Pruning cherries: video instructions and 110 photos on how to prune fruit trees correctly. When to prune cherries

Pruning cherries in spring

Spring pruning of cherries is a rather responsible procedure. The video at the link below will help you understand its essence and avoid mistakes.

When to prune cherries in spring

The timing of spring pruning of cherries depends on the region of its growth. During this procedure, the tree must be at rest. For pruning, you need to choose a time when the average daily temperature will remain above 0 degrees Celsius, but the growing season of the cherry tree has not yet begun, i.e. the buds have not yet begun to swell.

Depending on the region, this time falls from the beginning of March (for southern regions) to the beginning of April (for more northern areas).

When can you cut down dry branches on a cherry tree?

All dry, broken, frost-damaged branches are removed at the same time as the main pruning. Particular attention should be paid to the condition of the tree bark. Branches damaged by rodents or showing signs of fungal diseases must also be removed. All cuts and cuts after pruning must be disinfected using an aqueous solution of copper sulfate, and the cut branches must be burned.

How to prune cherries correctly

There are several schemes that allow you to form the crown of a cherry tree in a certain way. With the help of annual pruning, the following types of crown can be formed:

• Stop leader.
• Australian bush.
• Bowl.
• Sparsely tiered.
• Spanish bush.
• Vogel.
• Flat crown.
• Triangle.
• Bush-like.
• Spindle.

Most often, gardeners form a sparsely tiered or cup-shaped crown of a cherry tree.

Forming a cherry crown in the form of a bowl

The formation of a cherry crown in the form of a bowl is carried out for the following purposes:

• Reduce tree growth, thereby making it easier to harvest from the upper tier.
• Lighten the crown by increasing the amount of sunlight penetrating into the crown.
• Reduce crown density.

The bowl is formed as follows. After planting at a height of 0.5 m, the seedling is pinched. 5–6 shoots are left, evenly spaced around the circumference of the trunk. If necessary, they are bent so that they form the frame of the bowl.

Subsequently, all branches that grow inside the bowl must be cut out.

Rejuvenating pruning of cherries in spring: diagram

An adult tree may need rejuvenating pruning in the spring if there is a significant decline in its fruiting. In this case, new branches need to be grown to replace the old branches that bear fruit and weaken. To do this, a third of the shoots older than 5 years are removed annually. After a few seasons, the newly emerging shoots will completely form a new crown.

Pruning cherry trees to reduce upward growth

An adult cherry tree is a tall and powerful tree, so harvesting from the very top is very problematic. This issue can be partially resolved at the stage of forming the tree crown, forming it flat or in the form of a bowl.

Tying weights to branches is also widely used; under their weight, the shoots take a horizontal position. Various spacers and clothespins are also used to direct shoot growth not upward, but to the side.

Subsequently, the shoot will become woody and remain in this horizontal or inclined position.

Is it possible to prune flowering cherries?

Flowering cherry trees should not be trimmed. The flowering period is a time of intense sap flow, so any branch that has been shortened can simply dry out.

How to prune young cherries: diagram

The formation of the cherry crown begins from the first year of planting it in open ground. Depending on the type of crown being formed, pruning schemes are different.

Pruning old cherries

Old cherry trees are pruned in spring and summer. At this time, old branches 6–8 years old are removed. It is better to extend this procedure over several years, cutting out no more than 30% of the old crown at a time. Fruiting is transferred to the lateral branches, this simplifies both sanitary work with the tree and harvesting.

Types of pruning

Begin pruning the tree the first year after planting. Form a trunk, skeleton, crown. Formation of the crown of the cherry tree, pruning of skeletal branches and trunk are carried out in the spring. Leave thinning the bush until the fall. Prune plants over 5 years old at any time of the year.

Features of different types of pruning:

• Formative – from the first to the sixth year after planting. Particularly important for a one-year-old bush. The formation of cherries is carried out in early March, April, after the snow melts or before the buds swell. Needed to create a shape and ensure good crown density. Excess shoots affected by pests and frost are cut off.
• Maintenance or regulating - spring or autumn pruning of cherries, carried out annually. Needed to maintain the shape of the crown. Excess shoots are removed. The sooner you remove them, the easier it will be for the bush.
• Sanitary (hygienic) – once every 5 years or more often. The time for pruning is spring or autumn, after fruiting. Carried out to reduce the risk of infectious diseases. Diseased branches are cut and burned.
• Anti-aging – once every 5 years or as needed. Time: spring, early autumn, after harvest. Needed to adjust the crown, eliminate excess, dry, broken, diseased branches. They work with old, non-bearing and neglected bushes.
• In order to limit upward growth - as necessary. Pruning time is autumn or spring. A cup-like or sparsely tiered crown is formed (the “Australian Bush” or “Spanish Bush” method). Strongly raised branches are shortened. Due to this, the growth of external branches is activated.
• During the fruiting period. The procedure is carried out in the summer to form the crown and remove broken shoots.

Cherry pruning systems

When can you prune cherries?

It is important to prune cherries according to the years of growth. It is recommended to carry it out in several stages: if you shorten the branches too much at one time, the plant will experience stress and direct all its energy to restoration, and not to the harvest.

Pruning cherries in spring

The timing of pruning cherries in the spring is determined by the processes occurring in the tree. Removal of branches should take place before the sap begins to flow and the buds begin to swell. The right time is considered to be mid-March, when the plant awakens after winter, but active growth has not yet begun. Pruning cherries in April is not so useful, since by this time bud formation is already nearing completion.

Spring pruning is important because its purpose is to shape the crown. The skeletal (i.e., base) branches are shortened. There are two tiers:

• 7-9 basic branches are left on the main one;
• on the second - 2-3 layers.

This measure will prevent the tree from growing upward. When properly formed, the height of the cherry will be no more than 3.5 meters, which is optimal for harvesting. After 2-3 weeks, it is recommended to thin out pruning to maintain air circulation, and as it grows, remove damaged branches that will not bear fruit. This stimulates the formation of new shoots.

Pruning cherries in summer

In summer, it is necessary to prune cherries according to the scheme in early June, immediately after flowering, before the start of fruiting. The work involves two stages. At the first stage, faded young shoots are shortened slightly to stimulate further growth of the crown in breadth. Horizontal bends are easier to care for and control their formation. The second stage takes place after harvesting. It is recommended to let the cherries recover, and after a week repeat the same steps as in the first stage to consolidate the result.

Pruning cherries in autumn

In autumn, cherry trees should be pruned immediately after the leaves fall. It is better to complete the work by mid-September (in regions with a warm climate, this time may come by mid-October). Later, it is more difficult for the tree to recover. Autumn pruning is preventive. All damaged, diseased and weak branches are removed from the plant. This will make it easier for the tree to endure winter hibernation.

It is important to get rid of all branches that grow at an acute angle to the trunk or with creases. The thinning method allows you to preserve the beauty and health of the top. As an alternative to autumn pruning, one-year branches are shortened by 1/3 of their length.

Purpose and timing of winter pruning

Cherry is not a frost-resistant plant, which is why pruning in winter is not recommended. Winter pruning is required when it is necessary to rejuvenate old cherries, since other methods will not bring the desired result. This procedure is carried out in February, when the air temperature rises and night frosts recede. It is worth treating the cut properly, covering it with fabric folded in several layers.

Rules for caring for trees after pruning operations

Cherry trees can be treated painlessly if pruned early and correctly. On the other hand, any wounds should be covered with garden varnish, preferably pre-applied with a 5% copper sulfate solution or 3% Bordeaux mixture. Cut branches should be burned as soon as possible, as they may contain eggs of diseases and pests.

