Training a fan plum

[cdorling]

I ordered a 1 year bare rooted maiden plum, which arrived yesterday, and which I intended to grow as a fan. Once opened though, it's more like a typical part trained tree, with quite a thick central stem as well as various branches.

I've read that it's best to start formative training with a 1 year old. With this one, it looks like I'll have to (in Spring) prune the thicker central leading shoot out, as well as various others side branches, leaving 2 that are about 40cm above the soil line, and tying them to canes to make the Y shape.

I'm not a novice, so it all sounds doable. But I wondered if anyone had any thoughts on why 2 year old + maidens/trees are said not to be suitable. As it's only just arrived, and as it's probably not what I ordered I could return it if it's really not suitable. The company is shut at week-ends, so any advice much appreciated as I also need to decide whether to heel it in or leave it in the box ready for return.

[Farm1]

It was probably once said by some complete prat who really didn't know what he was talking about but since he was well known and published, everyone else has been copying him ever since. I've found that a hell of a lot of garden 'knowledge' is a load of myth and is probably just oft repeated old men's tales. Ignore most of it I say and just do what you know you can do, or think you can do, or can get away with.

If worse somes to worse, all you've done is lose a season or 2 and in most cases, you learn something valuable.

[Rick]

I certainly agree with Farm1. cdoring, when you say "fan" do you mean espalier? If so you needn't prune anything back. Just bend the lmbs and tie them to the wire or wall etc. I have even used thick copper wire wrapped around the limbs to train them like Bonsai. The leader just becomes one top "side" branch, Google espallier for images.