How to trim cherry blossom tree
How to prune a cherry tree – and when to prune it
(Image credit: Getty Images / Jacky Parker)
Cherry trees make a lovely addition to any garden, but you need to know how to prune a cherry tree to keep it healthy and a good shape.
With their colorful foliage in fall, pretty spring blossom and some bearing delicious fruits, cherries offer both ornamental and productive appeal in a garden. You can also find compact and dwarf cherry trees suitable for containers – perfect for kitchen garden ideas.
Alongside those that are just grown for their beautiful blossom, there are both sweet cherry varieties – producing delicious, plump cherries that can be eaten direct from the tree – and sour cherry trees, with fruits more suited to use in cooking, baking or preserves.
The pruning method you adopt will differ depending on the variety you have, and whether your cherry is grown as an open centred bush, trained against a wall or trellis in a fan or espalier, or a weeping variety.
(Image credit: Getty Images / Shobeir Ansari)
How to prune a cherry tree – tips for beginners
'The goal when pruning cherry trees is to open up the center of the tree to allow sunlight and air to penetrate the branches and air to flow through,' explains Nikki McAteer of My Perfect Plants family-owned plant nursery in North Florida.
'The more sunlight the tree's inside branches receive, the more it will flower and then more fruit will be produced,' she continues.
Annually pruning cherry trees helps maintain a healthy balance of older fruiting wood and younger branches, and will keep the trees more compact, making it easier to pick the fruit.
Maintaining a clear flow of air through the cherry tree will also help to protect the tree from diseases.
'Reduce the risk of infections by disinfecting any tools with alcohol or dilute bleach before starting to prune,' explains Dan Neuteboom at Real English Fruit .
To make sure you have the right tools for pruning a cherry tree, you will need:
- Lopping shears for pruning smaller branches.
- Pruning saw for thicker branches.
- Hand pruners or secateurs for trimming very small branches.
(Image credit: Getty Images / Igor Stevanovic)
When should a cherry tree be pruned?
When should a cherry tree be pruned?
Opinion is a little divided and there are those that prefer to prune cherry trees in winter, others are spring pruners and some are summer pruners.
Summer pruning a cherry tree
Those who prune a cherry tree in late summer believe this is the best way to avoid the tree developing disease. In addition, it encourages slower growth of the tree.
'Great candidates for spring or summer pruning include cherry trees, which, if left alone, can grow up to three stories tall,' explains Susan Poizner of Orchard People , who provide education and consulting on fruit tree care.
Winter pruning a cherry tree
If you live in a cold climate, pruning cherry trees in late winter, when the tree is dormant, with no leaves or fruit, will encourage more rapid growth.
It is also easier to see the structure of the tree in winter, to help determine which branches to prune.
It is best to avoid pruning cherry trees in early winter as the tree will not have the stored energy to heal wounds caused by pruning.
(Image credit: Getty Images / Jacky Parker)
Spring pruning a cherry tree
Pruning in spring, after the trees buds have opened and leaves started to develop, is a way to identify and remove any unhealthy branches and encourage a desired branch structure. The downside is that is will not encourage as much growth in the cherry tree.
'The best time to prune fruiting cherry trees is in late summer after the tree has gone through its fruiting period,' says Nikki McAteer.
'Most other cherries can be pruned in late winter during dormancy, but with fruiting cherries, you don't want to risk cutting off the blooms that produce the sweet fruit in spring,' she adds.
(Image credit: Getty Images / Richard Newstead)
Pruning free-standing cherry trees
The method for pruning a cherry tree will depend on the age of the tree.
For young cherry trees:
- In the first year of pruning, to control the cherry tree's shape, cut back the central leader – or central trunk – 'to encourage to encourage the growth of lateral branches,' explains Dan Neuteboom.
- In the second year, choose about four well-spaced, wider laterals – side shoots – at least 18 inches from the ground, and shorten these by two-thirds. These will become the main branches.
- Remove any side shoots below these and cut the central trunk to just about the top lateral.
- The third year, once these main laterals have produced their own side shoots, prune back the strongest of these by half.
- From then on, annual pruning will enable you to control the tree size.
(Image credit: Getty Images / Jacky Parker)
How do I prune an old cherry tree?
Overall, sweet cherry trees require only light pruning once established. To prune a cherry tree once established:
- Shorten any strong vertical growing shoots crowding the center to allow the free flow of air.
