How to prune a cherry tree

Video: How To Prune Cherry Trees Simple Steps

Content

Steps
Method 1 of 2: Pruning a young tree
Method 2 of 2: Pruning a mature tree
Tips
Warnings
What do you need

Proper pruning of cherries is very important to maintain the health and vitality of this tree. Cherry trees are prone to disease and fungal infections that can easily become infected if not pruned or done incorrectly. Cherry trees have a main central shoot - the trunk from which all other branches grow. Due to this structure, cherry trees thrive best when pruning forms a vase-like or frame-like shape with thinning branches, which improves the circulation of light and air in the crown of the tree. Cherry trees should also be pruned in the summer after harvest in order to prevent the spread of disease. If you follow certain tips for pruning your cherry tree, you can keep it healthy and harvest it year after year.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Pruning a young tree

1 Sterilize and sharpen your garden shears. The tree is more susceptible to disease infestation if you use dirty, dull pruning shears when pruning. Make sure your scissors are sharpened so that they do not damage the wood during pruning. Be sure to sterilize your garden shears before each pruning. This may take a while, but in return you will have the assurance that the tree will not be damaged during pruning. For sterilizing scissors,
- Dissolve one part bleach in 9 parts water.
- Dip the scissors into the solution.
- Rinse them in hot water.
- Dry them with a clean towel.
2 Start at the top. You should cut 60 to 90 centimeters from the top of the tree to encourage additional branches to grow later. It is very important to do this a year or two after planting the tree in order to control the shape of the tree as it grows. Before pruning the top of a tree, measure it to make sure it has grown enough. If the sapling is not tall enough, wait until it grows another 75 centimeters before pruning. Before pruning, wait until the tree is strong enough to be harmed by the procedure.
- Prune in the fall or winter while the tree is still asleep. If you wait until spring, buds will already form on it. If you prune when the buds are already forming on the tree, the energy that the tree has expended in bud formation will be wasted. Pruning a tree before buds form on it will allow it to use unused energy to form new healthy branches.
- Cut at a 45-degree angle to reduce the tree's susceptibility to disease and decay.
3 After one year, make a support ring. The support ring consists of 4 side branches of the tree. They constitute the structure of the tree and maintain its shape.The following winter, after pruning, when the tree is again dormant, create a support ring for it from four sturdy branches spaced equally spaced from each other.
- Make sure that the branches grow at an angle of 45-60 degrees to the trunk of the tree. This will give you better branching.
- Pick 4 branches vertically spaced about 20 centimeters apart. In this case, the lowest of them should be located at a distance of approximately 45 centimeters from the ground.
- Cut about 60 centimeters from each of these four branches. Make oblique cuts over the kidneys. At the place of the cut, you will receive an additional increase.
- Cut off the rest of the branches. Cut off all branches at the base of the tree so that only those that are part of the support ring remain.
4 Leave two side branches on each main branch. Look for two strong, distant side branches that you can leave. Cut off the remaining branches completely at the base of the main branch. This will direct the energy of the tree to the remaining branches, which will increase the concentration of the fruit.
5 Make a second foot ring next winter. After the next growing season, the tree will grow taller and acquire new branches. Examine the tree and select the branches that make up the second support ring. It should be approximately 60 centimeters higher than the first.
- Select branches that do not grow directly above the main branches. Create a reference shape so that sunlight can reach all the branches on the tree.
- Cut off the rest of the branches at the base of the tree completely.

Method 2 of 2: Pruning a mature tree

1 Continue to stimulate external growth. After the third season, you no longer need to create support rings. Instead, stimulate external growth by thinning out new vertical branches. Branches growing outward will bear more fruit than branches growing upward. To get the best yield, you may need to stretch the branches during the growing season.
- Now that the tree has grown a little, you may need to get larger tools. For example, a saw is ideal for pruning trees that are too thick for a pruner. Always check the cleanliness and sharpness of your tools before trimming.
2 Prune dead branches when the tree is dormant. No matter how old your tree is, always prune it in the winter while it is still sleeping. Cut off any dead or dry branches, dead foliage, or fruit. Use them as compost or in any other way.
- Always sterilize your garden shears before pruning. Even if you only want to cut a few dead branches.
3 Cut off new shoots and shoots. If you see new shoots at the base of the cherry tree, cut them back at the root. Get rid of the sprouts as well, so that the roots of the tree do not compete with the new tree.
4 Maintain the shape of the tree. Examine the shape of your cherry tree every season. Prune new branches that are not part of the support rings, as well as branches that grow cross to cross. Remember, the main goal is to create an open shape so that sunlight and air can reach the center of the tree for a larger harvest.
- If you see branches growing in a cross-to-cross fashion, select one to prune.
- Branches that do not bear fruit can be cut completely at the base.
5 Clear up any cut branches. Cherry trees are quite susceptible to disease, so it is best to remove the cut branches after the work is done. Especially if dead branches were cut.
6 Do unplanned pruning if necessary. You may encounter sick or dying branches in the spring or summer - not the best seasons for pruning.If this happens, cut the branch, even if the tree is not dormant at the time. The disease can spread to healthy branches if the diseased branch is not cut off immediately.
- When working with diseased wood, you should clean your tools before each cut. Dip them in bleach solution, rinse them with hot water and dry them before proceeding.

Tips

When learning the rules for pruning cherry trees, it is important to remember that they are sensitive, disease-prone trees. Therefore, it is important to prune the cherries correctly, at the right time, with the right tools.
Before pruning, you need to know what kind of cherry tree you are growing. Pruning some cherry trees at the wrong time of the year, or cutting off fruiting buds, can result in the tree not bearing fruit this season, or even no longer bearing fruit at all. Cherry varieties bing, black, flowering and japanese have some specific characteristics.
If you are pruning diseased cherry trees, be sure to clean your pruning shears with disinfectant after each pruning. This will help prevent the spread of disease or fungal infections.
Although most fruit trees do pruning in the winter, when they sleep, it is best to prune cherry trees in the summer. This will help prevent a disease called "milky shine" that causes discoloration and death of cherry tree leaves.
To avoid contamination, you can cover the cuts on your cherry tree with garden varnish, natural linseed oil paint, or a mixture of nigrol and ash.

Warnings

Do not prune cherry trees in wet conditions. Cherry trees are prone to diseases that cause fungal infections. Infection from freshly cut branches is most likely in wet or damp weather.
Do not prune the cherry tree before harvest. Otherwise, you may not have cherries until next season.
Do not prune a cherry tree without using pruning ointment (not bituminous). Without it, easily vulnerable newly cut branches will be susceptible to infection with diseases and fungal diseases.