Pruning Cherry Trees in Autumn: A Beginner's Guide and Instructions

Beginning gardeners should understand that the success of growing fruit crops in their garden directly depends on timely pruning. One of the most important is pruning cherry trees in the fall. Diagrams and instructions for this procedure are abundantly available on gardening forums, so even a novice can implement it.

The importance of the procedure

When delving into the basics of autumn cherry tree pruning, it's important to understand the purpose of this work and why it's best to do it in the fall rather than the spring. Many novice gardeners neglect pruning, which negatively impacts fruiting and the productivity of the tree. Furthermore, without regular pruning, cherry trees become overgrown, bushy, and vulnerable to numerous diseases.

Every beginner should understand that a tree can bear fruit until its crown becomes completely dense. If this happens, a good harvest is out of the question.

This problem has a simple explanation: the dense crown blocks light, and the branches begin to feel a lack of valuable light. While young trees can cope with this, older trees suffer from dieback of their fruiting branches. Constant shade reduces the number of flower buds and, consequently, the overall yield of cherries. Fruit ovaries on such trees become less frequent, and the quality of the fruit becomes extremely low. Furthermore, a dense crown promotes the development of all sorts of diseases and insect pests.

The purpose and importance of regular pruning is as follows::

1. Increasing the yield of fruit crops.
2. Significant improvement in the quality of berries, their taste and juiciness.
3. Developing a good immune system that can resist many dangerous infections and diseases.
4. Increasing resistance to sub-zero temperatures in winter.
5. Extending the life of the culture.

Since the pruning scheme directly depends on the task being monitored, before starting work, you need to determine what it is being performed for.

You may be interested in:

Fertilizing fruit trees and shrubs in autumn
Severe frosts can be dangerous for lovingly planted trees and shrubs. Because of this, gardeners and…Read more…

Monitored task

Most gardeners begin learning how to properly prune cherry trees in the fall to remove dense crowns and improve light penetration to the fruiting branches. This is also necessary to enhance the tree's decorative appeal by shaping its appearance. A properly pruned tree is more resilient to external influences, such as strong winds or precipitation.

Pruning prevents the crown from becoming overgrown, which is essential for comfortable fruit picking. Furthermore, a densely populated plant cannot boast abundant fruiting, as a significant portion of the nutrients and minerals are diverted from the fruiting branches to empty and old branches.

Experts also recommend pruning to increase yield. This practice allows the tree to focus its energy on developing lateral branches, where a significant portion of the berries are found. There are many reasons and occasions to prune cherry trees in the fall. All that remains is to understand the basics, prepare the equipment, and begin the process.

Suitable timing

Regarding the optimal time for pruning, gardeners have different strategies and assumptions. Moreover, a certain group of agronomists doesn't even understand whether it's possible to prune cherry trees in the fall before the cold weather sets in. Some believe the procedure will only be successful if performed in the spring. However, experts maintain that for maximum fruit production, it's advisable to prune at least 2-3 times a year.

Considering the autumn option, It is necessary to monitor the following goals and objectives:

1. Eliminate overcrowding by removing old, damaged, or diseased branches. Also at this stage, remove any branches or shoots growing at an acute angle.
2. Reducing the length of shoots by about a third.

In the fall, most stone fruit crops actively store nutrients before the long, cold winter. Therefore, residents of the central and northern regions should begin pruning from the moment the leaves begin to fall until the end of September. If pruning is not completed within this timeframe, the plants simply won't have time to recover and stock up on essential nutrients before the onset of severe frosts. After all, wounds that form in the fall take much longer to heal than in the spring or other warmer times of the year.

Winter pruning is performed very rarely and is intended to rejuvenate old cherry trees that are unable to produce fruit as well as before or are completely unproductive. Rejuvenating thinning can increase yields and even revive a nearly dead tree.

This procedure is unnecessary for young, healthy trees. Moreover, pruning branches in winter can be detrimental to heat-loving trees, which are particularly sensitive to low temperatures.

Subtleties of carrying out the work

Formative pruning involves regularly removing excess and old branches from the moment the seedling is placed in the ground. This work is carried out during the first four years of the plant's life, focusing on the development of a strong trunk, crown, and skeleton for the future tree.

