By Stewarthw
Kent,
United Kingdom 
My Plum tree and Apple tree have shot up this year.
The plum tree by about 4ft and the apple tree by about 3ft, when would be the best time to prune please. Stewart
19 Oct, 2012
Answers
Plums are not generally pruned except as said. Apples are pruned in September for the production of fruiting spurs and in Winter when dormant for the production of new growth. In either case remove any crossing branches or ones going into the centre of the tree. Then cut back to 2 or 3 buds from where the new growth appears.
Personally I would not prune a new tree at all until the third year.
19 Oct, 2012
Thank you Southportsm and Owdboggy, much
appreciated. Stewart.
19 Oct, 2012
DO NOT PRUNE NOW .
Plum, June to late July for established trees and March for 2 to 3 year olds. Paint the pruned cuts with Arbrex or similar.
Apple, same as plum but you can prune a new tree in the first winter.
To lose a tree due to bad pruning is sickening, much better to buy a trusted little book such as Practical Pruning by Graham Clarke ISBN 0-7063-6506-2. You may have to hunt for it as it was first published in 1987.
Southportsmith
19 Oct, 2012