After normal pruning, no special care is required, but if significant amounts of wood need to be removed, cherry trees should be watered and fertilized, focusing on nitrogen in the spring and phosphorus and potassium in the fall. In regions with relatively low temperatures, heavily pruned trees should be insulated in the fall: mulch the root ring and cover the trunks and bases of branches with burlap.

Pruning cherries in spring

Stages:

• In early March, after the snow has melted, damaged branches are removed (sanitary procedure);
• April - before active growth and swelling of the buds, the branches are shortened to give an attractive appearance to the crown (shaping procedure).

Is it possible to shorten branches at the end of May? Gardeners have mixed opinions. At the end of May, after flowering and before the berries begin to ripen, pruning is carried out to stimulate the growth of horizontal shoots and correct the direction of their movement. The branches that are not yet woody are shortened by pinching. Reduce the height of the main trunk. They wait until the spring heat to assess the strength of the ovaries.

Formation of cherries according to the type of Spanish bush

Pruning cherries per bush is more popular in warm countries, since trees formed in this way are less frost-resistant than their tall counterparts, but have a more spreading crown. You need to develop a plant like a Spanish bush according to the following scheme.

1. In the spring, after planting the tree and buds on it, the small trunk is cut off at a height of 35-75 centimeters (depending on how tall the gardener wants the bush to be).
2. The four main (skeletal) branches that appear on the trunk are pulled back with ropes tied to pegs (to obtain a large spreading crown). After the base four grow to 50-60 centimeters, they are shortened so that they are 15 cm higher than the trunk (better in summer).
3. By autumn, the formation of second-order bends occurs. For an even crown, they can be fixed with trellises. New cuttings should remain in this position until the beginning of the second year. Afterwards, the second-order shoots are shortened to 25 cm in length.
4. Third-order branches are formed in the same way, cut to 25 cm.
5. It is recommended to carry out final thinning of the crown.

Why is autumn pruning necessary?

In comparison with other types of fruit trees, cherry berries are formed only on annual growths and bouquet branches, characterized by high bud formation rates in the spring and a low tendency to branch. Because of this, it is advisable to form the crown of the plant in a tiered type, and then carry out regular sanitary and anti-aging pruning.

If the procedure is carried out systematically, the vegetative mass of the tree will not become too dense, which means that all branches will be equally provided with a sufficient amount of sunlight and good ventilation, which is an excellent prevention of infections and pests.

• The general advantages of competent and regular pruning include:
• prevention of illnesses (especially fungal origin);
• prevention of pests;
• correct formation of the plant trunk;
• increasing productivity indicators;
• formation of immunity and increased resistance to freezing.

Why trim?

Inexperienced gardeners who do not understand the importance of regular pruning most often do not bother removing excess shoots and allow the cherry tree to grow uncontrolled. They should be aware that these fast-growing trees will bear fruit only until their crowns are thoroughly thickened. After this, you will have to forget about getting a plentiful and high-quality harvest.

The thing is that due to lack of light in the depths of the thickened crown, the fruiting branches die off. Shaded fruit branches produce too few flower buds, ovaries are formed on them quite rarely, and the quality of the fruit is low. In addition, a thickened crown creates all the conditions for the occurrence of diseases and the development of insect pests.

Thus, regular and correct pruning:

1. Can significantly increase the yield of fruit trees.
2. Significantly improves the quality of fruits: their sugar content, juiciness and taste.
3. Reduces the risk of dangerous diseases.
4. Improves winter hardiness of cherries.
5. Can significantly increase the lifespan of trees.

Since the pruning technique completely depends on the intended tasks, before performing it it is necessary to decide in advance what purpose it serves.

With pruning you can:

1. Significantly improve lighting of all parts of the crown.
2. Correctly form a beautiful crown that is resistant to adverse external factors (primarily wind).
3. Prevent excessive growth of the crown (for cherries that do not have low-growing rootstocks, this is extremely important: otherwise, it will significantly complicate the collection of fruits).
4. Direct the main forces of the fruit tree to the development of lateral branches that give the largest harvest.

Purpose of pruning

Cherries can quickly grow upward and branch heavily, which leads to branches breaking off under the weight of berries, drying out and aging of the tree. In addition, energy is wasted on growth, which reduces yield. Proper pruning of cherry trees is the key to a healthy tree. Inexperienced gardeners mistakenly believe that the plant does not need such a procedure and that with a dense crown, the yield and quality of the berries will not deteriorate.

As the crown grows, air circulation and sunlight are disrupted, which leads to the natural death of fruiting branches. At the same time, the berries become smaller and lose their taste. The lack of fresh air creates conditions for the development of bacteria and fungi. That is why it is important to properly care for the plant. The article will discuss not only the main types of pruning cherries, but also the recommended time for this procedure.

Why is it pruned?

According to botanical registers, cherry is a tree that grows upward. Which is not very convenient for gardeners. It is difficult to harvest and is not easy to protect from insect pests and birds that love to feast on the sweet fruits.

In its free form, the tree is prone to thickening. A crown that is too thick obscures lower neighboring crops, and the tree itself grows much worse due to the many tangled branches. Therefore, annual pruning is necessary if you do not want to have a wild analogue of forest thickets on your site. Such events are carried out already from the 2nd year after planting.

Pruning cherries undoubtedly contributes to:

• the formation of a strong base of the tree - the “skeleton”;
• uniform distribution of branches across tiers;
• unhindered access to the branches of more sunlight;
• regulation of crown size of young cherries;
• strengthening the plant's immunity;
• increasing winter hardiness;
• increase in yield.

Plant density can cause the death of many bouquet branches - annual growths on which fruit buds are formed. Poor ventilation of the crown leads to the activation of various infections, and as a result, a decrease in the amount of yield and a decrease in the size of the fruit. There is only one way out - correct pruning, performed at the right time and according to accepted patterns.

Need for pruning

Some gardeners feel sorry for the tree and do not prune it. They think that by doing this they are doing better for him. However, is this true? Under favorable conditions, this tree is prone to rapid growth. Let's look at why and how to prune cherries.

Of course, every pruning of branches is stressful for the plant. However, this is extremely necessary for its healthy existence and fruiting.

From the first year of life, the seedling grows upward quite quickly. If the central conductor is not shortened in a timely manner, the tree will be very tall and harvesting will not be convenient. To do this, it is extremely important to form its crown from the first year of life. This work must be carried out every year.

The ends of the lateral branches constantly branch. If you do not remove branches growing inward, the crown of the tree will quickly become overgrown. As a result, the berries will not get enough sunlight. Ultimately, this will lead to a decrease in yield.

Under favorable conditions, cherries bear a bountiful harvest. If the branches are not trimmed, they may break under the weight of the berries.

Over time, broken and diseased branches appear that need to be removed in time.

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There are quite a lot of leaves on the cherry tree; if the branches are very dense, they will be poorly ventilated, which will lead to fungal diseases.

With high saturation of branches, the size of the berries becomes smaller.

Why is the pruning procedure necessary?

Many novice gardeners have very unclear ideas about pruning, mistakenly believing that such a procedure is not so important in growing a tree and does not really affect the amount of harvest. However, fruiting will be stable only until the crown of the cherry tree is completely overgrown.

A well-formed cherry orchard

The lack of a sufficient amount of light will negatively affect the fruit-bearing branches - they will die off, and fewer and fewer ovaries will form on the surviving branches, the berries will gradually become crushed and finally disappear.

In addition, the dense crown practically does not allow air to pass through, and every gardener knows that a long-term lack of ventilation inevitably leads to the formation and development of many different diseases. All these problems can be prevented by regular pruning.

