Gage ‘Old Green Gage’

In spring, while the ground is moist, apply a mulch of well rotted manure or garden compost to the base of the tree. This will help to retain moisture throughout the summer.Feed and water plum trees regularly throughout the summer, particularly during their first two years. Fruit trees do not suffer weed competition well. Keep weeds and grass clear from within a 30cm radius of base of the tree. Thin out fruits by up to 75% to reduce the weight on the branches and produce the best quality, largest plums.Pruning plum trees should be undertaken in early summer to avoid the risk of bacterial infection. Immediately after planting cut back the central stem by about a third to encourage side branches to grow from the main stem. For the following 3 years, prune only the tips of the remaining main branches by one third. Aim for about ten main branches which will form the frame of your tree, with fruiting sub branches growing off of them. From the fifth year, some sub branches can be pruned out at the union where they join the main branch, to allow new sub branches to take their place.