Mirabelle plum trees grow very quickly and spread quickly. In order for them to develop well and produce numerous ripe fruits, you need the right pruning at the right time. There are six ways to successfully cut Mirabelle plums:

Maintenance pruning begins at the age of five
  • topiary
  • fruit woodcut
  • education cut
  • maintenance cut
  • taper cut

The first cut

It is best to have the tree nursery make the topiary right at the start. The pros know how to cut the Mirabelle plums to fit bare-rooted trees. If you still want to be active yourself, pay attention to the relationship between the crown and root: shorten the root a little and thin out the crown by a third.

The basic upbringing cut

With the educational pruning shortly after planting and the first flowering, you lay a stable basic structure for your young Mirabelle plum tree. The aim is to create a sensible division into the main trunk, skeletal branches and fruit branches. How to proceed:

Step by step to the educational cut

  1. Shorten the leading branches by a third.
  2. The tips of the upper shoots should be arranged just below the top of the trunk.
  3. The last eye (bud below) preferably points outwards.
  4. Completely remove excess shoots.
  5. You should also remove water shoots that grow steeply upwards. Because these cost the plant a lot of energy.
  6. Finally, remove all shoots that grow below the leading branches.
  7. Leave the main shoot untouched.

The occasional fruit woodcut

If the tree is growing strongly but is hardly producing any buds, pruning the fruit wood is advisable. It is important to cut a strong plum tree only moderately, and a weak tree all the more. Over time, the fruit wood sinks sharply. Hanging parts are then no longer supplied with sufficient nutrients. New shoots thus take on the function of fruit branches. These form at the apex of the original fruit branch. Cut back the old branch to the new shoot.

The regular maintenance cut

Regular maintenance pruning is particularly important for a high-yield harvest. It ensures that the crown does not become too dense due to senile branches and shoots. Otherwise, flowers and fruits could not absorb enough light. After the five-year training phase of the Mirabelle plum, you start with the maintenance pruning: Every year after the flowering period between April and May is the optimal time for the maintenance pruning of the Mirabelle plum. Carefully cut out all dead shoots, including those growing inwards. Components that cross each other must also give way. In addition, a mirabelle tree forms numerous steep water shoots that rob it of energy. Thoroughly remove these shoots as well. Don't forget those shoots that sprout from the roots. You should also cut back this competition for the fruit-bearing areas down to the trunk.

Elderly help makeover cut

Very old trees with hardly any new shoots can be given new life by means of rejuvenation pruning. To do this, cut out everything that disturbs a harmonious picture. Remove water shoots, old branches and those that protrude into the crown. Here, the cut can extend right down to the old wood.

For regular budding, always cut the entire crown, not just individual areas. The sometimes recommended winter cut is not very advisable. Rather, it increases the risk of disease or damage to the tree.

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Trees