Cherry trees decorate many garden areas, annually yielding to their owners harvests of this useful berries. Many cherries like fresh cherries, but they are excellent for processing - jams and compotes of cherries are very delicious. In gardening, there is the concept of pruning cherries, but in reality this is not done by everyone. Many are afraid that the tree will cease to bear fruit or even wither, others simply do not know how to properly perform the trimming procedure. And completely in vain, because in this way you can avoid many problems, one of which is a meager crop after abundant flowering.
Let's find out how and when to cut the cherry, and whether it should be done in principle.
The benefits of pruning cherries
The expediency of regular thinning of the crown is determined by the gardener himself. But you should know that it will bring tangible benefits, namely:
- the formation of a beautiful tree crown;
- rejuvenation of the plant after each pruning;
- destruction of sick or old branches, which to some extent protects the tree from pests;
- and, of course, improving the quality of the crop - in the next season after the pruning you will notice that the berries have become larger and tastier.
When is it better to cut a cherry?
Crop the cherry in autumn follows when the tree is at rest, but it is advisable to do this before the onset of frost. If you did not have time to prune until the end of November, postpone this procedure until the spring.
Spring pruning of cherries is usually carried out in March, but there are no strict deadlines. You need to focus on the peculiarities of the climate in your region, and on the forecasts for possible frosts.
It should be noted that in both spring and autumn the weather on the day of pruning should be quiet and calm, it is desirable that the day was warm. Otherwise, there is a risk of so-called gummedizheniya, when wound from the place of truncated branches begins to emit resin.
If you notice signs of disease on the tree, then it will be right to immediately sanitize the cherries, in order to avoid contamination of a healthy part of the plant, as well as other fruit trees.
Pruning of old and young cherries
Cultivating a cherry tree from the seedlings, the first pruning should be performed in the second year of life. A young plant with autumn pruning has a high risk of freezing branches in winter, so it's better to wait.
But too tightening with pruning is not recommended. It is advisable to spend it annually, in order not to allow thickening of the crown. Otherwise, the tree weakens, and its crops gradually come to naught.
In the first few years, the main purpose of pruning is the proper formation of the tree crown. Adhering to the scheme, it is necessary to remove branches growing inside the crown, as well as too high. In this way, you can simultaneously adjust the height of the tree (which is important for the convenience of harvesting), and avoid excessive thickening of the crown.
If the cherry is old, then the main purpose of its pruning is rejuvenation. In bush-like varieties, the need for trimming is usually indicated by the bare ends of the shoots, which should be shortened by 1/3. Also remove semi-skeletal and skeletal branches (in different years) to developed lateral branches or to sleeping buds.
As for treelike cherry, the rejuvenating pruning is necessary for the annual growth of branches is less than 15 cm. It is also necessary to cut off the lateral branches of five-year branches if their ends begin to dry up.
Remember that care for cherry fall includes not only its pruning, but also fertilizing, water-absorbing watering and treatment from pests . All these measures, applied in a complex, will allow you to competently and without stress bring the tree to a state of rest, and then in the next season it will certainly please you with abundant flowering and tasty, juicy and healthy berries.