To ensure the new plant quickly regains its vitality, pruning frequency should not be too frequent. For this reason, some agronomists prefer spring formative pruning, but perform sanitary thinning only in the fall.

Trees that are five years old or older can be pruned at any time of year. The appropriate timing should be guided by the task being monitored and the expected result.

The following types of pruning are practiced by modern gardeners::

1. Formative pruning. This procedure can only be performed in the spring before the sap begins to flow in the branches. This type of pruning is essential for new seedlings.
2. Sanitary. Intended for preventing the development of dangerous diseasesIt is performed in the fall to protect the tree from pathogenic microorganisms. This procedure requires the complete removal of branches infected with pathogens, which can drain vital life force and infect healthy shoots.
3. Rejuvenation pruning. This procedure is performed either in the fall or early winter. Old and useless trees that have stopped producing fruit are pruned. Rejuvenation pruning combines formative and sanitary pruning.

Basic stages

Residents of the Moscow region and temperate regions of the Russian Federation begin autumn pruning of cherry trees from the moment the leaves stop falling until the end of September. This involves removing all weak and damaged branches, as a thoroughly pruned tree is more resilient to winter cold.

Intensive crown thinning is also performed in the fall, which involves removing all branches growing at an incorrect angle. Another autumn procedure can include shortening overly long branches by a third of their length. To successfully prune a cherry tree in the fall, you should use specialized gardening tools. It consists of:

1. A garden saw with a sharp edge.
2. Secateurs.
3. Garden var.

If for any reason the tree begins to stretch excessively upward (this can be due to overgrowth or insufficient light), complicating harvesting, the gardener can use a special type of pruning. This involves creating a cup-shaped crown and reducing the tree's height.

By removing upper branches, you can reduce the tree's height and increase its width. Once the wounds heal, the tree will begin to grow vigorously and add foliage. Flower buds and fruit will soon begin to form on the new branches. Where there were recent cuts, only slight bends will soon remain.

Next, the agronomist will need to promptly remove inward-facing shoots, preventing the crown from becoming denser again. Otherwise, the efforts expended may be wasted.

Possible techniques

It's no secret that cherry trees only produce fruit on horizontal shoots. This means that to increase fruiting, all upward-facing shoots and suckers must be removed. To prevent new branches from appearing at the cut site, it's important to remove any stubs and any wounds that form. treat with a solution vegetable oil paint or special garden varnish.

To increase fruiting, another interesting method should be used. It involves driving several wooden stakes around the plant and tying crooked and irregularly growing shoots to them. This method is only suitable for warm southern climates, as it significantly reduces the tree's cold resistance and makes it vulnerable to external influences.

To slow the upward growth of branches, you can make a small cut above each bud that's growing abnormally. This method isn't the most effective, but it's quite useful.

Tips and Rules

To ensure successful pruning of a young tree in the fall, it's important to consider a number of rules and follow expert advice. Otherwise, the tree will stop producing good growth or even die. So, the key requirements for autumn pruning are as follows:

1. The cuts shouldn't be too low. Also, don't leave stumps or open wounds.
2. For autumn work, use a powerful garden tool, preferably a special saw. To prevent tearing the bark, reduce the force applied.
3. Heavy branches are pruned first.

Under no circumstances should you begin pruning seedlings that are one year old. It's best to wait until spring, as the plant won't be able to recover and receive the required nutrients before the cold weather sets in. It's important to remember that until the plant reaches five years of age, skeletal shoots should not be longer than 50 centimeters.

When performing rejuvenation and pruning, remove old branches. This will allow new shoots to grow in their place the following year. If the bark was damaged during pruning, it will need to be treated with oil paint or garden varnish.

Many beginners make a multitude of mistakes when pruning cherry trees in the fall. While some of these mistakes are minor, others can be fatal. The following symptoms may indicate improper pruning:

1. In the place where the outer branches should have formed, water sprouts begin to appear.
2. The crown thickens, the fruiting period shifts, and the fruits become small.
3. The shoots of the lower tier become deformed and bare.

To prevent this from happening, it's important to follow basic pruning guidelines and instructions. In this case, fall pruning will effectively stimulate abundant and high-quality fruiting.