Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Prune a sapling
• Method 2 of 2: Prune a mature tree
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Pruning cherry trees is necessary to create the right conditions for the tree to bear beautiful fruit year after year. Young cherry trees should be pruned in a vase shape to allow light and air to circulate in and around the branches. In the years that follow, dead branches and diseased parts must be removed to keep the tree strong and healthy.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Prune a sapling

1. Sterilize and sharpen your pruning shears. Using dirty or dull pruning shears to cut branches exposes the tree to disease. Make sure your pruning shears are sharp so they don't damage the wood when you cut. Also, make sure to sterilize your pruning shears every time you start pruning your tree. It takes a few minutes but it's worth it. To sterilize your scissors,
   • Make a solution with one part bleach to nine parts water.
   • Dip your pruning shears in the solution.
   • Rinse them off with hot water.
   • And dry them with a clean towel.
2. Top the tree to a height of 60-90 cm. Topping means cutting off the top of the central trunk to promote side branch growth. It is important to do this in the first two years after planting the tree so that you can adjust the shape the tree takes. Before removing the top, measure whether the tree is tall enough. Wait until the tree is more than 75 cm high before you top it. If you wait for the tree to settle a bit more before removing the top, the pruning wound will not weaken the tree too much.
   • Top the tree in the fall or winter, when it is still asleep. If you wait until spring, the tree will have buds. If you make the pruning wound after the buds have formed, the energy the tree used to do so will be wasted. By making the pruning wound before buds have formed, you allow the tree to use its energy to make healthy branches.
   • Make the cut at a 45 degree angle to make the tree less prone to disease and rot.
3. Wait a year and then create a tree crown. A tree crown is formed by a set of four side branches. They form the structure and balance the shape of the tree. The winter after topping the tree, when the tree is back asleep, make its first tree crown by choosing four sturdy, evenly spaced branches to keep.
   • Look for thick branches that grow at an angle of 45 to 60 degrees from the main trunk. These branches will be best suited.
   • Choose four branches about 8 inches (20 cm) apart vertically, with the bottom branch about 8 inches (45 cm) above the ground.
   • Cut all four branches back to 60 cm. Cut at an angle half an inch above the buds; new growth will emerge where you make the pruning wounds.
   • Prune the remaining branches. Cut straight, a short distance from the trunk, so that only the branches that are part of the tree canopy remain.
4. Keep two side branches on each main branch. Choose two well-placed, strong side branches to keep. This will help the tree focus its energy on the branches that remain and produce a greater amount of fruit.
5. Make a second canopy the following winter. After a new season of growth, the tree will be larger with more branches. Assess the tree and determine which branches you want to keep to create a second canopy about two feet above the first.
   • Choose branches that are not directly above the older main branches. Make a spiral shape so that sunlight can reach all branches of the tree.
   • Cut back other branches a short distance from the trunk.

Method 2 of 2: Prune a mature tree

1. Continue to support outward growth. After the third season it is no longer necessary to make new tree canopy. Instead, support outward growth by cutting back new vertical branches. Branches that grow outward bear more fruit than branches that grow upward. To get the maximum amount of fruit on your tree, consider tying a rope to the branches and tucking it into the ground during the growing season.
   • Now that the tree is a bit bigger, you may need to switch to larger tools. Loppers and pruners are suitable pruning tools for trees that are too thick to be handled with pruning shears. Make sure your tools are sharp and clean before using them.
2. Cut dead material when the tree is asleep. No matter how old the tree is, always try to prune it in winter while it is sleeping. Prune out dead and dried branches, dead leaves and dead fruit. Throw it on the compost pile or get rid of it some other way.
   • Always remember to sterilize your pruning shears before using them, even if you are only going to remove a few dead twigs.
3. Trim new shoots and seedlings. If you see shoots growing from the base of the cherry tree, cut them back to the ground. Pull out seedlings as well so that the roots of the cherry tree don't have to compete with a new tree.
4. Maintain the shape of the tree. Every season, take a step back and look at your cherry tree to see if it is even and in good shape. Prune new branches that are not part of the tree canopy and those that cross over other branches. Remember, your goal is to create an open shape so that sunlight and air can reach the center of the tree so that the tree will bear a lot of fruit.
   • If you see branches intersecting, choose one to remove.
   • Branches that do not produce fruit can be pruned back to the trunk.
5. Clean up all pruned branches and twigs. Cherry trees are very susceptible to disease, so it is best to remove all pruning waste when you are done pruning - especially if you have pruned away dead branches.
6. Perform emergency maintenance as needed. For example, you may encounter a diseased or dying branch in the spring or summer, which is the least convenient time to prune a cherry tree. If that happens, prune the branch even though the tree is not asleep. The disease can spread to other parts of the tree if you don't remove it right away.
   • If you're working on a sick tree, you'll need to clean the pruning tools between each cut. Dip them in a solution of bleach, wash them with hot water, and dry them before proceeding.

Tips

• When learning how to prune a cherry tree, it is important to understand that they are fragile trees that are susceptible to disease. That's why it's important to prune a cherry tree under the right conditions, at the right time, and with the right tools.
• If you're pruning a diseased cherry tree, be sure to sanitize the pruning shears with a disinfectant after each cut. This can prevent the spread of fungal infections.
• It is important to understand the type of cherry tree you have before pruning. Pruning certain cherry trees at the wrong time, or by cutting away fruit-producing buds, can destroy an entire crop or even permanently damage your tree. Some special types of cherry trees are bing, black cherry, flowering cherry and Japanese cherry.
• While most fruit trees are pruned in the winter, when they are dormant, it is best for cherry trees to prune them in the summer. This will help prevent a disease called glare from spreading. Lead shine causes the leaves of the cherry tree to discolor and die.
• To prevent germs, bacteria and fungi from spreading in the branches, seal any pruned branches of your cherry tree with grafting wax or wound balm.

Warnings

• Do not prune cherry trees in damp conditions. Cherry trees are very susceptible to diseases caused by fungal infections, and this is more likely to happen when branches are cut and exposed to moist conditions.
• Do not prune a cherry tree until it has produced fruit that year. Otherwise, you will not have cherries until the following year.
• Do not prune a cherry tree without using a good grafting wax or wound balm. If not used, the fragile, freshly pruned branches will be susceptible to disease and fungus.

Necessities

• Pruning shears
• Disinfectant, such as rubbing alcohol or bleach
• Cloth
• Graft wax or wound balm