Any gardener who grows cherries on his plot should be able to prune the tree to provide him with the best conditions for development. For the successful completion of the procedure, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic rules, depending on the type of cherry and the desired result.
Reasons for pruning cherries
Cherry pruning plays an important role in maintaining the health of the tree, and also allows you to:
- correctly form a crown, which contributes to better development, fruiting and good immunity;
- increase productivity and rejuvenate the tree. Since the crown of cherry is closely related to the roots, an excessive number of branches overload the root system, and it cannot fully supply the tree with nutrients. Removing most of the non-viable shoots allows the cherry to direct energy to the formation of new branches and the formation of fruits;
- prevent disease. A properly formed ungutted crown will be able to receive a sufficient amount of sunlight, which will positively affect the development of the plant, and good ventilation will serve as a preventive measure against various diseases, especially fungal diseases.
Many gardeners believe that it is not necessary to prune cherries, as this can provoke gum-bleeding. But such a situation can arise only when a large number of branches are immediately cut from the crown.
Cropping Rules
To properly trim, it’s important to choose the right time, know the technology for slicing, and use a sharp tool.
The timing
Trimming time depends on your goals:
- the first forming pruning is carried out immediately after planting, for the 2-4th year - from mid-March to early April, before the sap flow. The air temperature should not be lower than -5aboutFROM;
- sanitary pruning is preferably carried out in the fall, from mid-September to early October, after stopping sap flow. The air temperature should be -5-8aboutFROM;
- anti-aging pruning can be done in spring and autumn at the same time and at the same temperature as other types of pruning.
Slicing
When removing thick old shoots, a “per ring” cut is used. Take a closer look at the branch and you will notice ring-shaped flows at its base. Trim the branch on the top edge of the ring. Do not leave hemp and do not cut along with the ring - this threatens the appearance of a hollow, cracking of wood and decay of the bark.
It is necessary to carry out the cut correctly so as not to injure the tree
If you need to make a cut on the external kidney (for example, to avoid thickening of the crown and direct the branch out), then make an oblique cut (at about 45about) at a distance of 0.5 cm from the outward facing kidney.
With a correctly performed cut, it is on a par with the kidney
Instruments
To trim, you will need:
- secateurs (it is convenient for them to cut thin branches);
- delimbers (able to cope with branches up to 2.7 cm in diameter located in the depth of the crown);
- garden saw, especially when conducting anti-aging pruning.
Do not forget to grease pruning places with garden varnish or oil-based varnish, as well as disinfect tools to avoid infection in the tree. To do this, they can be calcined on fire, wiped with a cloth moistened with alcohol or 5% solution of copper sulfate.
Formative pruning of various types of cherries
The measures for the formation of the crown may vary depending on the type of cherry, but the schemes themselves are universal and can be applied in any region.
Tree Cherry Pruning
Tree cherries are often found in garden areas. Popular varieties:
- Zhukovskaya
- Turgenevka,
- Nord Star
- The bottle is pink.
Its main feature is fruiting on bouquet branches. They give a harvest for 5 years, but provided that their length is not less than 30-50 cm.
All buds of cherry trees can sprout new shoots
Table: Crown Tree Shaping
| Age of cherry, planting time | 1 year | 2 years | 3 years | 4 years |
| activity | Option 1 (annual seedling without branches): if you purchased a seedling without branches, then cut it to 80 cm, and next year, prune it using the algorithm described below. Option 2 (annual sapling with branches):
Option 3 (two-year-old seedling): if you selected a two-year-old seedling with already formed skeletal branches, then carry out the events from the “2 years” column. |
|
| As a rule, by this time the crown of cherry is fully formed and consists of a central shoot (optimal height - 2.5-3 m) and 8-10 skeletal branches. To limit cherry growth, cut the top 5 cm above the nearest skeletal branch. In the future, cherries require only sanitary and anti-aging trimmings. |
After 4 years, cherries need sanitary and anti-aging trimmings
Bush cherry pruning
Bush-shaped (bush) cherries (Vladimirskaya, Bagryanaya) are also successfully grown by many gardeners. In contrast to tree-like varieties, bush-like forms fruits on annual branches. Another feature of such a cherry is the presence of a growth bud at the end of the branch, therefore, if there are no branches on it, it cannot be shortened, otherwise the shoot may dry out.
There is a growth bud at the end of a bushy cherry branch, so you can’t shorten the branches
Table: Bush crown formation
| Age of cherry, planting time | 1 year | 2 years | 3 years | 4 years |
| activity | Option 1 (annual seedling without branches): if you purchased a seedling without branches, then wait until spring, and next year, prune it using the algorithm described below. Option 2 (annual sapling with branches):
Option 3 (two-year-old seedling): if you planted a two-year-old seedling with already formed skeletal branches, then carry out the activities from the “2 years” column. |
| Follow the same steps as last year. | As a rule, by this time the crown of the cherry should be finally formed and consist of a central shoot (optimal height - 2-2.5 m) and 12-15 skeletal branches. To limit cherry growth, cut the top 5 cm above the nearest skeletal branch. In the future, cherries require only sanitary and anti-aging trimmings. |
When pruning bushy cherries, it must be remembered that branches cannot be shortened
Pruning Cherry Felt
The main difference between felt cherries is the pubescence of shoots and leaves, as well as short pedicels, thanks to which the flowers and fruits "stick to" the shoots.
Felt cherry berries are densely arranged on a branch.
Table: Crown Formation of Felt Cherry
| Age of cherry, planting time | 1 year | 2 years | 3 years | 4 years |
| activity |
|
|
| As a rule, the bush has 10-12 skeletal branches and is formed. In the future, cherries require only sanitary and anti-aging trimmings, as well as maintaining a certain height (2-2.5 m). |
To get a bush of felt cherry, you must annually leave the strongest shoots growing from the root head
Sanitary pruning
Sanitary pruning is usually carried out annually or once every 2 years.
Table: how to carry out sanitary pruning of various types of cherries
| Kind of cherry | Tree-like | Bushy | Felt |
| activity |
|
|
|
After trimming, collect garbage and burn it.
Video: cherry pruning rules
Anti-aging pruning
Considering the fact that cherry trees live 12-15 years, the first anti-aging pruning should be done when the plant reaches the age of 8 years. Another sign indicating the need for rejuvenation of tree cherries is a decrease in the length of the annual growth to 20 cm, and in the bush - exposure of the ends of the branches. Felt cherries do not have such signs, so focus on age and yield.
It is advisable to perform anti-aging pruning not immediately completely, but within 2-3 years so that the cherry does not lose too many branches and does not gum.
Trimming Algorithm:
- Remove old, withered, twisted branches, including skeletal ones.
- Remove root shoots.
- On a tree cherry, cut the remaining skeletal branches to the first strong lateral branch out (count from the top), remove the extra branches (for example, in the center of the crown), and shorten the remaining branches to 40-45 cm on the upper kidney.
- On bush cherries, also cut the skeletal branches to the first strong lateral branch. Remove excess thickening growth. Do not forget that shortening the shoots is not recommended, so as not to reduce the yield and not harm the further growth of the shoot. If you really need to shorten any branch, then also cut it to the side branch.
- For felt cherries, it is recommended to remove the excess growth and cut the shoots 1/3 again to reach a length of 60 cm.
Trimming for translation (side branch) should be done outside the crown
Pruning cherries is not a difficult event and is beyond the power of any gardener. Follow all the recommendations and you will certainly provide your cherry with the best conditions for growth, and the tree will thank you with a quality harvest.