Important! Pruning should begin if the seedlings have reached a height of 50

–
70 cm, otherwise young trees will not be able to tolerate it normally.

• So, the main purpose of this procedure is:
• formation of the crown of a fruit tree;
• improved yield;
• increased resistance at low temperatures;
• control and prevention of various pests and diseases.

It should be noted that this procedure begins to be carried out already in the second year after planting seedlings on the site.

Trimming time

As a rule, cherries are pruned during the following periods of time:

• Spring pruning is done in places with a cold climate, which helps the tree recover from stress.
• Summer pruning of cherries is carried out in two stages:

The first time it is carried out in the first week of June, after the flowers fall. Remove the ends of this year's green shoots, stimulating the release of side shoots.

The second is done immediately after harvesting, July - August. The shoots that grew back after the first pruning are removed by 10 cm. Sick and damaged branches due to overload with berries or careless harvesting are removed.

Autumn pruning is carried out immediately after the leaves fall. Old, damaged branches growing at an acute angle are removed. Young shoots are shortened by a third.

Types of haircuts according to purpose

Shaping the cherry tree is not the only purpose of the haircut. A properly pruned tree bears fruit more abundantly and more regularly because it has a healthy immune system.

Attention! Due to their strong branching, beautiful, compact cherries perform a decorative function.

Formative

Ideally, the lower tier should be formed by three or four skeletal branches located on opposite sides of the trunk. Top - a similar number of branches developing half a meter higher, at a distance of 50 cm from each other.

Formative pruning is carried out, as is clear from the name, to form a neat crown of the cherry tree, consisting of two or three orders

On years

It is necessary to form skeletal branches within six years after the seedling is in its permanent place.

How to plant cherries correctly

• First year. A mark is made on the planted tree (on the trunk). As a rule, it varies from 30 to 60 cm. The height is affected by the number of buds, of which you need to count six. Then a cut is made.
• Second season. The formation of cherries in the second year of planting is carried out according to the following scheme: select about three branches that grow in different directions in the lower part, shorten them to half a meter in length. Among the shoots of the future lower order, a branch is noted that rises above the others. 70 cm is measured along it, then 4-6 buds are counted, all remaining branches are cut off.
• With the arrival of the third spring thaw, the formation continues. This applies to branches of the first order. The upper branches are cut to the level of the first knot from below. The shoots growing towards the center located at an acute angle are removed. The lowest shoot cannot be touched, especially since it is, as a rule, poorly developed. Select strong branches less than 30 cm long and cut them. The branches of the first order should be 10 cm longer than those of the second. Among the first, they note that they grow taller than the rest. They measure about half a meter along its trunk and, leaving 4-6 buds, cut it off. Adjust the length of the remaining branches. It should tend to decrease by 20 cm relative to the central trunk.
• Fourth spring. Select and shorten one of the side branches, which are the weakest. The trunk is trimmed by cutting in a place above the already trimmed shoot. If the cherry tree has branches located above the top order at that moment, then a third one is formed. Short knots are cut along with the central conductor, making a cut below the origin of the thinnest branch. This year marks the completion of work on adjusting the length of branches of both orders. The branches of the first and second orders developing from the center and long (over 80 cm) are cut off to an amount not exceeding 75 cm. If something develops inside the crown, it must be completely removed.
• Fifth and sixth years. Branches more than half a meter long are shortened. Remove incorrectly developing ones. Among the undeveloped ones, up to half a meter, everything that is at an acute angle is removed. All large branches are cut along the main guide, turning them into short side shoots.

Depending on the crown shape

It is necessary to form a lush crown that is not only neat, but also convenient for harvesting. There are several options.

Australian bush

Step-by-step instructions for beginners:

1. In the first year, the planted specimen is shortened to half a meter. When shoots grow 6 cm from the stump, leave 4 branches. They should be at 90°. Use clothes clips to correct the horizontal direction by attaching them above the appendages.
2. The next season the crown is made to resemble a vase. In the spring, the branches going to the center are cut off. Only horizontal branches are left on the skeletal branches.
3. In the third year, the shadow is reduced by shortening all branches of the current season by 10 cm.

Subsequent periods - all annual shoots are made shorter so that the plant does not grow. A rejuvenating haircut will be required at intervals of 5 years. A fifth of the productive branches are cut out.

The undeniable advantage of the Australian bush is the establishment of a low-growing crown. Thanks to this, the load from the fruit is distributed equally, and the berries are very easy to pick

Spanish bush

Since after this formation the tree turns out to be very low, it is prone to freezing. This is the main reason why this crown shape is not recommended for northern regions.

Work progress to obtain a neat plant with high yield:

1. In spring, the plant is shortened by 35-70 cm. The choice of height is influenced by the number of ovaries on the main shoot. Take into account the desired number of skeletal branches. Approximately 4 side branches are placed on the trellis to create more spacing.
2. After they reach half a meter, they are shortened by 15 cm.
3. With the arrival of autumn, upper-order branches are pulled onto the supports. The formation of the crown of the cherry trees becomes open and uniform.
4. When the branches reach half a meter, they are cut into ½ part. By September, the shoots of the last tier are also shortened by half. Those branches that develop horizontally do not need to be touched.

In the following years, ¼ of the total number of fruit-bearing branches is cut out. This is how the fruit crop replenishes strength. With this method, it should not reach 2.5 m. The tops that stand out from the total mass are cut to the required size.

Basic rules of formation

I advocate a rational approach to any work and have long formulated several basic rules to minimize labor costs when shaping trees. The main essence of these rules is to cause the least damage to the plant, which means eliminating unnecessary work to correct errors and dispose of wood.

Formation begins with landing.

To create a low-standard form, all stone fruits can be trimmed when planting. Normal fruiting is possible with plenty of sunlight, so cherries require an area of ​​at least 15 square meters.

It's better to bend than to cut.

Bending down vertically growing shoots is the most effective way to force cherries to branch and set flower buds.

Summer is the optimal time for shaping. During the growing season, you can see how the shoots grow, and it is clear what needs to be pinched or removed. It is better to carry out radical pruning of neglected trees in late winter.

The main thing is not to start!

Formation is a continuous process of plant management during the growing season or winter dormancy. It’s better to spend half an hour of time every month than after five years of inactivity to start a chainsaw, light fires, and then wait another five years for the harvest.

A quality tool is half the success.

A cut made with sharp pruning shears quickly overgrows. In the future, you won’t have to waste time removing rotten stumps or treating cracks and holes in the trunk.

The fewer cuts, the better.

Pinching is preferable to pruning, and when thinning, it is better to remove the entire branch than to make several cuts on it. The correct cut is almost always perpendicular to the branch being removed, and the smaller the area of ​​the wound, the faster it will heal.

Weather for pruning

Let's consider when to prune cherries. It is important that there be dry, sunny weather during the event and in the next few days afterward. When pruning branches, they are damaged. The entry of moisture into these places can lead to fungal diseases, peeling of the bark and penetration of harmful larvae.

Thin branches in dry weather heal on their own after a few days. Thicker branches must be treated with special solutions to protect them from the external environment while the wound heals.

Is it necessary to shorten the branches?

The formation of cherries prevents them from turning into thickets and reducing the size of the fruits. Thickening of the crown leads to the formation of excess moisture and fungal diseases.

Negative effects of excessive height:

1. The plant takes up a lot of space and shades the area.
2. Difficult to harvest.
3. Difficult to protect against bird attacks.
4. There are problems with controlling bare and thickened areas.
5. It is more difficult to treat against diseases and pests.

