Content
- 1 Should cherry trees be pruned in the fall?
- 2 Types of pruning
- 3 When can you prune cherries in the fall, in what month?
- 4 How to prune cherries in the fall: diagrams
- 5 Proper pruning of cherries in autumn depending on age
- 6 How to properly prune cherries in the fall
- 7 Rules for caring for cherries after pruning
- 8 Conclusion
Pruning is a very important procedure for cherries. It helps to properly shape a tree, rid it of old and diseased wood, and also increase productivity. For inexperienced gardeners, this procedure presents a certain complexity, so the following topics are discussed: pruning cherries in the fall for beginners in pictures, goals and objectives, as well as work methods for various types and varieties of this fruit tree.
Should cherry trees be pruned in the fall?
Cherry is one of the first to enter the growing season.Often gardeners simply do not have time to prune before this time and, when they arrive at the site, they find swollen or already blossoming buds. In this state, the tree cannot be touched; after the start of the growing season, pruning is not performed. If this is done, then the wounds will take a very long time to heal, the recovery period will be prolonged, such a cherry may not even bloom, and therefore there will be no harvest.
Pruning should be done on a fine, warm day.
The autumn period is much more favorable for pruning. It is not so fleeting; all work can be carried out in several stages, without much fear of being late. This is especially important for those who appear at their summer cottages from time to time. Autumn pruning of cherries is also supported by the fact that during this period all the defects of the tree are much more visible and it is easier to eliminate them.
Types of pruning
There are several types of autumn cherry pruning. Each of them is carried out for a specific purpose, they have their own nuances. Here is their brief description:
- Sanitary pruning (sanitation). During its implementation, branches damaged, broken by wind and birds, as well as those affected by diseases and pests are pruned. Can be produced at any time of the year as needed, spring and autumn are a must.
- Thinning. It consists of removing improperly growing, thickening and unnecessary branches. Produced in spring or autumn.
- Supportive. Needed to maintain the cherry in the required dimensions. During this pruning, annual growth is shortened and the height of the tree is limited. This pruning is often carried out in the summer, after fruiting has ended, and also in the fall.
- Formative.It is carried out in the first years after planting a seedling to give the tree a structure and shape that is optimal for fruiting and subsequent work with it. Produced in the spring.
- Rejuvenating. During this process, some of the old shoots that have stopped bearing fruit are removed, and new ones are formed to replace them. This type of pruning significantly prolongs the active fruiting of cherries.
Different types of pruning are often combined because they coincide in time.
There are 2 main methods of trimming:
- Thinning. This term refers to the complete removal of a shoot to its base.
- Shortening. This method involves cutting the shoot to a certain length in order to change the direction of its growth or stimulate lateral branching.
When can you prune cherries in the fall, in what month?
The gardener determines the timing of autumn pruning of cherries independently based on the climatic characteristics of his region. In the North-West region, it is advisable to carry out this work in the 1-2 decades of September, in Siberia and the Southern Urals - in the 2-3 decades of the first autumn month. In central Russia and the Moscow region, cherries are pruned at the end of September or early October, and in the southern regions - even later, in October-November.
How to prune cherries in the fall: diagrams
In autumn, cherries tolerate pruning quite well, so they forgive novice gardeners many mistakes. To avoid them, when carrying out the procedure it is better to use one of the proposed schemes; it can be selected depending on the variety, structure of the tree and its age.
How to form a cherry tree in the fall using a universal pattern
A universal scheme for pruning cherries in the fall is suitable for beginner gardeners and can be applied to any type of tree.It is average and suitable for most varieties. Here is a diagram of how to proceed in order to properly prune cherries in the fall:
- Remove branches growing inside and down the crown.
- Trim thickening and crossing shoots that interfere with each other.
- Cut out all root shoots.
- Cut off all dry, broken and diseased branches.
