How to prune a cherry tree: a pictorial guide for beginners

Cherries

Cherry pruning must be done correctly. It's also important to know when to perform the procedure. Beginner gardeners often make mistakes that result in the death of the tree. To avoid such tragic consequences, there's a guide that describes the process step by step and includes pictures.

Purpose of pruning

Cherry trees grow rapidly and tend to branch out. As a result, the branches begin to break, unable to support the weight of the fruit. Furthermore, there's another important factor that suggests the need for pruning: the tree wastes its energy on the growth of unnecessary shoots, which reduces yield.

Attention!

There's a common misconception among novice gardeners that a tree doesn't need proper crown shaping because the more branches it has, the more cherries it will bear. But this is a misconception.

As branches and, consequently, leaves grow, air and sunlight don't reach all areas of the crown. This leads to their death. The berries also suffer: they become smaller and less tasty. A lack of fresh air creates an ideal environment for bacteria to thrive. Therefore, proper care of the cherry tree is essential to ensure its full development.

Types of pruning

Cherry tree shaping should begin in the first year after planting. To do this, the trunk, skeleton, and crown must be clearly defined. It's best to prune these elements in the spring, and wait until fall to thin out the branches. Trees older than five years can be pruned at any time of year.

There are several types of procedures that differ from each other in their scheme and final result.

Formative pruning – the ideal period for this is one to six years after planting in the garden. A one-year-old tree needs it most. This type of pruning is performed in early March or April, after the snow melts or before the buds swell. This procedure is necessary to create the desired shape and give the crown the desired density. It involves removing shoots that have frozen or are infested with parasites.
Maintenance (regulatory) pruning of cherry trees should be done in the fall or spring. It is an annual procedure and is necessary to maintain the crown's shape. It involves removing excess branches. The earlier this is done, the less stress the tree will experience.
Sanitary pruning is performed every five years in the spring or fall, after the harvest. Sometimes more frequent pruning is possible. This type of crown shaping is necessary to reduce the risk of infection. This procedure involves removing infected branches. They are removed and burned.
Rejuvenation is also carried out once every five years. However, if necessary, it can be done more frequently. The best time to do this is early spring or fall, after the fruit has been harvested. This will help correct the crown and remove damaged, dry, and infected shoots. Rejuvenation is mainly used on older plants.

Knowing these varieties will help you choose the right pruning and carry it out according to the existing system.

When can you prune a cherry tree?

To ensure healthy growth and full development, it's important to know when to prune your cherry tree and stick to the timeframe. It's important to consider the tree's age. It's best to perform crown shaping in several stages. If you prune all branches at once, the tree will experience stress and focus all its energy on recovery rather than fruit production.

Pruning cherry trees in spring

Cherry tree pruning in spring should be done within the prescribed timeframe, as it is related to the processes occurring within the plant. Branches should be removed before the sap begins to flow through the cells and the buds begin to swell. The ideal time to do this is mid-spring, when the cherry tree has already begun to emerge from dormancy, but the active growth phase has not yet begun.

Attention!

If you prune in April, it will be less beneficial because at this point the buds are almost formed.

Spring pruning shouldn't be ignored—it's done to shape the crown. However, the type of procedure depends on the age of the tree. For example, seedlings are shaped at this time, and skeletal branches are shortened. Two tiers are formed:

the main part should remain as a base, which consists of 7-9 branches;
and on the second - two or three branches.

Pruning should generally be done when the new tree reaches at least 70 cm. However, if the seedling was planted in its permanent location in the fall, wait 1.5 years before the first pruning. The main difference between pruning young plants and mature ones is the amount of top pruning. To calculate the correct distance, count six buds from the main branch.

A two-year-old plant needs to have its lower tier formed. To do this, select four large branches and shorten each by 0.5 m. Do the same with the main stem, counting the four top buds from which and trimming off the top.

A three-year-old cherry tree needs to be pruned on both tiers. To control this process, you'll need to shorten the skeletal branches. Their length should match the shortest shoot. Young shoots growing deep into the crown should be completely removed. The tree will be in good shape if its branches grow upward and sideways, and the angle between them and the trunk is 45°.

A 4-year-old plant should be pruned to the level of young skeletal branches. The third tier should be cut back to 20 cm below the top, but its length should not exceed 70 cm. If the second tier shoots do not exceed this height, pruning is not necessary.

Pruning a cherry tree in the spring will prevent it from becoming leggy. With a properly formed crown, the tree will reach a maximum height of 3.5 meters, ideal for easy harvesting. After 14-20 days, thinning should be done to allow adequate air circulation. As the cherry tree grows, trim away damaged shoots that will not bear fruit. This approach stimulates the formation of new shoots.

Pruning in summer

The summer pruning plan for cherry trees suggests that it should be carried out in early June after the growing season, before the tree begins to bear fruit. The procedure should be carried out in two stages:

Shoots that have finished flowering are pruned slightly to encourage further widening of the crown. Horizontal shoots are easier to maintain and significantly easier to monitor.
The second stage of cherry tree pruning in summer occurs after the fruit has been harvested. Allow the tree about 7 days to fully recover, then repeat the first stage.