   
   Cherry pruning

Negative effects of thickening:

1. Death of some bouquet branches.
2. Lack of lighting.
3. The occurrence of infection.
4. Poor air exchange.
5. The quality of the berries deteriorates.
6. The number of ovaries decreases.
7. Reduced yield.

Preparation and rules for pruning cherries in spring

Before you start pruning, prepare all the tools that may be useful.

When pruning, follow these rules:

• determine which branches should be removed. First of all, remove damaged branches and branches that are touching each other in different places;
• If branches are twisted together, remove both or shorten one branch;
• In shrub crops, it is necessary to leave at least 7 branches that form the base of the plant;
• Annual shoots must be shortened by half;
• All shoots on the tree with signs of diseases and pests must be removed;
• Dense crowns should be thinned out;
• Rejuvenation of mature plants in spring to increase yield.

After pruning, the cut areas should be treated with a special antiseptic or garden varnish.

How I shape cherries for the first five years

I consider the most important stage in the formation of cherries to be the creation of a low trunk with 3–5 skeletal branches extending from the trunk at an angle close to a straight line.

I begin work in the first year after planting, when leaves actively begin to grow in May. I count about 10–12 buds from the grafting site and remove the top of the seedling. This operation stimulates the growth of side shoots, which it is advisable to bend at a right angle in the first year. The cherry can be shaped into a vase or, if space is limited, into the shape of a flat fan. The next year, at the beginning of summer, I shorten the growing shoots, leaving about fifty centimeters, and break out the branches growing inside the crown or cut them into a ring. To avoid weakening the growth of skeletal branches when bending, an angle of no more than 50 degrees should be maintained. Very often, after shortening, the cherry tree produces only one side shoot, powerful and growing straight upward. In this case, I cut the vertical branch, leaving four buds, and after waiting for growth from them, I save only those shoots that are directed from the center of the crown.

At four to five years of age, the cherry tree is evenly overgrown with fruit branches located along the entire length of the skeletal branches. From this point on, shaping work usually affects only the upper part of the crown. Fruit branches just need to be pinched in June for branching.

After fruiting begins, I make sure that the center of the tree is not thickened, and at the beginning of summer I remove the branches growing inside the crown. To restrain growth, I transfer strong vertical shoots to lateral branching, that is, I cut them off above a branch growing to the side. The presented simplified scheme for forming cherries is practical experience gained through trial and error. My first cherry tree was not formed correctly, so it will be helpful to share how you can try to “fix” a mature tree.

Forming KGB cherries

Cherry formation using the KGB type (literally, Kim Green bush) was first introduced recently. It is simpler than the well-known Spanish and Australian bush, and also solves the problem of low-growing crowns - difficult air circulation, leading to a decrease in yield and increasing the risk of tree disease.

1. In the first year, in spring, the trunk is cut at a height of 50-60 cm.
2. In summer, several shoots appear on the trunk. When the length reaches 60 cm, it is recommended to cut them at the same level, leaving 15-20 cm.
3. Next year the procedure is repeated. The branches going inside the crown are also trimmed.

What you need for pruning

Modern gardeners use a variety of tools to remove branches, the main ones being the following:

• garden pruner — used to remove branches no more than 20 mm thick (there are options with parallel blades and varieties for one-sided cutting, which are excellent for clearing the crown from improperly growing branches);

• lopper — practically the same pruning shears, only with long handles, which make working with thicker branches (up to 50 mm in diameter) much easier;

• garden knife — designed for shortening young green branches, cleaning places where branches were cut and broken (thanks to the curved crescent shape, branches can be cut at a certain angle);

• garden saw — suitable for working with any type of branches, although it is better to give preference to a tool at least 35 cm long.

Regardless of what kind of weapon you get into your hands, it should be well sharpened and without traces of rust, which will protect the tree from unnecessary injuries. After working with blunt instruments, the cuts turn out to be uneven, with a torn surface, through which pathogenic microorganisms easily penetrate into the plant tissue.

General principles of pruning

The entire pruning process can be divided into two steps:

• pruning (shortening) is the removal of the upper part of shoots and branches. The main task is to strengthen the main branches, cause active development of buds located below the pruning site, and accelerate the growth of young shoots. On cherry trees, branches longer than 40 cm are usually shortened. Shortening can be weak (up to 1/4 of the annual growth is cut), moderate (up to 1/3 of the growth) or strong (half of the growth);

  
  Shortening of shoots can be of three different types: weak, moderate and strong.

• cutting (thinning) - removal of a branch or shoot entirely, to the base. This type of pruning is designed to improve the main branches' access to light and air, which will have a positive effect on fruit development.

  
  You can clearly see how thinning affects the density and shape of the crown

When pruning cherries, they most often resort to thinning. This is due to the fact that its buds are located closer to the ends of the branches, so shortening will be less effective in improving fruiting.

To learn how to properly trim a cherry tree, you also need to be able to determine the type of branch:

• vegetative branches. They are also called growth. These are branches from which other branches and shoots subsequently grow;
• bouquet branches. They are found mainly in tree cherries. These are short (up to 3 cm) branches on which many buds are located. The main fruiting occurs on them;

  
  Bouquet branches are easy to identify - they are distinguished by their short length and large number of buds

• growth branches. These are small and thin branches that appear annually from the upper buds. It is not difficult to distinguish them - the topmost and youngest branches are the growths. Most cherries bear fruit on such shoots.

Slicing methods

When pruning cherries, the following cuts are most often used:

• to a side branch. The main branch (thicker) is cut down to a strong side branch;
• shortening by translation. If a branch forks, it can be shortened by removing one of the shoots up to the fork. The choice of shoot depends on the situation, but when pruning cherries, the outer branch is most often left;
• on the ring. In this case, the branch growing from the conductor is cut down to the very base.

The diagram clearly shows how a particular cut is performed

Many gardeners know that the cutting areas of most plants should be treated with preparations such as ground coal or garden pitch to protect the branch from infections and improve healing, but this rule does not apply to cherries. Handling cut branches of a cherry tree or bush will make restoration difficult.

Pruning after flowering

During this period, cleaning and thinning are carried out. In early spring it is difficult to identify damaged shoots; in summer they are visible. Dead shoots will not have leaves, so they need to be removed. Branches with fungus should be cut out and burned.

In the summer, pinching is carried out - pinching the upper part of the growing shoots. It is carried out with a special garden knife or pruning shears. This technique retards shoot growth and improves the growth of lateral branches. Productivity increases. This method also allows you to direct the shoots in the desired direction.

For normal crown formation, pinch the shoot at a height of one meter from the ground surface. By autumn, the side branches will form the base of the tree.

Which varieties of cherries are suitable for the KGB method?

This type of crown formation is not suitable for all varieties. It can only be used for those cherries that bear fruit on bouquet branches. Suitable for seedlings on vigorous rootstocks.

Varieties suitable for the KGB method:

• Lapins;
• Merton Premier;
• Cordia.

For varieties on dwarf rootstocks and hybrids such as Regina, this method is not applicable.

Did you know? Cherries serve as a raw material for food coloring. And the color turns out not red at all, but green.

Covering cherries for the winter

To prevent the cherry tree from dying and bring a good harvest in the summer, the gardener should take care of the heat-loving plant. Remember that old trees are less susceptible to cold temperatures than seedlings. You need to know how to protect cherries from winter winds and cold.

Young animals should be carefully prepared for wintering: this will protect them from frostbite and breaks under the weight of snow. It is recommended to cover the tree in stages.