Universal scheme for pruning cherries in autumn
An interesting video about pruning and shaping young cherries in the fall can be viewed at the following link:
How to prune bush cherries in the fall
Pruning bush cherries in the fall has some peculiarities. Since fruiting occurs on the shoots of the 1st year of life, they are not touched so as not to reduce the yield. In addition, you should do the following:
- Cut out all root shoots.
- Remove branches directed deeper into the crowns.
- Clear the bushes of dry and broken shoots.
Pruning felt cherry in autumn
Felt cherry is a type of bush cherry. Unlike the latter, it practically does not produce root shoots. At the same time, felt cherry does not grow higher than 2 m, which makes working with its crown simple and convenient. At the same time, the average life of a tree is small and is 10-15 years, but high-quality, timely pruning can extend it to 20, and sometimes up to 25 years.
The scheme for pruning felt cherries in autumn consists of the following steps:
- Removing from the side branches all shoots growing inside the crown of the bush.
- Complete pruning of old shoots that have stopped bearing fruit.
- Cutting dried and broken branches.
How to prune cherry trees in the fall
Without pruning, cherry trees can grow to a height of 5 m or more, which creates certain problems when working with it. In the first years of life, it is necessary to form a strong skeleton of the tree, its frame. To do this, 5-6 large skeletal branches are laid on a trunk 25-30 cm high. All shoots extending from the trunk below this level must be removed. In subsequent years, you need to monitor the condition of the frame branches and promptly remove fruit-bearing and exposed shoots.
In autumn, cherry trees are pruned as follows:
- Remove branches growing inside the crown.
- Cut off shoots that point downwards.
- To limit the growth of the tree, the shoots of the highest tier, growing upward, are transferred to the lateral direction.
- The root shoots are removed, and the tree trunk is cleaned down to the lower skeletal branches.
- Annual growth over 0.6 m is shortened by a quarter.
In addition to these procedures, the tree must be cleaned of broken and damaged branches, as well as dry and pest-infested branches.
How to prune a tall cherry tree in the fall
If the height of the cherry tree does not allow you to comfortably work with the crown, then it should be reduced. This is quite difficult to do, since you will definitely have to use a stepladder when working. A height of no more than 3 m is considered comfortable, so any vertical shoot growing above this level must be transferred to a side branch growing outward.
Working with a low crown is much more convenient
This procedure should be carried out annually. In addition, all the same operations are performed as for conventional tree varieties.
Proper pruning of cherries in autumn depending on age
The cherry pruning scheme must be chosen not only depending on its type, but also on its age. The procedure for different periods of tree life is different and has certain subtleties.
Pruning cherries after planting in autumn
After planting, the cherry seedling is carefully examined and future skeletal branches are outlined (usually no more than 5). They should be well developed, located at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other and extend evenly from the trunk.
All other shoots are cut into a ring, leaving no stumps
Pruning young cherries in autumn
Until the age of 5 years, the cherry is considered young. During this time, it is pruned annually, during which the base of the tree, its skeleton, is formed, and the foundation for its future fruiting is laid. A brief description of the cherry formation process by year is given in the table:
Cherry age | Ongoing events |
1 year | The crown is shortened by 0.2 m. All small growth on the trunk up to the first future skeletal branch is cut into a ring. Extra shoots that are not involved in the formation of the skeleton are also cut to the base. |
2 years | Backup shoots, competitors, as well as branches directed inside the crown are cut out. The rest are cut by 10 cm. |
3 years | Remove everything that thickens the crown. Annual growth of more than 0.6 m is shortened by 8-10 cm. You can add 2 well-placed annual shoots to the skeleton, and remove the rest. |
4 years | Thickening shoots are cut out. According to the principle of subordination, the ends of the skeletal branches are cut off (the ends of those located below should not be higher than those growing above them). You can leave 2 more well-placed shoots as skeletal ones, and cut out the rest. |
5 years | A formed five-year-old cherry tree should have about 10 well-developed skeletal branches, pruned according to the principle of subordination. They remove everything that is growing incorrectly, clean the trunk, and cut out the root shoots. |
If there is no danger of a sudden cold snap (as, for example, in the southern regions), then young cherries can be pruned in the fall.