- Remove any crossing, weak, dead, damaged or diseased branches.
- Shorten the tips of the remaining branches by about a third of new growth to encourage the development of fruit buds.
'During dormancy, in winter, the deciduous cherries will be leafless and you will have the best view of the branch structure. Additionally, you can prune back any suckers at the base of the tree. These will never produce viable fruit,' says Nikki McAteer.
If you have an established sour or acid cherry tree, however, it will need much heavier pruning that a sweet cherry, as the fruit is mainly produced on the previous year's growth.
If you have an established acid cherry tree, as well as removing dead, damaged or diseased branches, as above:
- Remove about a quarter of the remaining older wood, cutting back to a main branch or younger side-shoot.
- Shorten any young shoots that are more than 12 inches long by a third to encourage branching.
(Image credit: Getty Images / Monty Rakusen)
Pruning dwarf cherry trees
For pruning dwarf cherry trees, you can use the same method as other free-standing cherry trees, above.
How to prune weeping cherry trees
Using sharp pruners, remove suckers coming out of the base of weeping cherry trees. 'Remove suckers at any time of year,' advise the experts at Bower & Branch .
Prune out dead or dying branches back to live wood in winter – by scratching the wood to see where the live green wood begins.
On grafted trees, prune off any branches coming out from below the swelling near the top of the trunk as these won't 'weep' and will spoil the shape of the tree.
Trim the weeping branches to fall at least six inches from the ground and also prune more upright growing branches.
'Don't, however, remove more than 25 per cent of the canopy at one time when pruning a weeping cherry tree,' add the Bower & Branch experts.
(Image credit: Getty Images / Leonid Eremeychuk )
Should cherry trees be pruned every year?
Cherry trees should be pruned every year to maintain their shape and encourage healthy growth.
Pruning cherry trees will also result in a better crop of fruit, as removing branches will increase the exposure to sunlight of the remaining shoots.
'In general, when pruning cherry trees, try to make as few cuts as possible, removing a few complete branches in order to give the canopy an open structure,' says Dan Neuteboom.
Rachel is senior content editor, and writes and commissions gardening content for homesandgardens.com, Homes & Gardens magazine, and its sister titles Period Living Magazine and Country Homes & Interiors. She has written for lifestyle magazines for many years, with a particular focus on gardening, historic houses and arts and crafts, but started out her journalism career in BBC radio, where she enjoyed reporting on and writing programme scripts for all manner of stories. Rachel then moved into regional lifestyle magazines, where the topics she wrote about, and people she interviewed, were as varied and eclectic as they were on radio. Always harboring a passion for homes and gardens, she jumped at the opportunity to work on The English Home and The English Garden magazines for a number of years, before joining the Period Living team, then the wider Homes & Gardens team, specializing in gardens.
How to Prune a Flowering Cherry | Home Guides
By Susan Patterson Updated December 14, 2018
Proper pruning techniques help to keep trees healthy and attractive. Pruning a cherry tree encourages blooming, removes undesirable growth, removes dead and diseased branches and shapes the tree. Examine your flowering cherry tree each year and trim according to need. Unpruned trees may become overgrown and weak. Pruning a cherry tree is a straightforward task that requires no previous pruning knowledge, only the right tools and a little time. Pruning is best done immediately after the tree flowers.
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1.
Wipe dirt and debris from pruning tools using a clean rag.
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Soak pruning tools in a solution of 1 part bleach and 3 parts water for five minutes. Allow the tools to air dry. This will sterilize them so that they do not transmit any pathogens.
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Assemble your clean and sharp pruning tools. Use hand shears to remove branches that are less than 1/2 inch in diameter, anvil clippers to remove dead limbs that are less than 1/4 inch in diameter and loppers to trim branches that are 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
If necessary, use a pruning saw to cut branches that are 1 1/2 inches and larger in diameter. -
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Prune cherry trees immediately after blooming to promote new growth and flower display. Trimming should be light at this time.
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Cut suckers from around the bottom of the tree.
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Thin any branches that are outside of the desired shape. Make all cuts back to the branch collar.
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Prune flowering cherries more aggressively during the dormant season. Pruning at this time is for shape and size.
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Step back from the tree and assess the tree's natural shape. Formulate a pruning plan.
