Home » Misc » Prune ornamental cherry tree

Prune ornamental cherry tree


Cherry Ornamental Trees- Pruning, Winter Care and Fertilizing

Sorry, you have Javascript Disabled! To see this page as it is meant to appear, please enable your Javascript!

These trees should be pruned in early spring, before the sap starts to flow (March). This will remove some spring flowers, but promotes better growth. Pruning can also be done right after flowering. The time to make a long lasting effect on the form and structure of the plant is when the tree is young. Crossing or crowded branches, suckers and water sprouts should be removed. Low branches should also be removed, if desired, when the tree is young. This is best done by removing one or two branches a year, over a period of a few years, until the needed clearance is obtained. As the tree gets older, pruning every three to five years will keep the tree in good general shape. Water sprouts and suckers, however, should be removed each year. Newly planted trees respond very well to fertilization.  Either granular, liquid or stake type fertilizers can be used. Granular fertilizers can be worked into the soil around the plant at a rate of 2 lbs or 2 pints per 100 square feet of planting bed. An alternative way to apply granular fertilizers starts with drilling or punching 6” deep holes at the drip line of the tree. Poured into these holes should be a total of 2 pounds of fertilizer per 1″ of trunk diameter (divided up and poured evenly between all of the holes). These holes should not be filled with more than 1/3 of the fertilizer and then they should be top filled with soil. This method of fertilization should only be done once a year, and is best done in late fall after leaf drop, or in early spring before the buds break. Multi Purpose 10-10-10 Fertilizer works well.

Liquid fertilizers (such as Miracle Gro) are mixed with water and applied the same as you would water the plant (see product for specific details). This should be done three or four times per year starting in late April and ending in mid July.  Stake type fertilizers can be used following the directions on the package. With any of the above techniques, a higher nitrogen mix should be used; 20-20-20 or similar mix. Organic fertilizers, like manure, can also be used with good results. The material should be worked into open soil at a rate of one bushel per 1″ of trunk caliper or 100 square feet of bed area. As a tree matures, less fertilizing or lower nitrogen mixes should be used.

It is important to protect young trees from the winter sun. The trunks should be wrapped with a commercial grade tree wrap for the first two or three years. This wrap can be removed in the summer and then re-applied in fall.

Rabbits can do a great deal of damage to this plant in the winter. The plants can be protected with a fence formed with hardware cloth (looks like chicken wire but with small square holes). To do this, the plants branches should be tied in towards the center on smaller plants, and a circle of hardware cloth can be placed around the outside. Take care that the fence dose not rub and injure the bark. The base of the hardware cloth should be buried in the soil or mulch. This protection should be installed in late November and removed in mid April.

Get in touch
414-258-5525
[email protected]
12217 Watertown Plank Road
Wauwatosa, WI 53226
Monday to Friday 9-3:30

Our vision

To consistently provide the best landscape services and customer experience in southeastern Wisconsin.

Stay informed

Get our latest news by Greenmail.
 
Sign up

Pruning Ornamental Trees — Seattle's Favorite Garden Store Since 1924

Unlike pruning hedges or many fruit trees, pruning ornamental trees—such as Dogwood, Flowering Cherry, Magnolia, Snowbell, or Japanese Maple—involves mostly thinning to enhance natural branching patterns, open up views to trunks, and reduce the overall density. Although the growth habits vary between types of trees, the basic principles of thinning and redirecting apply to most. Some trees need very little, if any, pruning. For the rest that do need pruning, here are the basics to get you started.

WHY PRUNE YOUR TREES?

Redirect growth energy (not slow or stop it). Reveal beauty (not create it). Improve health (allow greater access to air and light—help it “breathe,” reduce wind and snow breakage).

WHEN TO PRUNE?

Winter: any time between total leaf fall and the breaking open of the first spring buds. Good for major clean-out and thinning. Fewer bugs to swat or bulbs to trample. Watch for excessive running sap.
Summer: after leaves are full size, through early September. Good to see foliage masses for thinning and layering. Easier to identify dead branches. Generally stimulates growth less than winter pruning.
Flowering trees: ideally soon after flowering, but light thinning will not impact future flowering. Anytime of year: remove dead or problem branches.

HOW MUCH TO REMOVE?

Do less than you think you need to. Try not to remove more than 1/4 to 1/3 of the volume of the living crown in any one year (some professionals recommend even less). More may cause oversprouting. Anything dead should be removed, of course.

3 BASIC STEPS

1. Clean Out: Remove branches which are dead, diseased, broken, crossing (rubbing on each other) or out of character with the rest of the tree.
2. Selectively Thin: Open up light and air circulation. Make the interior more transparent but not stripped clean. Balance the branch density around the tree.
3. Shape and Layer: On more horizontal branching trees: enhance “cloud formations” and spaces between them. On more vertical growers: lightly thin between major branches. Open up views of attractive/unique trunks and branches, such as at major crotches.

MISCELLANEOUS WISDOM

Don’t fight your tree’s will to grow to a certain size. Work with it, or replace tree with something smaller. 
Safety! Eye protection from branches.
Sharp tools are better for the trees, less stress on your hands. 
Work from inside out, bottom to top. Start by removing small inside branches. Work up to larger if necessary. You can shake or trace the branch before cutting to anticipate the effect of its removal.
Leave minimal length of dead end stubs. 
Work around the plant at least twice (if possible). You will notice different details each time.

Observe how the tree grows in density,


then start thinning from the inside out, bottom to top.

Redirecting branch growth:

“Thinning” cut sends the growth energy into the branch you choose.

Half-Diameter Principle:

Redirect to a side branch at least one half the diameter of the branch you’re cutting. 

3-step cut for large branches

To avoid tearing bark as the branch falls.

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:

In addition, cherry pruning helps prevent the spread of disease. This work is usually done in spring and autumn.

Cherry pruning in spring

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).

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.

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.

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.

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. 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.

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.

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. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Learn more