Autumn pruning of fruiting cherries
The annual pruning scheme for mature fruiting cherries in the fall is as follows:
- All shoots longer than 0.6 m are shortened by 8-12 cm.
- The ends of skeletal branches are trimmed if they violate the rule of subordination.
- Clean the interior of the crown, cut out thickening, improperly growing shoots.
- Remove all dried and broken branches.
- Clean the trunk and cut out the root shoots.
When pruning, the internal space of the crown is significantly brightened
If the tree is formed correctly, then pruning the cherry tree in the fall can be done very quickly, and it will not cause trouble even for an inexperienced gardener.
How to prune old cherry trees in the fall
A signal that cherries are starting to age is a decrease in annual growth to 10-15 cm per year. At the same time, bare shoots are clearly visible on the tree, and in the lower part there are quite a lot of dry branches. If such factors are present, anti-aging pruning should be carried out. During this process, not only the annual growth is cut off, but also older wood. Rejuvenation can be:
- weak (wood less than 2 years old is removed);
- average (up to 4 years);
- strong (up to 6 years).
Drastic pruning significantly rejuvenates an old tree
Pruning old cherry trees in the fall gives a powerful impetus to the tree, which will begin to intensively expel annual shoots. Among them there are usually quite a few tops - vertical branches that do not participate in fruiting. Some of them need to be removed, and the rest, the most well located, should be tried to be given a horizontal position using guy wires.
How to properly prune cherries in the fall
Cherry trees should be pruned in autumn on a dry, sunny day at a temperature not lower than + 5 °C. To carry out the work you will need the following tools and materials:
- pruner;
- garden saw;
- lopper;
- ladder.
Before work, be sure to check the condition of the cutting edges of the tool and, if necessary, sharpen them. A sharp pruner or lopper leaves a much smoother cut without torn edges; such a wound will heal much faster. All instruments must be clean and disinfected before use to avoid infection. For disinfection, you can use any alcohol-containing liquid.
All instruments must be sharp, clean and disinfected
When carrying out work, you need to think not only about the quality of the work, but also about your safety. When pruning, you should wear protective gloves and goggles, and follow safety rules when working.
To remove thin branches up to 1 cm in diameter, it is preferable to use pruning shears. Thicker branches are cut with a lopper, and if their thickness exceeds 3 cm, then it is better to use a garden hacksaw for pruning.
After finishing the work, all large cuts on the tree must be treated with garden varnish. Sawed branches need to be collected and burned. It is especially important to destroy old damaged trunks and dry shoots, since various insect pests and their larvae spend the winter in them.
How to prune cherries in the fall: tips for beginners and secrets of experienced gardeners in the video at the link:
Rules for caring for cherries after pruning
Pruning cherries in the fall is one of the last activities in the annual cycle of caring for them. Once the tree is pruned, you can begin preparing it for winter.
To do this you need to do the following:
- Whiten the trunk and lower skeletal branches with lime. This is an excellent measure to protect the trunk from sunburn, as well as prevent the appearance of pests.
- Wrap the barrel in breathable material or place a metal mesh around the barrel. This is a measure against hares, which often damage the bark of cherry trees.
- Tie young trees with spruce branches. This will increase their frost resistance.
- Dig up the tree trunk circle.
Spraying with urea will prevent the development of fungal diseases
The last operation, which is carried out already with the onset of frost, is spraying the trees with copper sulfate or urea. This is an excellent measure against fungal diseases.
Conclusion
For novice gardeners, it will be useful to pruning cherries in the fall for beginners in pictures and basic recommendations for caring for trees during this period.However, we must remember that no two trees are alike, so any recommendations must be applied with caution. It can be difficult for novice gardeners to immediately understand all the subtleties and nuances of the process, so it is better to first watch a video of cherry pruning in the fall, and if necessary, seek help from a more experienced friend, especially if the procedure is carried out independently for the first time.
