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Fruit trees

KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
We planted 2-year old apple/plum/greengage trees last Autumn.  They all have leaves coming out from the main trunk, and we don't want these to turn into branches, as we are aiming for standards.  Is it OK to cut these off now?  

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Yes, normal practice is to rub them off with your thumb as soon as you notice them. 👍
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    Thought so, but I know you can’t prune certain fruit trees in Summer, so I was a bit wary.  If there are very small branches on the trunk can we also prune those now?
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I would do the apple now but leave it a few weeks to be safe if the plum/gage shoots aren't just from new buds on the trunk.  The longer you leave it for the plums and gages the better; mid-summer would be ideal for stone fruits like those.  Certainly wait if the side branches are any thicker than a pencil as those will take longer to heal and there are possible frosts forecast next week which could damage the tissue around a fresh cut.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    Thanks @BobTheGardener  I'll do the apples now.  The branches that I am talking about are very small, but I'll still wait until later in the Summer to do the plum and gage.
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