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Remove all broken, diseased or dead limbs. Make cuts back to the branch collar being very careful not to damage the collar or the bark around the pruning cut. Be very careful not to leave a stub as this will interfere with healing.
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Remove branches that cross over each other or rub against each other.
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Shorten branches using heading cuts. Make the cuts 1/4 inch above an outward-facing bud. If you leave the inward facing buds on the tree it will cause crowding towards the center of the tree which will limit air circulation and light penetration.
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Thin selected branches back to the main trunk to allow light and air to penetrate the tree. Make cuts back to the branch collar, being careful not to damage surrounding bark or the collar.
Things You Will Need
Hand shears
Anvil clippers
Loppers
Pruning saw
Clean cloth
Bleach
Bucket
Tip
Keep all equipment sharp and in excellent working order. Remove and discard all pruned limbs.
Warning
Use the correct tools for the size of limb that you are cutting. Use caution when working with sharp pruning tools.
References
- Clemson University Extension: Cherry Prunus spp.
- Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service: Pruning Ornamental Trees and Shrubs
- University of Florida Extension: Disinfecting Pruning Tools
- University of Kentucky Extension: Pruning Landscape Trees
- University of Tennessee Extension: Best Management Practices for Pruning Landscape Trees, Shrubs and Ground Covers
Writer Bio
Susan Patterson is a health and gardening advocate. She is a Master Gardener, Certified Metabolic Typing Advisor and a Certified Health Coach with vast experience working with organic gardening and nutrition. Her passions include sustainable living, organic foods and functional fitness. Patterson has been writing and presenting on health and gardening topics for 10 years.
Cherry pruning in spring and autumn. Cherry pruning pattern.
According to professional gardeners, regular thinning of the crown and removal of unnecessary branches is extremely important for cherries and brings many benefits:
- the tree is properly formed, its one-sidedness and thickening of the crown are prevented;
- yield increases several times;
- berries become larger and tastier;
- the destruction of old diseased and damaged branches provides additional protection for cherries from pests.
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In addition, cherry pruning helps prevent the spread of disease. This work is usually done in spring and autumn.
Cherry pruning in spring
- The crown is formed 5 years after planting.
- Pruning of cherries in spring begins before the buds swell. Remove dry and broken shoots.
- Proper trimming is essential to avoid gum bleeding. All wounds after pruning are covered with garden pitch. If the tree has a bushy shape, then leave 7-9skeletal (main) branches. In a tree-like variety of cherries, it is enough to leave 4-6 pieces. In grafted seedlings, root shoots are removed, which reduces the yield of the crop.
- When pruning old cherries in spring, don't remove too many branches at once. If the seedling was launched and not cut off, it is better to do it in several stages over 2-3 years. After pruning in the spring, as a rule, new shoots begin to grow, their growth must be monitored and, if necessary, also cut. nine0015
- do not prune young cherry seedlings too much, this will slow down fruiting; nine0008
- if a branch with a diameter wider than 1 cm is pruned, it is better to cover the wound with garden pitch to heal faster;
- cherry pruning should be carried out every year.
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1 Should cherries be trimmed at all?
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2 General pruning principles
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2.1 Shearing methods
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2.2 When to prune cherries
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3 Crown shaping
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4 Trimming features
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1 Tree cherry -
4.2 Bush cherry
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4.3 Young tree
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4.4 Rejuvenation of old cherries
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4.5 Top trimming for height restriction
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5 Photo gallery: treelike cherries after pruning
- annual growth will increase;
- fruiting will improve - the berries will become juicier and larger;
- it will be easier for the tree to endure wintering;
- all branches will receive enough light and air, and therefore there will be fewer drying and fading branches;
- kidneys will form and develop more actively.
- for lateral branching. The main branch (thicker) is cut down to a strong side branch; nine0008
- translation shortening. If the branch forks, it can be shortened by removing one of the shoots up to the fork. The choice of shoot depends on the situation, but when pruning cherries, the outer branching is most often left;
- per ring. In this case, the branch growing from the conductor is cut down to the very base.
- forks are removed. To do this, a cut is made on the outer branching and branches growing towards the trunk or upwards are cut out;
- shorten long shoots.
