How to Grow Columnar Cherry Trees: Step-by-Step Instructions

Cherries

Sweet cherries have a unique flavor and aroma. But not everyone has the space to plant a spreading tree. A columnar cherry tree can find a place in even the smallest garden. The plant requires minimal care, and planting and pruning are easy, as you can see in the video. This cherry variety produces a good harvest. With proper cultivation, the berries ripen as early as early summer.

General information about columnar cherries

This variety was developed in the 1960s. It is a miniature plant, reaching up to 3 meters in height. Its shape resembles a columnar column, hence its name. It lacks spreading branches, and its lateral shoots are very short and evenly spaced along the entire length of the tree. The maximum crown diameter of mature trees does not exceed 100 cm.

The berries form on these side branches along the entire length of the trunk, starting approximately 10-15 cm from the ground. This allows for easy harvesting without the use of a ladder. The tree takes up very little space, 1.5-2 m2 being sufficient. Fruiting begins in the 2nd or 3rd year and continues for up to 30 years. With proper care, a single tree will yield 10-16 kg per summer. The cherry tree itself has a pleasing decorative appearance.

Landing

First, decide on the variety. The most popular and easy-to-grow varieties are Helena, Sylvia, and Sem. Columnar cherry seedlings are purchased from specialized nurseries such as Chernaya and Iput. Two different varieties are often planted next to each other. They cross-pollinate. Planting two columnar cherry varieties next to each other increases the yield. Choose seedlings with smooth bark and no curvature, up to 24 months old. Check the root system for signs of rot. The bud on the apical shoot should be alive and well-developed. Such a tree will easily establish itself in its new location and will produce a good harvest in the future.

Planting is done in the spring, in April or May, in well-warmed soil, as seedlings are killed by frost. In southern regions and the central zone, planting is done in spring and early fall.

Attention!

The seedlings are purchased shortly before planting, or they are buried in a tub for a while so that the roots do not dry out.

Landing rules:

Choose a sunny location for planting, preferably on the south side. It should be protected from drafts and not too damp. A hillside or slope that doesn't allow water to stagnate during rainfall is ideal.
The area is dug up 15-20 days before planting. It is enriched with organic fertilizer. The soil should be loose and neutral in pH.
The seedling rhizome is pre-soaked in warm water for at least 10 hours.
The distance between columnar tree seedlings is 1 to 2 meters, depending on the variety. If there are multiple rows, the distance from one row to the next is also 1.5 to 2 meters.
Dig planting holes up to 70 cm deep. Place drainage material (expanded clay or crushed stone) at the bottom. The diameter of the holes is approximately 80 cm. When the cherry tree is planted, the root collar should protrude 2-3 cm above the soil surface.
After planting, the hole is filled with a soil mixture of humus and black soil (ratio 1:3). The soil is compacted. A support is installed nearby and the seedling is secured to it.
The plant is watered with 20-30 liters of water.

If you follow these simple planting rules, the seedlings will take root well.

Crown formation by pruning

To ensure a good and stable harvest and maintain the plant's decorative appearance, cherry trees need to be pruned promptly. In spring, columnar cherry trees are pruned before the sap begins to flow. For temperate climates, the optimal time is late March to early April. In summer, pruning is performed during harvest. Fall pruning is performed after harvest.

Cherry tree pruning methods

Summer pruning is less traumatic for plants. Depending on the desired result, different methods are chosen:

The Bruner method is used to limit the growth of young trees. Large branches are removed in several stages. This method helps maintain a neat crown.
Rejuvenation pruning involves removing up to 30% of the tree's crown. Old branches 6-8 years old are removed. Main branches are sawed off around the perimeter of the crown. This is done every 5-6 years.
Thinning pruning involves removing branches from the center. This increases the amount of light reaching previously shaded shoots.
With the branch bending method, young shoots are tied with ropes to stakes driven into the ground. This creates the desired growth angle.

Bud removal is used to limit tree growth. It's done in the fall to prevent sap from flowing into new leaves and shoots in the spring, and to ensure that buds and future fruiting plants receive more nutrients.

Important!

Different methods are used at different times to avoid causing excessive damage to the tree.

Timely care for cherries

Although columnar cherries are easy to care for, they require proper care. It's important to establish a proper watering schedule, fertilization timing, disease prevention measures, and don't forget to prepare the tree for frost.

Water every two days with 3-5 liters of water, depending on the weather. If the weather is hot and dry, increase watering; if it is rainy and cool, decrease it. For mature trees, double the watering amount, but water less frequently—every three to four days. The soil beneath the tree should always be moist. Avoid standing water. After watering, loosen the soil. This ensures oxygenation of the soil. Weeds are removed promptly.

Fertilizers are applied 2-4 times during the growing season. The fertilizer application schedule is presented in the table.

