How late can I leave pruning my very tall Victoria plum tree?
Joyce Burton, by email
ACHRISTINE SAYS Pruning plums can be difficult due to fruit formation. Ideally once a sensible frame work has been established, little pruning is necessary apart from removing dead, diseased, damaged or crossing branches. You are correct in saying summer pruning should happen between mid-spring (April) and summer (July) completing the work by August at the very latest.
If you want to reduce the size of the tree, I feel you should leave it this year and in April next year carry out this pruning, being careful not to reduce the tree by too much or you could promote the formation of water shoots, which are vegetative in nature, rather than fruit producing. Removing up to a third of the branches at any one time would be a sensible approach.