1. The soil around the tree is covered with sawdust, peat or pine needles (preferably pine spruce branches). The width of the cover is equal to the width of the crown and the approximate branching of the root system.
2. Pegs are driven shallowly near the tree so as not to damage the roots: they protect the cherry from rodents.
3. A covering material is attached to the pegs, creating a protective dome around the tree. Burlap or thick fabric will do.
4. A layer of covering is poured onto the hem of the covering material so that the dome does not fly off from the wind.
5. The entire structure will be covered with snow, which will become additional insulation.

Follow-up after pruning

As soon as the gardener finishes pruning the cherries in the fall, all cuts should be immediately covered with garden varnish. Further care for cherries consists of watering, fertilizing and covering for the winter. Before the onset of frost, trees are thoroughly watered. Up to 10 buckets should be poured onto one adult cherry. This will help the root system to better endure the winter. Cherries are fed with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers at the rate of 150 g of potassium and 400 g of phosphorus per adult tree. Nitrogen-containing fertilizers are not used in the fall.

Only young cherries are covered for the winter. The ground around the trunk is mulched with peat or sawdust. The branches are carefully tied, then a frame is put on the tree, and burlap is wrapped on top.

Important! If mature trees have been heavily pruned in the fall, they also need to be insulated by wrapping burlap around the trunks and bases of skeletal branches.

Thus, correct pruning of cherries in the fall will facilitate similar actions in the spring and will serve as a guarantee for the future harvest.

Differences in pruning

Throughout the life of a cherry tree, gardeners perform several main types of pruning: formative, sanitary and rejuvenating, but the choice of the appropriate option will depend on the age of the plant and the condition of its crown at each individual stage.

Pruning young cherries

Formative shortening of a young tree begins in the second year after planting a seedling on the site and is subsequently carried out annually, once the plant reaches five or six years of age. Correct implementation of the procedure ensures uniform growth of shoots, preventing them from tangling and thickening of the crown.

If we are talking about a one-year-old seedling, then after completing the procedure one can hope to increase the number of branches located below, while simultaneously reducing the growth rate of the rest, thanks to which it is possible to obtain a correct spherical and highly productive crown.

After the first formative pruning, about five skeletal branches should remain on the annual plant, with three of them usually placed on the second tier, and no more than a couple of branches remaining on the third.

The distance between adjacent tiers is maintained within 0.6–0.7 m, although between the second and third this value can be reduced to 0.5 m. The next year, when the procedure is repeated, any growth located in the standard zone must be removed.

The final stage of formative pruning of cherries will be the finishing procedure for the 5th–6th year of the plant’s life. In this case, incorrectly growing shoots must be removed, which, located towards the inside of the crown, interfere with the full development of the entire cherry tree. In addition, it is possible to trim other branches to thin out the crown.

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Video: shaping an annual tree

Pruning fruit trees

Most varieties of cherries become fruit-bearing only by the 5th–6th year of cultivation, after which the main goal of removing shoots will be to maintain the height of the tree at 3–3.5 m, with a maximum height of skeletal branches within 4 m.

From this point on, formative pruning of the plant is stopped for about 5 years, in the autumn period only diseased and damaged shoots that thicken the crown are removed. After a five-year period, the cherry fruits become smaller, and the fruiting itself will shift closer to the peripheral part of the crown.

This will be the main signal for the rejuvenation of the tree, the pruning of which is postponed to the coming February or March (sometimes autumn rejuvenating events are also carried out).

Trimming old

Often, cherry trees that are more than ten years old are considered old. All of them are no longer distinguished by their former productivity, so the gardener is interested in rejuvenating pruning of shoots, especially since if the procedure is carried out correctly, the harvesting process is also easier.

To reduce the height of the crown, skeletal and semi-skeletal shoots are greatly shortened, while simultaneously removing parts of large and smaller thickening branches inside the crown.

Such actions will contribute to the movement of fruiting inside the tree, and shortening strong branches will cause additional branching and increased growth of annual shoots. The result of the actions taken will become clearly visible next year, in the spring.

Tips and rules

In order for pruning a young tree in the autumn to bring the expected success, it is necessary to take into account a number of rules and adhere to the advice of experts. Otherwise, the tree will stop producing good growth or will die altogether. So, the key requirements for autumn pruning are as follows:

1. The cuts should not be too low. You should also not leave stumps or open wounds.
2. For autumn work, you should use a powerful garden tool, preferably a special saw. To prevent the bark from tearing off, the force must be constantly reduced.
3. Heavy branches are pruned first.

Under no circumstances should you start pruning seedlings at the age of 1 year. It is better to wait until the spring season, because before the cold weather begins, the plant will not be able to recover and receive the required supply of nutrients. It is important to remember that until the age of 5, skeletal shoots should not be longer than 50 centimeters.

When performing rejuvenation and sanitary work, you should get rid of old branches. In this case, next year young branches will grow in their place. If the bark was damaged during pruning, it will have to be treated with oil paint or garden varnish.

Many beginners make a lot of mistakes when pruning cherries in the fall. And if some of them are insignificant, then the rest become fatal. The following symptoms may indicate improper pruning:

1. In the place where the outer branches should have formed, tops 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 become bare.

To prevent such a course of events, it is necessary to follow the basic rules of pruning work, as well as follow the instructions. In this case, autumn pruning will be a good stimulation for abundant and high-quality fruiting.

Sources

• https://fruitree.ru/obrezka-kulturnyh-rasteniy/obrezka-chereshni-osenyu-dlya-nachinayushhih.html
• https://tytdacha.ru/sad-i-ogorod/plodovye-derevya/obrezka-chereshni/
• https://ferma.expert/rasteniya/derevya/vishnya/obrezka-chereshni/
• https://sad1111.com/kak-obrezat-sazhenets-chereshni-pri-posadke/
• https://sad6sotok.ru/%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B7%D0%BA%D0%B0-%D1%87%D0%B5%D1%80% D0%B5%D1%88%D0%BD%D0%B8.html
• https://ProPosadki.ru/plodovye/chereshnya/posadka-chereshni-osenyu
• https://ogorod-bez-hlopot.ru/obrezka-chereshni-osenyu.html

Advice from experienced gardeners

Unfortunately, even having chosen the most suitable scheme for autumn pruning of cherries and knowing how to carry out the procedure correctly, novice gardeners are not immune from possible mistakes.

Therefore, in order to reduce the likelihood of unpleasant situations occurring, it is worth considering the recommendations of professionals:

• stone fruits cannot be cut immediately “on the ring”, since this often causes gum formation and the bark will not be able to quickly heal the wound (on the contrary, the surface layer of the tree will begin to move away from the wood and over time it will be necessary to cut the skeletal branch to the place of the incorrect cut);
• It is better not to remove living branches in the fall, except in cases where the formative pruning was not performed in the spring, and the tree itself grows in regions with a warm climate;
• It is worth pruning several months before the expected frost, so that the plant has time to recover from the cold;
• In addition to improperly growing shoots, it is also worth removing sharp forks of branches.

Since most standard cherry varieties are tall plants with rapid growth dynamics, spring pruning will promote the formation of young growths and reduce yields, so it is advisable to prune in the fall, after harvesting.

For beginners in gardening, pruning cherries may indeed seem like a rather difficult task, but this is only at first glance. Taking into account all the recommendations of professionals, the basic actions will eventually become automatic and the question of how to make the crown of a cherry tree well-groomed, while simultaneously increasing the yield of the tree, will no longer be so relevant.

Tips for Beginner Gardeners

For gardeners who have decided to take up pruning shears for the first time, it would be useful to study the theoretical part of the issue. The first pruning is best done with or under the guidance of a mentor. It must be remembered that improper pruning can simply kill the tree.

What tools are needed for pruning cherries?