Pruning in autumn

Pruning cherry trees in autumn This should be done immediately after the leaves fall. This should be done before the middle of the first month of autumn. However, if the plant grows in regions with a warm climate, the procedure can be extended until mid-October. Postponing pruning until later will make it difficult for the plant to recover.

Cherry trees are pruned in the fall for preventative purposes. During this period, it's important to remove damaged, infected, and weak branches. This will help the tree survive the winter more easily.

Attention!

Beginner gardeners make one common mistake: using the wrong tool. Experts recommend using a pruning saw because cuts made with it heal much faster.

All shoots that are kinked or grow at a common angle to the trunk should be removed. Thinning will help maintain a healthy top and maintain a healthy growth habit. An alternative to pruning in the fall is to reduce the length of one-year-old shoots by a third.

Winter pruning

Cherry trees shouldn't be pruned in winter. This is because the tree isn't particularly frost-resistant. However, this procedure is necessary when an older tree requires rejuvenation, as other methods won't produce the desired results. However, this should be done no more than every three years.

Pruning should be done in February, when temperatures rise and night frosts begin to recede slightly. The cut should be properly processed. To do this, cover it with a cloth folded several times beforehand.

How to prune cherry trees

Cherry trees need to be pruned to shape their crown properly. However, if branches are removed incorrectly and the cut areas are not properly cared for, you could not only experience a reduction in fruit production but also the death of the plant.

Formation of cherry tree crown according to its type

Bouquet branches appear on tree-like plants a year after bud formation. These branches produce the main fruit. Pruning is necessary to thin the crown or shorten new shoots. The maximum shoot height should be 2.5 m.

This type of plant should be pruned in stages:

Pinch off the top.
It is prohibited to carry out various manipulations with branches shorter than 20 cm.
Get rid of forks.
The cuts should be on the outer branching.
Cut off branches that grow upwards or towards the pole.
Trim small branches from the conductor. This approach will strengthen the skeletal and fruiting shoots.
Get rid of dry and diseased branches.
Cut off shoots that have few or no buds.

Bush cherries bear fruit on one-year-old shoots, so it's important to do everything possible to ensure their proper development. The cherry tree's crown should be formed according to the following scheme:

shorten the shoots with exposed tops by a third;
One-year-old growth should not be removed. Otherwise, the branch will die after the berries are harvested;
skeletal branches should be trimmed to the developed branches that appear on the sides and grow upwards;
Cut off shoots 55 cm long. This will encourage branching.

In addition, pruning should be done not on the ring, but on the lateral branch.

Pruning young cherry trees

Proper pruning of young trees involves shortening one-year-old branches. This can be done in three ways: weak, medium, and strong. The choice depends on the growth habits of other plants, the soil composition, and the local climate.

Light pruning involves cutting back by 1/4 of the plant's length. This stimulates the growth of the terminal buds and forces the branches to stretch at an acute angle. Medium pruning requires pruning half the plant: the seedling develops more lateral branches, and fruiting occurs earlier. However, this slows down the development of scaffold branches.

If you choose to prune heavily, you'll have to remove most of the seedling. Strong lateral branches will grow from the remaining buds. They will grow parallel to the trunk or slightly off-center.

For novice gardeners, the process may seem complicated. But this video on pruning a young cherry tree will help you understand it.

Formation of the crown of a fruit-bearing tree

For a tree in the fruiting stage, it's best to perform sanitary pruning. After this, it will overwinter significantly better. The following pruning algorithm applies:

Get rid of broken branches, spoiled berries, and diseased branches.
Trim branches that point inwards towards the crown.
Sharp forks are also not needed.

If it is necessary to shorten the central conductor, it can be done.

Pruning an old cherry tree

Pruning an old tree is necessary to correct the topping, as by this time there's no point in shaping it. For such plants, rejuvenating pruning is used, which will ensure a long growth period for the cherry tree and also stimulate a bountiful harvest.

In addition, mature trees need to be pruned for sanitary purposes, just like young seedlings. Each year, the tree develops more frozen branches, and in certain areas, the bark begins to peel and even suffer from diseases. Damaged shoots no longer bear fruit.

Rejuvenation pruning should be performed in dry, warm weather. Afterward, treat the cut areas with garden pitch.

Attention!

If the wounds are too large, they should be wrapped in film.

If you take the right steps, the cherry tree will produce many new shoots, and the yield will increase.

How to shape a cherry tree

The crop's growth must be constantly monitored and shaped. If this isn't done, your garden plot will end up with a huge, overgrown plant, not a small, neat tree. Moreover, the fruit production will be minimal.

