Cherry Tree Pruning

Pruning older cherry trees with Bill Merrill. http://www.greengardenservice.net

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Pruning
• Cherry
• Trees
• garderning

[dprzezdziecki]

A question if I may: when you write that "the next winter select 3 or 4 scaffolds that are well placed and prune away all others" how long should those new scaffold branches be?

[GreenGardenGuy1]

@dprzezdziecki There is no set rule. Best information I can offer here is to choose the branches that are in the proper locations and seem to be the strongest. Look for good flat crotch angles and branches that ascend the trunk in a spiral fashion bisecting a circle by quarters or thirds from a birds eye view. Short answer, the best and strongest branches so they might also be the longest ones. The length of the branches is determined by the pruning you do in the following years.

[igood2go]

I see several internet sites say to prune cherry trees after fruit bearing and which would be in month of june here in virginia. Have I gotten the correct info?

[GreenGardenGuy1]

@igood2go There are many ways to prune fruit trees. What you describe sounds like a system of Summer pruning. It would keep the tree very compact. This method involves two pruning cuts during summer, June and August where the current seasons growth is reduced in length by 50%. Then in the dormant seaso you would thin the regrowth so the tree isn't so thick with branches. This is a fine method, Dave Wilson Nursery has some videos on the subject. I usually just prune the tree once in winter.

[tmc200527]

Hi, I was watching all the videos on cherry tree pruning with gisela root stock and they all show pruning for a central leader. Yours is open center type of shape. I have 5 year old trees that I haven't really touched at all. They have a central leader but now have other competing branches with very narrow angles from the main leader. They are about the same diameter too. Isn't that where canker can set in so should I plan on slowly stubbing those back and eventually remove to one central?

[GreenGardenGuy1]

@tmc200527 The tree I show in the video is grown on Gisela rootstock too. The only possible reason someone would prune cherries to a central leader is they don't care to pick the fruit in time. Dwarf rootstocks are early baring but they don't stop growing. Eventually the plant will be to large to work. Canker is mostly spread by mechanical injury and pruning. Prune in dry weather and clean your tools to avoid spreading it. Your tree will fruit inside and outside if you open the center.

[GreenGardenGuy1]

@CookenWithKilla Pruning a newly planted cherry tree is a good idea. I usually give the new trees an "orchard" cut. I remove any existing limbs because the angle is usually to acute on the first set of branches. The second set will grow at a lower, flatter, angle. Then I cut the main trunk off between 2 and 3 feet above the ground. This will cause all your scaffold limbs to form low. The next winter select 3 or 4 scaffolds that are well placed and prune away all others.

[GreenGardenGuy1]

@copybillie There is never any harm in removing dead wood, it is like cutting finger nails. The base of the branch should be cut as close to the main trunk as possible and the angle of the cut nearly vertical. Generally insects don't eat dead wood unless it is decomposing and then termites might enter. You can use a pruning sealer on the cut to keep it water proof but be sure to remove and replace the sealer annually. It can lift as growth occurs and trap water.

[copybillie]

Hi, I was wondering if you could help me. I have an ornamental cherry tree and one of the main branches is dead and not producing any flowers on it. Is it safe to prune a main branch? Should I put anything on the stump once cut to avoid insects? Thanks in advance:)

[GreenGardenGuy1]

@amusingisthedawn General rule of thumb is that root balls are wider by 1/3 than the tree canopy and about 1/2 as deep as the canopy is tall. This varies depending on how the tree was being pruned, the type of tree and the soil conditions it is growing under. I the issue isn't how big the root it is how much soil can you y move. Soil is heavy so you are limited to one or two bushels. Cut the roots to a 3' ball this spring then move the tree when dormant. Planting a new tree is a lot easier