How to prune opal plum

Summer — July to early August in the UK; June to August in warmer US regions. Remove dead, diseased, and crossing branches. Shorten the current season's extension growth by a third to encourage lateral fruitlets. For established trees, thin congested spurs and cut out any branches showing silvery foliage right back to healthy wood, well below the brown-stained heartwood.

Annually. Opal is an early-ripening, compact plum that needs annual summer pruning to maintain shape, limit silver-leaf infection, and ensure good air circulation. Its moderate vigour makes it easier to manage than Victorias or Marjorie's. Summer pruning also doubles as an opportunity to remove any wood showing signs of silver-leaf discoloration immediately.

Remove dead, diseased, and crossing branches. Shorten the current season's extension growth by a third to encourage lateral fruitlets. For established trees, thin congested spurs and cut out any branches showing silvery foliage right back to healthy wood, well below the brown-stained heartwood.