In the first year of planting

Crown formation should be ongoing and necessary, even for a young tree. Initially, select a section of the trunk extending from the visible root collar to the junction of the lower branches. The height should be 0.7 m. Then, count five buds, which will form the skeleton. Prune the remaining shoots.

A sparse, tiered crown is ideal for an annual plant. This consists of a thick trunk 3-4 meters tall and a series of skeletal branches extending from the main trunk at a 40-50° angle. To achieve this, young shoots must be shortened by 1/3 and frozen branches must be removed.

Formation of cherry trees in the second year of planting

After a year, shoots will appear, from which two tiers will need to be created. The tree has already adapted to its new location, so the process will be stress-free. To shape the crown of a two-year-old tree, follow a specific pattern. First, remove any branches growing inward.

Cut the lower 3-4 branches back to 0.6 m. Cut the main shoot back to 0.7 m above the top shoot. Four buds should remain on the main branch, which will form the second row of branches.

The following years

After another year, thinning pruning is necessary because by this time the cherry tree has grown considerably. Branches at an acute angle to the trunk should be removed. Secondary shoots should be approximately 15 cm shorter than the main shoots.

Attention!

If you wish, you can form a third tier.

To achieve this, you will need to count 6 buds from the second tier conductor and cut off everything that is located on the top.

In the fourth year of life, everything must be done to prevent the tree from becoming too tall. The central conductor and all other branches must be shortened. The third tier should be 20 cm shorter than the skeleton.

By the age of five, the cherry tree's crown has already acquired the desired shape. All that remains is to maintain it. During this period, sanitary and rejuvenating pruning is necessary.

Cherry tree formation kgb

https://youtu.be/x7mgYnbjxM4

Cherry tree training using the KGB (Kim Green bush) system was introduced recently. This modern process is much easier than the Spanish or Australian bush. Furthermore, the procedure helps remove low-growing crowns. This is important because it eliminates restricted airflow, which can reduce yields and increase the risk of disease.

Scheme for shaping cherry trees according to the Australian bush type

The "Australian bush" cherry tree training method is one of the most convenient for harvesting berries in low-growing orchards. This technique is simple, and even a novice can master it after careful study.

In the spring after planting, the seedling should be shortened to 0.5 m.
In summer, you need to shape the crown, leaving 4 large branches for this purpose, and get rid of the rest.
Attach a clothespin perpendicular to the trunk above the growth point when the skeleton reaches 5 cm from the base. This is necessary to ensure that the first-order shoots grow vertically.
A year later, in the spring, cut off the buds from the shoots growing inwards towards the crown.
Later in the spring, young shoots that appear on the skeleton are cut to 8 cm.

Over the last few years, cherry tree branches will need to be shortened from time to time.

Formation according to the Spanish bush type

This method is popular in countries with warm climates. This is not surprising, as trees trained this way lose their frost resistance. The development of a Spanish cherry tree follows this pattern:

In the spring, after the crop has been planted and buds have formed, the trunk must be cut to a height of 35 to 75 cm.
Once four skeletal shoots appear on the trunk, they should be pulled back with ropes tied to stakes. This approach will result in a spreading crown.
Once they reach 0.5-0.6 m, they need to be pruned. They should appear 15 cm taller. This is best done in the summer.
In the fall, begin forming second-tier branches. To ensure a straight crown, secure it with trellises and leave it there for a year. After this time, shorten the branches to 25 m.
Form the branches of the next rank in the same way.

The final stage will require final vacuum.

Common mistakes in cherry tree pruning

Errors can occur during the procedure, which can lead to various consequences. To correct them, it's necessary to determine what exactly went wrong.

Problem	Solution
The outer branches do not develop, instead the shoots grow upwards	Correctly form the crown, transfer the growth to strong branches growing on the sides
The shoots grow, the crown becomes denser, the fruits appear late	There is no need to shorten the branches too much.
Upper branches are stronger than lower ones, weak shoots die off	Form the tiers correctly
Fruits are formed on the upper tier	To avoid this, the first one must be laid correctly

By eliminating the cause of the problem, you can get a tree with the desired crown.

Gardeners' reviews

Ivanna, Sochi

I always prune branches, regardless of size, in the spring. This is the optimal time to see which ones didn't survive the winter and need to be removed.

Oleg, Rostov-on-Don

I always thin out the crown if I notice it's become too dense. To do this, I remove all unnecessary shoots directly from the trunk, right down to the ring. I use a sharp hacksaw for this. I then trim the cut with a knife. When I was a beginner, I didn't know about this method, so I lost several trees.

Vladimir, Siberia

When I first started gardening and growing cherries, I made one mistake that cost me a plant. But I also gained experience. I trained the cherry tree to resemble a Spanish bush. Unfortunately, it didn't survive our frosts. It was only later that I learned that this method is ideal for warmer climates.

Pruning is an important procedure that must be carried out strictly according to the established schedule. Failure to do so can result in the loss of not only the harvest but also the tree itself. Beginners can avoid making mistakes with this instructional video and step-by-step instructions.