Blood plums have been thriving in Europe for decades. It grows as a shrub, half-stem or standard tree in many gardens. Find out in this report which pruning the Prunus cerasifera Nigra needs as a standard tree.
How do I cut a standard blood plum correctly?
When cutting a standard blood plum, you should thin out the crown, shorten dry branches, remove wood growing inwards and shorten dead shoots. A radical cut is recommended in spring, while a maintenance cut is possible in old age.
Tips for waste
- Thin out the crown until branches are 20 centimeters apart
- shorten dry branches down to he althy wood
- remove inward and upright growing wood
- Stimulate branching: shorten dead shoots by five buds
Make sure that clean and sharp cutting tools are used. Protruding stubs should be avoided due to the possible risk of infection.
Radical cut
An ideal time for a radical pruning is early spring between February and March. Choose a frost-free day without sunshine. A maximum of a third of the tree is cut. The advantage of this method is that even older shoots sprout again vigorously.
care cut
You can cut the Prunus cerasifera Nigra when it is old. Cut dried or bare shoots generously. The blood plum then often forms numerous water shoots. It is advisable to remove these immediately. In addition, fruit shoots grow in the following growing season.
Pruning after transplanting
After a change of location, heavy pruning should be carried out. In this way, the volume of flowers and root balls is in balance. The tree is developing splendidly.
Note:
- cut about a third
- Time: immediately after planting
- Root ball and tree crown: same volume
Reduce fruit sets
Basically there is only one way to limit a bountiful harvest. For this purpose, cut the Prunus cerasifera Nigra directly after flowering. Choose withered branches. This prevents the formation of blood plums.
Note:
This method is complex. However, it prevents unwanted contamination caused by falling fruit.
Tips & Tricks
Note that this rose plant grows irregularly. During the first few years the growth height increases more than in older specimens.