High-quality garden tools are the key to tree health. When pruning, you need to remember that any damage, and especially a cut or cut, is an open wound through which infection or fungus can enter. The tool must be sharp, this will minimize the likelihood of unnecessary damage.

To carry out pruning in spring and summer, a gardener usually needs:

• Garden shears for removing green shoots.
• Secateurs.
• Lopper.
• Garden saw.
• Garden knife.
• Stepladder (for high areas of the crown).

Before the pruning procedure, all tools must be disinfected with a solution of copper sulfate.

How to cut branches correctly

Branches need to be trimmed so as to cause as few wounds to the tree as possible. For example, when removing a branch coming from the trunk, you need to be careful not to touch the pocket of bark at the bottom of the branch attachment, as well as the scar of bark that is located on top. This kind of sleep will drag on very quickly. If you cut close to the trunk, the wound will be very large; if you retreat far, you will get a large knot.

It is better to first saw large branches from below, otherwise they, breaking from their own weight during filing, can tear off a piece of living bark. On branches, the cut must be made from below. When using pruning shears, you need to cut slightly obliquely, right above the bud.

In what weather do you prune cherries?

Pruning is not carried out at subzero temperatures, since the wood is quite fragile at this time. It is also undesirable to prune in damp, cold weather, as this promotes gum growth.

Processing of slices after trimming

The cuts and saw cuts remaining after the pruning procedure must be disinfected with a solution of copper sulfate and covered with garden varnish. This is especially true for large cuts. Increased attention should be paid to treating wounds if pruning was carried out for sanitary purposes, for example, wood affected by fungus was removed.

The saw cuts can also be treated with ordinary oil paint on a natural basis. It is better to use natural garden pitch, based on fir resin, rather than petroleum products.

Treatment and prevention of gommosis

When gum disease occurs, the educational tissue of the cambium is destroyed and wood is damaged. Gommosis is also dangerous because cracks in the bark and the presence of dead tissue are a direct path for the penetration of harmful fungal and bacterial microorganisms, which in turn increase gum formation. It is better to carry out the necessary work on cleaning and treating wounds that have leaked with gum after the end of intense sap flow. It is convenient to use a spatula to remove fresh gum, but hardened gum can only be removed with a sharp knife with a wide blade. The old wound or crack is scraped away from dead tissue with a sharp garden knife to reveal healthy wood. We must try to ensure that the surface of the wound is smooth and that rainwater does not accumulate in it. Sometimes gum growth is observed around a stump left after incorrect pruning. In this case, dead hemp tissue must be removed, including 3–4 mm of healthy wood.

Prepared wounds are treated with a five percent solution of iron sulfate, but when there is no time, I dilute copper oxychloride (CHOM) “by eye” and lubricate the affected area with a brush. After disinfection, the wound should dry out within a week. For gommosis, I use garden varnish only in the fall, when the plant is in the dormant stage. In the summer, it will not be possible to limit yourself to cleaning the wound once and there is no point in covering the wound with garden balm. It’s better not to be lazy and once again treat the wound with a copper-containing fungicide or Bordeaux mixture.

It is very difficult to cure a crack located close to the root collar of the plant on the north side of the trunk. With such a lesion, the wound will constantly get wet and grow, so you should think about changing the variety. During the growing season, you can clean the wound and, after disinfection, cover it with a mixture of clay and mullein (1:1). You can use RanNet paste and remove the putty in the fall so as not to cause damping off. To help the cherry tree recover, I included rare but abundant watering with mandatory loosening in the complex of rehabilitation measures and reduced the dose of fertilizer. In September, I sprayed the crown with potassium monophosphate (according to the instructions on the package), and in mid-autumn I applied a soft deoxidizer - dolomite flour (200-300 g per sq. m.) along the diameter of the trunk circle. As a result, I managed to stop gommosis - the next year in the summer there was no gum discharge.

In order not to provoke the occurrence of gommosis, you just need to follow the rules of agricultural technology and correctly carry out the formation of plants. To prevent the cherry bark from being damaged, protection from sunburn is needed (whitewashing or wrapping the trunks), which is very important to remove in time in the spring. The use of systemic insecticides and the prevention of fungal diseases is encouraged, as well as the destruction of lichens using iron sulfate (3% in November and March). It should be remembered that for healthy growth, cherries need a lot of sun, moderate nutrition and loose, breathable soil with a neutral reaction. Of course, only winter-hardy, zoned cherry varieties that can withstand the conditions of our climate should be planted.

Having entered the phase of active fruiting, cherries run the risk of suffering from overload with the harvest, and cracks may appear in the bark. To prevent this problem, experienced gardeners furrow the bark during the period of sap flow. This method is the most effective possible method of treating gommosis and involves making short vertical cuts on the bark of skeletal branches down to the wood. Furrowing requires a very sharp tool and a determined gardener attitude. I have no practical experience in this matter, but I plan for the next season to master this useful skill, which requires patience and a certain amount of courage.

My experience in shaping cherries is small - only ten years. I am self-taught, and if questions arise, I turn to the publications of N.I. Kurdyumova. The books by this practicing author are written simply and with humor, so they will serve as an excellent textbook for those who want to master the skill of shaping fruit trees.

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Tools required for pruning

Pruning cherries in the fall for beginners is quite a difficult task, so you need to stock up not only with special garden tools, but also with other available tools. It is better to purchase high-quality garden tools that guarantee durability in use and good results.

For autumn tree pruning work, the following may be useful:

• Garden saw - designed for cutting trunks and thick branches.
• Lopper - helps remove branches in hard-to-reach places.
• Secateurs - cuts thin branches with a diameter of up to 25 mm.
• Garden knife - used for trimming cuts and removing thin branches.
• Scissors are indispensable when forming bushes and trimming young growth.

The resulting sections must be immediately treated with some preparation that will protect the plant from infections entering the wounds. You can use garden varnish or ordinary oil paint on drying oil, as our grandfathers used to do. It is worth disinfecting the tools in advance - wiping them with alcohol or calcining them over a fire.

If ordinary rather than compact columnar cherries are grown on the site, you must take care of a stepladder that will help you reach the high branches. When working in the garden in autumn, thick gloves or mittens are indispensable. They will save your hands from accidental injuries. Special glasses will protect your eyes from debris and many small twigs.

Work on mistakes

Having experience in forming small crowns and palmettes from apple trees, I also decided to make my first cherry tree low and compact. When planting, I cut the seedling very short, and when three strong shoots grew, I used my favorite method - bending down. I attached a soft rope to each branch, stretched it, and in order to fix the desired angle of deflection, tied it to heavy fireclay bricks. In the fall, I was too lazy to wrap each individual branch and tied all three together, then tied it with protective plastic mesh. The following spring I managed to get into the garden only in mid-May, but the matter was ruined. After the sap began to flow, it was impossible to bend the branches again; at the slightest effort, the bark began to crack. Not finding the right solution, I left the cherries unattended for five years. As a result, the three-headed Serpent Gorynych grew - a tall, large tree with a sparse crown and three trunks located almost close to each other at a very acute angle.

Generous harvests and the extraordinary taste of the berries prompted me to try to correct the mistakes I had made. To prevent the trunk from breaking when loaded with harvest, I significantly reduced the number of branches on two trunks in favor of a third. It would be possible to remove the extra trunks, but then in the area of ​​the base of the tree there would be very large cuts that would hardly heal in such a vulnerable place. To reduce the height of the tree, I sawed off the top of each of the three trunks. I had to be nervous for a while. The risk of complications was high, because I removed more than a third of the vegetative mass of the tree. However, the expected gum growth fortunately did not begin, and the next year the cherry tree, “delighted” by the lightening of the crown, bore fruit as usual. Of course, my actions are too radical and cannot serve as an example, because severe pruning weakens the plant and can cause gommosis.

