Plum Trees - Czar

I have a plum tree (czar)   Last year masses of fruit   This year masses of growth

How much pruning can I do ?

Cut back side shoots to half their length, remove anything growing inwards and any crossing branches or shoots, then any height above which you can easily  reach to pick fruit from.

Latest thinking is that there is no need to treat any cut ends anymore.

When the fruit appears next year you can cut back any growth  2 to 3 leaves after the the last fruit.

But you shouldn't prune plum trees now, only in summer, to prevent silver leaf.

Absolutely - Do Not Prune plums or similar stone fruits after mid summer! 

To Netherfield......................Can I do the pruning now   ???

Please, as I said above do not prune the plum tree after mid-summer - you run the risk of you tree contracting  Silverleaf disease - incurable! 

Aarbutus1 ,  please, if you don't believe me read here vhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardeningadvice/7888032/Gardening-week-ahead-Pruning-plums.html

and here http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_diary/fruit_veg_mini_project_march_2d_plum.asp

the RHS site seems to be down, or I'd post a link to them saying exactly the same thing.

I've done ours like this for the last ten years without any problem,on top of which Joe Maiden was on the Radio last week telling people to do the same.

Then I envy you Netherfield - you must have a Greenfingered Guardian Angel watching over your plum trees.  Accepted wisdom is to prune most fruit trees in the winter with the exception of stone fruit (eg plums) which are susceptible to Silverleaf Disease if pruned when not in active growth.

Yet another site confirming this http://www.rivercottage.net/forum/ask/fruit-and-vegetables/pruning-plum-trees/

I can only agree with Dovefromabove - and I have seen silverleaf move in in response to late pruning.

i have to agree with alinaw and dovfromabve you will ave all sorts of trubble if you prune it now.