Shortening can be done on a branch or on a kidney. Short (up to 20 cm) shoots are not touched; - small branches growing on the conductor are removed on the ring - thus the skeletal and fruit branches are strengthened. nine0008
- shorten by a third the branches where the ends are starting to show. Skeletal branches in this case are cut to a well-developed lateral branch growing upwards; nine0008
- do not remove annual growths - this can lead to the death of the shoot after fruiting;
- it is necessary to prune shoots about 40–55 cm long to increase their branching;
- cut not on the ring, but on the lateral branching.
- do not remove more than a meter of branches, because this can lead to the death of the whole tree;
- branches are not left completely bare when pruned, cutting off all branches; nine0008
- pruning is done above the fruit branch;
- young twigs that appear after pruning should also be shortened to encourage continued growth.
- You can easily see strong skeletal branches in this cherry
- Young cherry after pruning gets a beautiful crown shape
- Thanks to pruning, cherry blossoms do not prevent small branches from accessing light and air. nine0296
- Author: Ira Shestakova
Pruning cherries in autumn
Pruning cherries in autumn is very important.
Properly carried out procedure will significantly increase the future harvest and extend the overall life of the plant.
Experienced summer residents carry it out even in late autumn, so that the tree is already in the winter “sleep” mode. It should be noted that in the fall we cut only dry, infected or broken shoots.
Basic rules for autumn pruning:
Cherry pruning scheme
The seedling is cut in such a way that 4-5 strong, developed branches remain on it. The remaining growths are removed, and the wounds are covered up. The branches left should be at a distance of 10 cm from each other and directed to the sides. Next, they make observations so that the bush does not thicken, and the crown continues to form correctly.
All shoots going inside are removed. The shoots formed on the headquarters are cut out (Figure 1). nine0003
Pruning of young cherries must be done with great care as the growth and fruiting patterns of the tree are established during this period. Mistakes made can lead to low crop yields in the future.
Fig. 1 - Scheme of pruning a young cherry seedling.
The scheme for pruning mature cherries also has its own characteristics (picture 2). It is carried out in order to rejuvenate and increase productivity. The rejuvenating formation of the crown of bushy varieties is required when fruiting is significantly reduced. The yield is returned by reducing the number of branches and shortening them by 1/3 or 1/2 of the length of the shoot. So that the plant does not weaken after pruning and continues to bear fruit, skeletal and semi-skeletal branches are removed in different years. Annual growths cannot be touched. nine0003
Fig.
2 - Scheme of pruning an adult cherry tree.
More in this category: Pruning raspberries in spring, autumn. When is the best time to prune raspberries? Pruning apricots in spring and autumn
Top
how to prune correctly, how to form the crown of old and young trees
Cherry pruning is needed not only to form a beautiful crown. The main purpose of this procedure is to increase productivity. Unfortunately, not every gardener can boast of a good knowledge of pruning principles. In order for the cherry to grow more actively and delight its owners with ripe and large berries, you need to adhere to certain (not at all complicated) rules. nine0003
Contents
Should cherries be trimmed at all?
Many novice gardeners are wondering if it is necessary to prune cherries at all? Of course, it is necessary. This tree boasts very fast growth and branching, so if it is not pruned, the crown will tangle very quickly, the central branches will no longer receive enough light and air, and fruiting will deteriorate or stop altogether. nine0003
Regular pruning of a plant will have a positive effect on it:
General principles of trimming
The entire trimming process can be roughly divided into two steps:
When pruning cherries, thinning is most often used. This is due to the fact that her buds are located closer to the ends of the branches, so shortening will be less effective in improving fruiting.
To learn how to prune cherries correctly, you also need to be able to identify the type of branch:
Cutting methods
When pruning cherries, the following cuts are most often used:
The diagram clearly shows how a particular cut is made
Many gardeners know that most plants should be cut with preparations such as ground coal or garden pitch to protect the branch from infections and improve healing, but on cherry this rule does not apply. nine0037 Processing cut branches of a cherry tree or bush will lead to difficulty in recovery.
When to prune cherries
Cherries (of any variety and type) are pruned every year. A fresh seedling, planted in March-April before the buds swell, is pruned immediately after planting to form a crown.
Any tree or shrub is pruned in early spring, before the buds swell. At this time, active sap flow has not yet begun, and the plant will tolerate the removal and shortening of branches well. If you did not have time to cut the cherry in March, you should not cut the branches after the swelling of the buds - there is a high probability that they will dry out to the very base.
