!
Hi Wayne, yer welcome! Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”:
agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: www.amazon.com/Fruit-Trees-Every-Garden-Approach/dp/0399580026/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N8Y1MP3KB6DZ&keywords=orin+martin&qid=1650397395&s=books&sprefix=orin+martin%2Cstripbooks%2C522&sr=1-1
😆👏 Love your videos. Thank you
Glad you like them! Thanks for watching.
I'm so glad I watched this video. I've been doing it all wrong lol. Thankfully my trees are only 2-4 years old and I should be able to correct them.
Glad it was helpful. Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: a.co/d/glwePid
And here’s the playlist for all of the tree care videos: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=9ioGcl7gHgc&list=PLdNOdHei9NV0QjOJDbUTx6wgD-qkiNGah
👍 Great video. What's the brand name of the pruning/pruner shears you are using.?
Can summer pruning be done even when fruit is on the tree?
As a child my dad planted a Santa Rosa plum in our yard & it was wonderful. Today I purchased a semi-dwarf Santa Rosa plum & will be transplanting the 5 gal into a 10 gal container. (No yard just patios) I’m told it’s about 5 yrs old. Obviously I won’t have to worry about your height issues but I did have the nursery cut about 2’ of the past years growth off the height in order for the lower branches to grow thicker. I plan on keeping the actual height approx 6 ft so hearing you say this is a fast growing tree it sounds as tho I w/b pruning a few times a year.
Even on semi-dwarfing rootstock, a Santa Rosa plum is a vigorous grower and you'll need to continue to prune each year to keep it to 6 feet. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”:
agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: www.amazon.com/Fruit-Trees-Every-Garden-Approach/dp/0399580026/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N8Y1MP3KB6DZ&keywords=orin+martin&qid=1650397395&s=books&sprefix=orin+martin%2Cstripbooks%2C522&sr=1-1
@@ucscagroecology Thx, can’t wait to watch when our internet is back up. 🙏
Most excellent presentation. It’s now January 31. I’m going to thin mine, the height is where I want it for a small backyard tree. I know you are suggesting summer pruning but I’m going to give it a go. Then on to our apricot. It’s hard to do with leaves on it so I’m here in California winter. We need to be able to cover them to protect from squirrels, raccoons and giant flying fruit beetle ( I hate them) as well as birds
Thanks for the kind words. Glad it was helpful. Seems that the "critters" love fruit as much as us humans. Covering them is sometimes the only way to have anything left to pick. Best of luck with yer trees.
I won't watch other vids on pruning....awesome!
Glad you like them!
Thank you for this lesson on pruning a Santa Rosa plum. I have a Santa plum that I planted in ground 4 years ago. It has grown so tall, never been pruned, flowers every year but has not given any fruit. Any suggestions or advice is appreciated.
You are welcome! Without seeing the tree it's difficult to determine why it isn't fruiting, but one of the most common causes of plum trees not producing fruit after blossom time is the lack of a co-pollinator. Plums are not self-fruitful and need another plum tree nearby of a different variety for pollen transfer. This is done with bees, moths, and other pollinator's help.
Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: a.co/d/glwePid
And here’s the playlist for all of the tree care videos: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=9ioGcl7gHgc&list=PLdNOdHei9NV0QjOJDbUTx6wgD-qkiNGah
Wish I saw this a year ago....though is the exact info I was needing....youtube so good to me sometimes.
Great thing about fruit trees...most the time you can correct pruning mistakes over a few seasons and get the tree shape and growing as you like.
Hey would you be willing to save a vary rare apple tree. It’s the Api Etoile star apple
I got a dwarf Santa Rosa plum tree is about 6 feet tall had it for 7 years this is the first year gave lots of fruit this year, I say eazy about 150+ or more plums only thing gave them small the size of a golf ball but they are very tasty and juicy, just wondering if that’s normal for a dwarf Santa Rosa tree to give them small.
You need to thin the fruit to get larger size, I take about 30% of the fruit out once it is set, removing any that are small, damaged, crowded, first. It is good you are watching this video, he is a master.
