How to Prune a Plum Tree For Huge Yields & Healthy Trees

If you've ever stood in front of an overgrown fruit tree wondering where to begin, trust me, you're not alone! Plum trees can produce an incredible amount of delicious fruit, but without proper pruning, they can quickly become a tangled mess of branches!

When those branches start crossing, overlapping, and shading one another, your harvest can suffer. Whether your plum tree is young or old, dwarf or full-sized, regular pruning helps keep it healthy and productive year after year.

This guide is here to teach you how to prune a plum tree, so you can confidently shape your tree. And with my YouTube video tutorial, you’ll find that it is much simpler than you might think!

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There’s more to growing plums than simply planting a plum tree and waiting for the fruit to ripen. Some good ol’ fashioned pruning know-how can make all the difference between a plum-perfect harvest and a lot of disappointment.

Since pruning isn’t one-size-fits-all, be sure to check out our other guides on how to prune an apple tree, how to prune a peach tree, and how to prune a cherry tree, too. Each has its own quirks, but knowing how to dial it in is part of the fun.

When to Prune Plum Trees

Plum trees should be pruned while they're still dormant, in winter or early spring, before the buds begin opening. This is a great opportunity to evaluate the tree's structure before all the leaves emerge and make it harder to see what's going on.

I like to choose a cool, dry day with no rain in the forecast. Avoid pruning during wet weather.

Tools Needed For Tree Pruning

Before you start making cuts, take a few minutes to get your pruning tools ready. A sharp pair of bypass pruners will handle most of the smaller branches, while loppers give you the extra leverage needed for thicker growth. If your blades are getting dull, sharpen them up with a blade sharpener to prevent crushing or tearing the wood.

Don't overlook cleaning your tools! Wipe away sap, dirt, and plant debris as you work, and disinfect your blades after removing diseased branches and before moving to another tree. If your tools need more than a quick cleaning, it might be time to restore your garden tools. 

Two Pruning Methods For Plum Trees

Plum trees can be trained using either a modified central leader or an open center pruning method. 

Both methods can work well on plums, even though they are in the stone fruit family (unlike peaches, which must be pruned open center). The best choice depends on your growing space, the natural structure of your tree, and how you want to manage it.

At Idlewild Orchard, our fruit trees are planted relatively close together, so we generally prefer the modified central leader method for plums. It allows us to develop productive branches in distinct layers without having the tree spread quite as widely.

For that reason, I am going to explain how to prune a plum tree with the modified central leader method in this blog post. If you decide that you would rather go with the open center style of pruning for your tree, simply jump over to the blog post, How to Prune a Cherry Tree, and follow the steps outlined there for performing open center pruning.

How to Prune a Plum Tree

Here's how I prune our plum trees using the modified central leader method: (For detailed instructions on making the different types of cuts, read How to Prune Fruit Trees With the Four Essential Cuts.)

1. Identify Your Central Leader - Start at the base of the trunk and follow it upward. Identify the strongest, best-positioned upright growth that will continue as your main central leader. If several branches are competing for that position, choose one and remove the others.

2. Remove Competing Upright Growth - Look for branches growing straight up at sharp angles, especially those that compete with the central leader or crowd the surrounding canopy. Remove unnecessary upright growth while keeping well-positioned branches that contribute to your tree's structure.

3. Identify Your Main Lateral Branches - Choose strong branches growing outward from the central leader. These will become your scaffold branches, forming the main structure that supports future harvests. Look for branches with enough space to grow without rubbing against neighboring branches.

4. Create Layers of Scaffold Branches - Space your levels of scaffold branches approximately 2 feet apart vertically. We're working toward three main levels of scaffold branches on our plum trees; our trees will be capping out around 11 to 12 feet tall. Pro-Tip: Think of the scaffold levels as floors in a house! You want plenty of room between them so the branches aren't constantly competing for space.

5. Remove Branches That Are Too Low - Branches growing close to the ground can become even lower when they're loaded with fruit. We generally aim to keep our lower scaffold branches knee height or higher to make harvesting easier and reduce contact with the ground.

6. Remove Upward Growth - Prune anything growing straight up, especially if it is going to collide with the other scaffold branches or create shade, except fruit spurs. Fruit spurs are small shoots, about 2 to 3 inches long, that can produce flower buds and fruit.

7. Remove Crossing and Stacked Branches - Look for branches growing directly above or below one another, as well as branches that cross or rub together. Choose the better-positioned branch and remove the other. 

8. Remove Unnecessary Downward Growth - Branches growing straight down toward the ground will be shaded by the branches above them. Remove downward-growing branches.

9. Shorten Excessively Long Branches - If your lateral branches are getting too long, use selective heading cuts above outward-facing buds. As your plum tree develops, remember that you want to maintain a pyramid shape with the lower branches extending farther out and other scaffold branches getting progressively shorter as you move up the tree. 

10. Remove Dead and Diseased Branches - Always remove dead, dying, and diseased wood. Damaged branches can become entry points for pests and pathogens, so it's important to evaluate them carefully. 

Each tree will look a little different and grow differently, even from year to year. All you can do is apply the rules to the best of your ability and prune yearly.

Pruning an Overgrown Plum Tree 

I know how overwhelming it can feel to walk up to a plum tree with branches growing in every direction!

In the video, I work on a Mount Royal plum tree that has a lot going on. There are competing leaders, overlapping branches, and plenty of growth that needs attention.

Here's the trick: decide on your pruning method before you start cutting! Once you know whether you're aiming for an open center or a modified central leader, it becomes much easier to identify which branches belong and which ones are getting in the way.

Then you can evaluate each branch, one at a time, based on its position, condition, and contribution to the tree's overall structure.

Pro-Tip: If your mature plum tree is severely overgrown, spread major corrective pruning over multiple seasons. Removing too much healthy canopy at once can stress the tree.