Why prune cherries: the purpose and objectives of spring pruning

The main purpose of pruning cherries (like any other plant) is to increase the quantity and quality of the harvest, as well as your concern for the health of the tree itself (so that it bears fruit for as long as possible and pleases you with rich and tasty harvests).

Thus, by pruning cherries in the spring, you solve the following tasks aimed at achieving the above goal:

• improving access to sunlight;
• ensuring optimal ventilation inside the crown;
• disease prevention.

In other words, spring pruning of cherries is carried out in order to:

• correctly form the tree so that it has a comfortable crown and produces stable yields;

Also, thanks to the formation of the correct crown by pruning it, it becomes convenient to care for the tree, and most importantly, to harvest .

• regulate the growth of the tree, i.e. increase or decrease;
• eliminate the frequency of fruiting (so that a situation does not arise when one year the plant bears fruit very abundantly, and the next year it bears little fruit);
• improve the quality of the fruit (after proper pruning, the fruits become larger and tastier).

garden tools

Let's look at what and how to prune cherries correctly. To do this as painlessly as possible for the tree, you need a special gardening tool.

• The pruning shears must be sharp and properly adjusted. An extension is required for cutting branches at height.
• A garden knife should be durable and sharp enough.
• Garden shears are properly adjusted and sharpened.
• A thin wood hacksaw that allows you to trim branches in hard-to-reach places.

An important point remains good sharpening of the tool and its pre-processing before cutting.

What tools are needed?

The main requirements for pruning equipment are strength and quality. Tools purchased from an unscrupulous seller will quickly become unusable and will not be able to perform their functions, which will affect the health of the tree and its productivity.

Sharp cutting tool for working with branches:

• Secateurs – used for cutting branches up to 2.5 cm thick.
• Lopper - similar to pruning shears, but has longer handles, which are convenient for working in hard-to-reach places or in neglected crowns. Copes well with thick branches from 3 cm.
• A garden saw is the main tool for processing old trees and sawing thick branches.
• Knife – used for cleaning cuts and performing procedures that require precision.
• Scissors - used for thinning seedlings and shoots that have not yet become woody.

Auxiliary equipment for gardening:

• Stepladder – necessary for pruning tall trees.
• Work gloves – provide protection for hands when performing activities.
• Safety glasses – prevent small debris falling from the tree when pruning from getting into your eyes.
• Rope - fixes bent branches in one position.
• Spacers are a simple device that bends branches away from the treated area.
• Cuffs are strips of elastic material that protect the bark of young branches from mechanical damage.

Cherry wood is softer and more fragile than that of other garden crops, so it is not advisable to trim the branches with simple pruning shears. To minimize damage to the shoots, it is better to use garden saws, carefully clearing the cut points with a knife.

Bringing back youth to old cherries

For old cherries, gardeners often carry out rejuvenating pruning. This is done this way:

1. First, we carry out processing pruning: we remove all infected, shriveled and broken branches.
2. If the lower branches hang unsightly near the ground and do not benefit the crop, they should be removed.
3. Using the ring technique, we remove unnecessary elements that prevent sunlight from reaching the fruit. We also cut off intertwined branches that prevent each other from developing.
4. Pay attention specifically to old and outdated elements, since new branches will still be able to bear fruit, and the old ones will be useless for the plant. Do not remove new branches, even if they are woven.
5. Some branches grow upward in a stake and need to be pruned using the “ring” method.
6. Some shoots, growing up to 50 cm, never bear the long-awaited berries. The gardener should monitor them and trim them if necessary.

How to trim?

The formation of a young tree (using regular pruning) begins from the moment it is planted. During the first four years, the gardener must take care of the formation of the trunk, skeleton and crown of the young plant.

In order for a young seedling to quickly regain its strength, the pruning procedure should not be too frequent. That is why experienced gardeners prefer to carry out work aimed at the formation of skeletal branches and trunk in the spring, and sanitary thinning of the crown in the fall.

Seedlings of the fifth year of life can be pruned at any time of the year. When choosing the most optimal time for the procedure, it is necessary to proceed from the expected result.

Main types of cherry pruning

She may be:

1. Formative. Performed in early spring, this type of pruning is especially important for young seedlings.
2. Sanitary , carried out, as a rule, in the autumn months. To avoid the risk of infectious diseases, areas affected by pathogenic microorganisms are cut out and immediately burned. The main purpose of spring sanitary pruning is to remove branches that are severely damaged by frost.
3. Rejuvenating , carried out either in early autumn or winter. Its objects are non-bearing, old or neglected trees. Anti-aging pruning combines the functions of formative pruning and sanitary cleaning.
4. Performed during the fruiting period. An indication for summer pruning is significant damage to branches (most often breaking off) due to overload with the harvest.

Stages of spring formative pruning

Scheme:

You cannot prune seedlings whose height is less than 50 cm: being very weak, they may not tolerate the procedure. For beginning gardeners, we offer a detailed description of all stages of formative pruning of young trees.

Annual seedlings

For one-year-old seedlings, the first step is to regulate the height of the trunk, depending on the region in which the cherries are grown:

• in the southern regions, the central trunk of the seedling is cut at 70 cm;
• the recommended height of the trunk for the middle zone is from 50 to 60 cm;
• in the northern regions its height should not exceed 30-40 cm.

For seedlings that have not reached a certain height, the planting of the trunk is postponed to the next season.

Pruning the central trunk at a height exceeding one meter will promote an elevated position of the crown and skeletal branches. As a result, the height of the vegetative mass will be more than 1.5 meters, and the fruiting zone will be 2 meters from the ground. It is clear that harvesting and sanitary cleaning of the crown of such a tree will be associated with certain difficulties.

At the same time, it should be taken into account that repeated pruning of the central trunk is completely unacceptable, since it will certainly affect the fruit-bearing branches, which will inevitably affect the yield.

The formation of a trunk is always carried out in the spring. Having counted at least six strong buds (from which the skeletal branches of the lower tier will develop over time), a cut is made above them. Side shoots are left untouched.

To trim the seedling, you must use a very sharp and well-sanitized garden knife. A fresh cut should be immediately treated with protective mastic, garden varnish, drying oil or oil paint.

Two-year-old seedlings

In the second year, the formation of the lower tier of the crown begins:

1. Having selected three or four of the largest shoots that emerged from the buds left on the trunk, all excess shoots are removed with a sharp garden knife (as close to the trunk as possible, without leaving stumps).
2. The remaining shoots, evenly spaced, should not touch each other. They should also be shortened to a length not exceeding 50 cm.
3. Simultaneously with the procedure for removing branches of the lower tier, the main stem is trimmed, which after some time will turn into a fairly strong trunk. For this purpose, counting out the 3-4 strongest buds on the central stem, cut off its remaining part. These buds will give rise to second-level skeletal branches. Special garden mastics are used to treat the cut.

Three-year-old seedlings

For seedlings of the 3rd year of life, the branches of the second tier are laid, the lower one is pruned, and the formation of the trunk is also continued:

1. Before pruning the branches of the lower tier, the weakest skeletal branch that has given the worst annual growth is identified. This branch is left intact, and all remaining shoots are pruned to its length.
2. In parallel with the procedure for shortening the skeletal branches, shoots that grow inside the crown or vertically and thereby thicken it are removed (at the root).
3. Branches of the second tier appear from the buds left when the central stem was trimmed last year. After making sure that the branches are evenly distributed, extending from the trunk at an angle of 45 degrees, remove excess shoots. The skeletal branches of the second tier are pruned, making them 10-15 cm shorter than the branches of the first level.
4. To properly form the trunk, step back 50 cm from the topmost branch of the second tier and count the 5-6 strongest buds. Above the last bud, the central stem is cut off. The remaining buds will give skeletal branches of the third level.