Thank you, I learned a lot. Although I wonder why let it grow to 15'~18' in the first place? Would it be too aggressive to trim every [other] year and keep it at 12'?
Yer welcome! During Covid, the farm was closed and the trees didn't get pruned. If you prune every year, you can easily keep the height to 12 feet. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”:
agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
What brand of pole pruner are you using in this video? Thanks! Love your book:)
many people, including me, want to know.
Excellent video, but if I did this kind of pruning in summer, at least down here in San Diego, my plum trees would get SO many diseases from those open wounds. All my structural pruning on plums (in fact, all stone fruits) has to be done in winter.
Hmmm...our climate in Santa Cruz is pretty similar to San Diego in the summer. What diseases have your trees gotten from summer pruning?
Never worked in professional orchards but is it really defendable to cut so much of the coppice? And two: How much friut do you expect per bransh?
Yes, this type of pruning is appropriate for reducing the size of a tree that has become too tall. It can also be used to reinvigorate a tree that has been slow to grow and bare fruit. Here's a series of videos that demonstrates how to reinvigorate a fuji apple with severe pruning. Within a year, the fuji was twice it's "pre-pruned" size and it's now quite vigorous: czcams.com/video/ME7-JlR7qHA/video.html
Great explanation of pruning! Where did you get the long pruning tools? I’ve been looking for something like that!
Stores with Japanese pruning tools.
I use ARS long-reach pruners, they come in fixed and extendable. Head styles of lopper, pruner, and grab and hold pruner. Expensive, but I use them all the time
Costco sells a Fiskars long pole saw in the spring for around 50-60$
I have a mature(?) cherry tree, perhaps 10-15 years old that has never really been pruned other than trimmed up for mowing underneath. Tree appears to be perhaps 20ft tall. Is it possible or even serve any benefit to cut out the center at this point? That piece is perhaps 8-10 ft high and has the diameter of the trees trunk in this video. This cherry tree really does not produce any meaningful fruit.
Can I prune my plum tree in western Washington, Tacoma in the fall? It is very tall now
Probably best to wait until the tree has gone into winter dormancy...it will have lost most or all of its leaves. These videos may help:
czcams.com/video/p_-f610rFEU/video.html
czcams.com/video/p_-f610rFEU/video.html
How much in your decision to cut is with the ratio of sunlight on the southern side most predominant and secondary sunlight on the West.
With an open center form, the sunlight is pretty well distributed (that's the whole point of the open center form) during the summer when the sun is high in the sky as long as the tree is out of any shade and in full sunlight. During the winter when the sun is low, there is probably more light hitting the southern side of the tree. But during winter, the tree is dormant and there are no leaves producing photosynthesis and sunlight is not a factor. So...there isn't consideration given to the directions of the compass when pruning.
Does it matter what season you prune and do I prune a 1 or 2 year old Santa rosa?
Summer is usually the best time to prune plums.
Hi, I would like to reduce the height of a plum tree that is starting to shade a greenhouse. When you say not to make too many cuts in one session, what time period between sessions would you suggest please?
Depends on how much you need to cut off to eliminate the shade. If it's only a few feet, then you could do it all in a single winter pruning. If you need to reduce it by 5 or more feet, probably best to do it over two winters. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”:
agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Thank you. To eliminate shading my greenhouse, I would like to reduce my plum trees growth from its actual height down to it’s effective height in summer to avoid Silver leaf disease. Would this be acceptable or would this induce vegetative growth or stop fruit production the following year please?
Oh dear have a marjorie plum and did it completely wrong last summer as it was just shooting up in very strong straight branches with no fruit buds...so it was cut pretty much straight across the top is a lazy arch shape with water type shoots cut out to let light in middle. But presumably it'll just go straight up again in vigorous growth... better wait for a year to see what it does ...
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what is exactly the brand and name of that long arm pruner? I need one!