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Cherry pruning should be carried out before bud break
In summer, after fruiting, only mature, well-developed trees can be pruned. Autumn pruning is, as a rule, sanitary in nature - before winter, weak, drying, diseased branches are removed from cherries in order to facilitate wintering for the plant.
This sanitary pruning can be carried out in any month if necessary. If you notice a diseased or drying branch, remove it immediately. In autumn, it is worthwhile to carefully examine the tree for damaged or weak branches and cut them out, if any. nine0003
Crown formation
The best option for such a fruit tree is considered to be a sparsely-tiered crown. When shaping, they use the same methods as when trimming: shortening and thinning.
The formation of the crown is carried out only after planting the cherry in its permanent place. Therefore, if you dug a cherry for the winter, you need to cut it only after landing in the garden.
Skeletal branches of the first order are formed in the seedling immediately after planting in the spring. To do this, choose about 5 of the strongest branches, the lowest of which should be located at a distance of about 20–30 cm above the ground. All branches growing below this threshold are removed to the ring. nine0037 For skeletal branches, those that grow at an angle of 40-50 degrees from the trunk are best suited. Shoots growing at sharper angles may break off under the weight of the berries. Choose branches that grow at the same distance from each other and are located along the entire diameter of the trunk.
The formation of skeletal branches after planting is an important stage in the care of the seedling
In the second year, branches of the second order are formed. To do this, remove the shoots growing on the upper side of the skeletal branches. It is also necessary to cut into a ring all the shoots that have grown from the trunk in a year.
The central conductor (or, as it is also called, the leader) is cut in such a way that it is 25–30 cm higher than the uppermost tier of branches, no more. nine0003
When forming the crown of a seedling, branches growing inside the crown, weak twigs and small shoots on the lower part of the trunk are removed
Pruning features
Of course, pruning of different types of cherries differs from each other. Moreover, the same tree at different periods of its life also needs to be cut in its own way.
Cherry tree
For the gardener, the bouquet twigs and annual shoots of the tree cherry are of the greatest interest - it is on them that most of the berries are formed. The main operation is crown thinning to stimulate an increase in the number of fruitful areas. nine0003
Tree cherries are distinguished by their large size and high stems
When pruning tree cherries, the following procedures are carried out:
Bush cherries
A feature of bush cherries is fruiting on annual shoots. Accordingly, when pruning this cherry, special attention should be paid to their constant active development.
Shrub cherries have a low trunk and compact size
When pruning bush cherries, follow these guidelines:
Young tree
When the seedling is established in its permanent place, it is pruned to form the correct crown.
For this, only skeletal branches are left, and the rest are cut into a ring, leaving no hemp. At the same time, the rings are treated, contrary to the rule, with garden pitch. nine0003
The young cherry tree is pruned mainly to shape the crown
The following year, the biennial tree is protected from excessive thickening of the crown. To do this, remove the branches growing inside the crown. In the summer, you can still remove the green shoots growing on the trunk until they have time to get stronger. If they were not removed during the summer months, then these lignified branches are removed only the next year, in the spring.
In the future, new skeletal branches are formed near the tree, choosing them from among the strongest on the trunk, so that their number gradually increases to 13–15. nine0003
Rejuvenation of old cherries
Rejuvenation pruning of tree-like cherries is carried out when the bases of the skeletal branches are bare, and the annual growth becomes large and amounts to more than 10-15 cm.
It is necessary to shorten the branches by a four-year-old wood. If the entire branch or its tip is bare, then they rejuvenate to the side branch of an older - five- or six-year-old - wood.
Bush cherries are rejuvenated when the branches are significantly exposed and growth is weakened. Branches are pruned to strong lateral branches grown on three-year-old wood. nine0003
Rejuvenation of an old tree should be carried out systematically. If the old cherry tree is already heavily neglected, then such pruning is carried out systematically for several years so as not to injure the plant too much. Rejuvenation is carried out along with the planned spring pruning.
The principles of rejuvenating pruning of old trees are quite simple:
With regular pruning of old cherries, their age becomes less noticeable - they continue to bear abundantly. It is produced when the cherry reaches a height of 3-4 meters. Thus, the growth of the plant is limited. In this case, the conductor is transferred to a strong side branch. nine0003
The top of the cherry tree is also cut off when the conductor is more than 30 cm higher than the top skeletal branches.
Proper annual pruning of cherries is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Give the plant your care and time, and it will thank you with ripe berries and beautiful foliage.
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