Period	Lure
Spring	The first time is immediately after the snow melts. Fertilize with, for example, nitroammophoska. For trees up to 5 years old, use 20 g, for older trees – 10 g. Apply the fertilizer to the soil and loosen the soil. Alternatively, make several 50 cm deep holes around the trunk and add the mixture. After this, water the soil. Alternatively, fertilize with chicken manure or cow dung. Dilute 1:10 with water and water with this mixture. Repeat after a month.
Summer	The second feeding is done in June-July. Use a urea solution (0.3 kg per bucket of water) or a ready-made complex fertilizer, such as "Novalon" (3 tablespoons per 10 liters of water), or a mixture of potassium and phosphorus fertilizers (15 g each). Nitrogen-containing substances are applied only in the spring, as they stimulate foliage growth.
Autumn	To prepare the plant for the winter period, superphosphate and potassium fertilizers are added at the end of September-October. 0.3-0.4 kg of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium sulfate are sprinkled around the perimeter of the root zone.

Maintaining a neutral soil pH is essential for cherry trees. To determine this, take a soil sample from the tree trunk (at a depth of 20 cm).

Important!

Check the soil for acidity at least once every 4 years.

Pour a small amount of 9% vinegar onto the soil to test it. If bubbles and fizz appear, the soil is neutral. If there are no bubbles, the soil is acidic and needs liming. To do this, add slaked lime, dolomite flour, or old lime plaster (150-300 g/m2).

What to fear and how to fight it

To prevent pests before flowering, treat columnar cherry trees with a fungicide mixture or Bordeaux mixture. Whitewash the tree trunk with lime. If rodents are likely to appear in the area and strip the tree bark, wrap the trunk with netting up to half a meter from the ground. Spruce branches can be tied to the tree instead of netting.

In summer, the tree is affected by spotting (brown and holey), and less commonly by scab and tinder fungi (false and sulfur yellow). If this occurs, the affected leaves are removed, and the entire plant is re-treated with Bordeaux mixture or a diluted fungicide. Diseased branches are pruned as they appear. Special insecticides are used against aphids, caterpillars, and weevils.

Preparing for winter

Autumn watering should be sufficient to ensure the cherry tree is saturated with moisture before winter. The soil beneath the tree is generously sprinkled with sawdust or peat. This variety is not very frost-resistant, so columnar cherries need to be covered for the winter. Young trees are covered completely.

Important!

In areas with harsh winters, even mature trees are covered.

To do this, wrap the trunk and large branches of the plant with spandex, burlap, or special agrofibre. Any non-woven material can be used. If possible, install wooden slats around the tree in a pyramid shape and wrap the covering material over them. Secure everything with a rope or wire. This method will prevent damage to the tree's crown.

Propagation of columnar cherry

If you have a tree on your property, you can propagate it yourself. Propagation is done by grafting, cuttings, or grafting. The simplest and most effective method is grafting. Grafting can be done on trees as young as two years old. Water the tree generously for two days before grafting to ensure adequate moisture. This will allow the bark to peel easily from the wood. Make a T-shaped cut in the trunk 1.5 m above the ground. Take a 10 cm cutting. Choose a shoot with growth buds. Graft the tree onto the cherry tree trunk at the cut. The cut should be in firm contact with the trunk. Wrap the graft with plastic film. This propagation method preserves the varietal characteristics.

Propagation by seed takes a lot of time and effort. Take a seed from a ripe berry and plant it in a prepared container at a depth of 10 mm in loose, light soil. Water and cover the container with plastic wrap, then place it in a warm, bright spot. Water and ventilate regularly. In May, the grown seedlings are planted in the garden. In the fall, they are transplanted into a tub and brought to a warm location. They are not planted outdoors until the following spring. With this propagation method, 50% of the varietal characteristics are preserved.

Reviews

Anatoly

I bought a seedling at the market. It took root well and was already harvesting in its third year, though not as abundant as it is now, but it increased each year. I'm glad the tree takes up little space and provides virtually no shade. So, I often plant greenery underneath it.

Natalia

The tree is quite demanding. You need to choose the right location, monitor the moisture around the trunk, and fertilize it on time. Whenever I forgot about the sapling, it would immediately start to wilt. But it's worth it. The fruit is very juicy and delicious. Before winter, since our area isn't particularly hot, I insulate the trunk with agrofibre.

Peter

I bought a seedling of the Iput variety. It didn't take long to establish itself. It bore fruit in the second year. The berries are perfectly round and very sweet. I'm very impressed by the miniature size of this columnar cherry tree, and the minimal planting and care required. I'll buy other varieties next year.

Following simple rules will help you grow strong trees. And proper pruning will help create a beautiful shape. Columnar plants will become a true highlight of your garden and will yield a bountiful harvest.