Young Victoria plum - prune

[Squidthing]

Hi there

I have a young Victoria plum that I'm hoping will grow quite tall. It fruited a little bit last year (first year I had it) and this year had masses of plums coming.

I've starred to thin them out but I've also noticed it's got a lean to the left where one of the lower branches it. The trunk is still very thin and I'm worried it'll snap or grow very bent out of shape. Do you think I should prune back the long side branch at the side to help centre it a bit - feels a bit wrong chopping it off given all the potential fruit.

TIA

Don't thin the plums yet. The 'June drop' is still to come when the tree naturally drops some immature fruits.

Leave it. Prune later in the year, but keep that branch, and train a branch from the other side to balance it

Thank you!

I prune mine in the spring, I always thought winter pruning risked diseases getting in.