Four-year-old seedlings

The process of formation of the crown and trunk is completed in the fourth year after planting the seedlings:

1. To limit the stretching of the tree, the trunk is cut off at the level of the weakest horizontal branch of the third tier. Skeletal branches of the second and third levels are pruned, leaving no more than 70-80 cm of the original length. The branches of the first tier are cut to 50 cm.
2. Incorrectly growing branches must be removed. If there are crossing shoots, only one of them must be removed. Only the one whose direction of growth and location is more correct is retained.

When performing spring pruning of cherries older than 5 years, you must remember that under no circumstances should you shorten the tips of skeletal branches that have growth buds, since this manipulation is fraught with drying out of the entire pruned branch.

The main tasks of spring pruning of trees older than five years are thinning and sanitary cleaning of the crown, which involves removing improperly growing and damaged shoots.

Features of summer care for the cherry crown

In summer it is recommended to do two prunings:

1. the first summer pruning after the leaves have completely blossomed and the ovaries have formed. It is at this time that branches with areas of dead wood with no leaves are clearly visible. At this moment you can get rid of the excess ovary. Summer thinning of cherries also involves removing branches that have begun to dry out due to fungal attack. To remove future tops or young branches growing inside the crown, the pinching method (pinching the ends) is used, with which you can give them the desired direction. The advisability of summer pruning of cherries lies in the fact that the tree will tolerate the removal of green non-lignified branches much easier than the weakening pruning of unnecessary branches that have become quite thick by that time.
2. After harvesting the fruits, cherries require sanitary pruning, which consists of removing broken fruit branches and cutting out the tops that remain unnoticed. Since only horizontal branches bear fruit, experienced gardeners prefer not to cut out the tops, but to pull them in the desired direction using ropes.

To increase fertility

1. In order to increase the fruitfulness of cherries, it is necessary to remove all branches growing vertically, since the most productive shoots are those that are parallel to the ground. By removing vertical branches, you can significantly improve the flow of nutrients to the desired branches.
2. Some summer residents, seeking to increase cherry yields, prefer to do this without the help of pruning shears and a garden saw. The main tool of such gardeners is an ordinary rope. The essence of this technique is to bend the branches, and not to remove them. The algorithm of actions is incredibly simple: in order to make the trunk of a seedling perfectly straight, a strong peg is tied to it. All shoots that grow incorrectly are tied to the same support. After 1-2 years, the branches, having become woody, will take the desired position and begin to grow in the right direction, so the peg is removed: there is no need to use it in the future.
3. There is another method for increasing cherry yields. Armed with a garden saw, a series of shallow cuts are made above the buds along the entire length of the branch. This manipulation allows not only to slow down the stretching of shoots, but also gives impetus to the development of lateral branches.

Pruning to prevent cherries from pulling upward

If, for some reason, there is a strong elongation of the cherry, as a result of which picking the fruit becomes difficult, to reduce upward growth, they resort to special pruning, which allows you to adjust the shape of the crown and the height of the tree. The purpose of this pruning is to form a cup-shaped (or leaderless) crown.

At the first stage of crown adjustment, all strongly raised branches growing inside it are removed.

This gives impetus to the development of external branches, which will be much weaker than the previous ones, and the angle of their departure from the skeletal branches will be quite large. This is exactly what should be achieved.

Removing branches growing upward makes the crown much lower, wider and lighter. After the final healing of the wounds, the cherry tree will begin to actively grow. In the place where the removed shoots once were, only subtle bends will remain.

In the future, the gardener needs to promptly remove shoots directed and growing inside the crown, thereby preventing its general thickening.

Features of autumn pruning

1. The main purpose of autumn pruning, carried out immediately after the end of leaf fall and ending at the end of September, is to remove all weak and damaged branches, since the tree, having gotten rid of weakened shoots, will be able to better withstand the period of winter hibernation.
2. In the autumn, you can thin out the crown, which involves removing all branches growing at the wrong angle.
3. Another popular type of autumn pruning is shortening, which consists of trimming a third of all annual branches.

To perform autumn pruning of cherries, it is best to use a well-sharpened garden saw, since the cuts left by this tool heal much faster than damage caused by pruning shears.

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How to prune cherries in spring according to the classic pattern

The standard pruning scheme in spring is used for mature tree-like plants that have already entered the fruiting period. The main goals of pruning are to increase productivity, crown formation and sanitary thinning.

The classic scheme looks like this:

• the cherry tree is carefully inspected and all broken, weakened, diseased branches are removed from it, which no longer participate in fruiting, but take away some of the nutrients;
• after this, last year’s shoots are shortened - this stimulates the formation of new bouquet branches with flower and vegetative buds;
• branches that are already 3 years old or more can be cut off entirely; you can also remove side shoots on branches that are 5 years old or more;

If the tree's height exceeds 3 m, you need to cut off the tops of the skeletal branches; the plant will stop developing in the vertical direction, but will begin to actively produce lateral branches.

How to avoid mistakes

• Spring pruning should begin with older cherries. This is explained by the fact that the work is carried out before the buds swell, and in mature trees this happens earlier.
• A young tree is less than a meter in height - which means no action is needed.
• When in doubt about the choice of removing the desired branch, pay attention to those growing downward, looking towards the ground - you can safely cut them off.
• Remove branches from the trunk located at a distance of 80-90 cm from the soil.
• In the first five years, the stone fruit grows actively, so it is worth shortening the longest shoots to a length of 45-50 cm.
• If you find a vertical shoot that thickens the crown and puts unnecessary pressure on horizontal branches, it is recommended to prune it back to where it forms or buds.
• It is necessary to create strong semi-skeletal branches, therefore, after a branch length of up to 70 cm, you can only remove no more than 20 cm, since the subordination of the shoots should be taken into account.
• If the branches do not influence or participate in the process of forming the cap, then they are cut to 30 cm in length.
• To reduce growth, when the trunk is about 5 meters, the main skeletal branches are pruned above the outer branch. The main trunk (leader) should be cut in stages, starting from the top, shortened further in the 2nd year and brought to the desired length in the 3rd year.
• Avoid whorls. To do this, we select 2 inclined skeletal branches of the lower tier and try to make the distance between them half a meter, taking into account the same length from the trunk.
• Never remove the ends of branches and growth buds; this most often leads to injury and drying out.
• After the work has been done, treat the cuts with garden varnish or paint them with paint or drying oil - this will reduce the increased gum production.

Sources

• https://ogorod-bez-hlopot.ru/kak-pravilno-obrezat-chereshnyu.html
• https://vserastenija.ru/obrezka-chereshni/
• https://fruitree.ru/obrezka-kulturnyh-rasteniy/obrezka-chereshni-osenyu-dlya-nachinayushhih.html
• https://rassada.info/chereshnya/obrezka-chereshni.html
• https://AgroGnom.ru/berries/sweet-cherry/kak-obrezat-chereshnyu.html
• https://tytdacha.ru/sad-i-ogorod/plodovye-derevya/obrezka-chereshni/
• https://fruitree.ru/obrezka-kulturnyh-rasteniy/obrezka-chereshni-vesnoj-dlya-nachinayushhih.html
• https://topogorod.ru/obrezka-vishni-vesnoj-dlya-nachinayushhix-v-kartinkax-poshagovo/
• https://sait-pro-dachu.ru/obrezka-chereshni-dlya-nachinayushhix-vesnoj/

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