I was given a plum tree late winter/early spring last year when a plot holder left our site. It needs some serious pruning and also to be moved this year. The tree is around 10ft tall and the two trunks are a couple of inches thick
Pruning: It has a twin trunk, one needs to be removed and as one side of the tree has fruit and the other has none...that decision has been made for me. I'm happy enough with how to cut it what I am unclear with is "when". All the text I have read suggests that I prune in June to avoid silver leaf disease, but with June being so wet and overcast I wonder if that still holds true?
Moving: I want to move this tree later in the year and plan to root prune first, would it be ok to both prune off one of the two trunks and root prune at the same time?
Many thanks!
Steve...:)
Since you are going to move it and it is going to get some root damage when moved..now is good time to to reduce the size of the top growth to compensate the root loss.
Cut down the second trunk and reduce the size of the other by 1/3 (if in need)
I would not 'root prune'..I assume you mean by this by cutting trench around the rootball?
Moving any tree is always best done swiftly and with as little root disturbance as possible. Wait until the tree has dropped its leaves and gone dormant and then dig the tree out with as big root ball as you can handle and physically able...get it into its new planting hole with a bit of bone meal mixed into the back filling soil. And that's it..hope that your tree is happy and will be happy.
Following summer you will be able to tidy up any top growth that haven't made it through due to root disturbance.