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There is a huge Damson on my plot.  It produced a lot of fruit which we couldnt reach to pick as we had no ladder.  I would like to keep it if it could be drastically reduced in size so how hard could I prune it and when please?

Thanks, Lushy x :)

when the sap is flowing is the usual time of yr for stone-fruit. just after blossom drop is favourite.
http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&source=hp&q=damson+tree+pruning+time&meta=&aq=f&aqi=&oq=&fp=9cff3232a59d5ab3
;)

Thanks for the link Tonybloke, think I'll just google my questions from now on as no one seems to respond to my posts any more, not sure what I've done to offend - perhaps everyone is too busy responding to trolls, or have things just got really clique(y) round here.  Shame, I used to love it here  :(

Lushy x

I'm sure things will settle down soon.  Lushy.  It just seems to depend on the time.  Sometime answers come thick and fast, and at other time I also have felt ignored.  I don't think that you should read anything into that.  Possibly more that not many feel that they have the necessary experience of damson trees.  Afterall if you get the wrong advice you could kill the entire tree.

Lushy you've done nothing to offend, I don't think that we're cliquey and forget the troll!
You'll have the occasional post that people don't respond to for whatever reason but please don't take it personally when that happens.
It's down to us to continue to use the site and keep it a happy place.

Damsons can be pruned any time between April and September, pruning during the winter often leads to infection with silver leaf or canker.
Established damson trees usually only need to be pruned to remove weak spindly branches, dead wood or branches which may be crossing and rubbing. Heavy pruning on a neglected tree should be avoided if possible due to the potential disease infection, if you need to reduce the size it would be better to do it gradually over a few years.

When Lidl have their gardening stuff in they often have a telescopic fruit picker which costs about £5 & is very easy to use, it allows you to reach into most fruit trees without having to climb them. It may be worth keeping an eye out for one.

For Lushy



Duke

Thanks guys, especially for the hug, thought i'd gone all invisible there for a moment!  Probably being over sensitive - still sulking over not getting a happy birthday message in september  ::)

Baccy man, superb, just the advice I needed  :)

Lushy x

and a hug from me as well, lushy!!

And a hug from me Lushy..................

Never too late to say Happy Belated Birhday  ;D

Hope you had a good one

Is this going to turn into Lushy's Happy late Birthday thread,reckon it should   ;D

If you're cutting large branches do it in the winter. I have it on good authority that nurseries prune plums in winter, and there haven't been any widespread outbreaks of silver leaf. Cut off two or three complete banches each winter, and when they sprout again in the spring, reduce them to about three shoots per branch.

 :) you have thrown me now Robert, to prune or not to prune? I have a few mature plum trees which need  sorting out, but I lost a Victoria by pruning at the incorrect time.

Lushy- Happy Birthday :-* / shades x

How did you lose it? You can kill trees by taking too much off at once, or by doing heavy pruning in summer when you should do it in winter when the sap's not flowing.