Sorry, but that pruner was purchased some 20 years ago. It doesn't have a label and no one can remember the brand name or where it was purchased. Below is a similar pruner made by ARS. We haven't tested that ARS pruner, but we have dozens of ARS pruners of smaller sizes and ARS makes exceptionally good quality tools.
gemplers.com/products/ars-longreach-loppers?currency=USD&variant=21171439435865&Google%20Shopping&stkn=cef260d508aa&{cname}&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0MexBhD3ARIsAEI3WHJS8BZxq_2rHYmB_hmrU-eSKBIYTTwnRx_InwQUUi0WRHMke1M6GwQaAqrWEALw_wcB
What time of the year is this pruning done?
Late summer after the tree has dropped any remaining fruit.
what should be the planting distance of santa rosa plum??
Depends on how big you let your trees grow. If you have a 10 foot tree, 8-10 feet in-row spacing is good. The spacing between rows, sometimes called "alley ways", depends on whether or not yer going to drive a tractor down the alley ways for cultivation and such. Then the alley way spacing depends on the width of your tractor. If you're working by hand, then you can space the alleys about 8-10 feet. Hope this helps. Below is a link to several dozen more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”:
agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Don't miss Orin Martin's award winning book, "Fruit Trees for Every Garden: An Organic Approach to Growing Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Citrus, and More". His book won the 2020 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award, recognizing outstanding gardening literature. You can purchase the book here: www.amazon.com/Fruit-Trees-Every-Garden-Approach/dp/0399580026/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N8Y1MP3KB6DZ&keywords=orin+martin&qid=1650397395&s=books&sprefix=orin+martin%2Cstripbooks%2C522&sr=1-1
Do you have recommendations on how to address plum tree runners?
By runners I assume you mean the "sprouts" that come out of the ground around the base of the trunk. These should be cut off just about the ground a couple of times a year.
Many sprouts come up from the base of the trunk and even feet away from the trunk. Wondering if I did something wrong in its early years or if that’s just the way plum trees grow.
I have a fruit tree Santa Rosa plum had lots of fruit on it the birds loved it I don't think I got one
Geez, I just planted a 15 gallon santa rosa. I have it in an open center. it's about 4ft tall and I'm keeping it no more than 6ft. It's crazy to see how big they can get if left alone.
Plums are really vigorous growers. Leaving a few "longer" branches in the crown will help to retard growth. Good luck with your tree!
How old is plum tree have to be before you prune it
You can prune the day you plant it. Here's a series of videos on pruning just planted pear trees. The pruning would be very similar with a plum tree.
plum on almond rootstock dwarfs nicely
Can this apply to a pear tree?
Pears react very similar to apples. Here''s a link to a list of videos by Orin. There are several videos on pear trees. Hope this helps. agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Please show fig pruning
Sorry, but we don't have any fig trees on our farm.
💗💗💗
He said do not cut too much at once and proceeded to remove half the tree. Overall looks like he did a good job.
Thanks!
Where can we purchase those loppers?
Star Garden Supply
8215 Industry Ave, Pico Rivera, CA 90660
(562) 806-1851
no website
@@ucscagroecology should we put anything over the open cuts where the limbs have been removed? Or does the tree itself seal her self? Thanks for responding. I will make a video of my trees and maybe you can let me know what else I need to take off. I only opened the older one up and I followed what I heard only a 1/3 off at a time.
Love you dedeee. Ill be just like you one day. Canim dedem benim seni cok severik
U should air layer all them big cuts a month or two prior to pruning and than pot them up than sell them and make u some money.
Sounds like a good idea, but most of our trees are patented varieties that we purchased and selling them would be illegal. Also, all of trees at the farm are on semi dwarfing or dwarfing rootstock. If you sprout roots from the scion (the part of the tree above the rootstock union), you won't have a tree on dwarfing rootstock and you'd wind up with trees that would growth 20-40 feet tall....way too tall to care for.
Ok I’m guilty of “wack-wack-wack” and I did get “voot-voot-voot”. Note to self, don’t wack all the height.
Below is a link to several more fruit tree care videos. Scroll down to the section called: “Getting Started with Fruit Trees Organically”:
agroecology.ucsc.edu/resources/instructional-videos.html
Good luck with you trees!
There is no need at all for light to get into the center of any tree. The whole tree produces starches for the plant.
Ok show us show us 😂
Your over talking, more show n tell