Content
- 1 Do you need to prune cherries in the fall
- 2 Types of pruning
- 3 When can you prune cherries in autumn, what month
- 4 How to prune cherries in the fall: schemes
- 5 Correct 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 correctly shape the tree, rid it of old and diseased wood, and also increase the yield. For inexperienced gardeners, this procedure presents a certain difficulty, therefore, the following topics are discussed such as pruning cherries in the fall for beginners in pictures, goals and objectives, as well as a method of carrying out work for various types and varieties of this fruit tree.
Do you need to prune cherries in the fall
Cherry is one of the first to grow. Often, gardeners simply do not have time to prune before this time and, having come to the site, find swollen or already blossoming buds. In this state, the tree should not be touched; after the beginning of the growing season, pruning is not performed. If this is done, then the wounds will heal for a very long time, the recovery period will be delayed, such a cherry may not even bloom, and accordingly, there will be no harvest.
Pruning should be done on a fine, warm day.
The autumn period for pruning is much more favorable. It is not so fleeting, all work can be carried out in several stages, without fear of being late. This is especially important for those who appear at their summer cottages from time to time. In favor of the autumn pruning of cherries, the fact that during this period all the flaws of the tree are much better visible, it is easier to eliminate them.
Types of pruning
There are several types of autumn cherry pruning. Each of them is carried out with a specific purpose, they have their own nuances. Here is a brief description:
- Sanitary pruning (sanitation). In the course of its implementation, branches damaged, broken by wind and birds, as well as those affected by diseases and pests, are cut off. It can be produced at any time of the year as needed, in spring and autumn - a must.
- Thinning. It consists in removing improperly growing, thickening and unnecessary branches. Produced in spring or autumn.
- Supportive. It is needed to keep the cherry in the right size. This pruning will shorten the annual growth rate and also limit the height of the tree. Often such pruning is carried out in the summer, after the end of fruiting, as well as 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 spring.
- Anti-aging. In the course of its implementation, part of the old shoots that have ceased to bear fruit are removed, new ones are formed instead. This type of pruning significantly prolongs the active fruiting of cherries.
Various types of pruning are often combined with each other, since they coincide in time.
There are 2 main tricks for pruning:
- Thinning. This term means the complete removal of the shoot to its base.
- Shortening. This method involves pruning the shoot to a certain length in order to translate the direction of its growth or stimulate lateral branching.
When can you prune cherries in autumn, what month
The gardener determines the timing of the autumn pruning of cherries on his own based on the climatic characteristics of his region. In the North-West region, it is desirable to carry out these works in 1-2 decades of September, in Siberia and in the South Urals - in 2-3 decades of the first autumn month. In central Russia and the Moscow region, cherries are cut in late September or early October, and in the southern regions - even later, in October-November.
How to prune cherries in the fall: schemes
In the fall, cherries tolerate pruning quite well, so they forgive many mistakes for novice gardeners. 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 cherries in autumn according to the universal scheme
A universal scheme for pruning cherries in the fall is suitable for beginner gardeners, can be applied to any type of tree. It is average and suitable for most varieties. Here is a diagram of how you need to proceed to properly prune cherries in the fall:
- Remove branches growing inside the crown and down.
- Cut off thickening and overlapping shoots that interfere with each other.
- Cut out all root growth.
- Cut off all dry, broken and diseased branches.
A universal scheme for pruning cherries in the fall
An interesting video about pruning and forming young cherries in autumn can be viewed at the 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 growth.
- Remove branches directed deep into the crown.
- Clean the bushes of dry and broken shoots.
Pruning felt cherries in the fall
Felt cherry is a type of bush cherry. Unlike the latter, it practically does not give root growth. At the same time, the felt cherry does not grow higher than 2 m, which makes working with its crown simple and convenient. At the same time, the average age of a tree's life is small and is 10-15 years, however, 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:
- Removal from the lateral branches of all shoots growing inside the crown of the bush.
- Complete pruning of old shoots that have ceased to bear fruit.
- Cutting dry and broken branches.
How to prune tree cherries in the fall
Without pruning, a tree cherry 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 a tree, its frame. For this, 5-6 large skeletal branches are laid on a trunk with a height of 25-30 cm. All outgrowths extending from the trunk below this level must be removed. In subsequent years, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the frame branches, to remove the fruit bearing and bare shoots in time.
In the fall, tree cherries are pruned as follows:
- The branches growing inside the crown are removed.
- Cut off shoots that are directed downward.
- To limit the growth of the tree, the shoots of the highest tier growing upward are transferred to the lateral direction.
- Root shoots are removed, and the tree stem is cleaned 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 from broken and damaged, as well as dry and pest-affected branches.
How to prune tall cherries in the fall
If the height of the cherry does not allow for comfortable 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, therefore any vertical shoot growing above this level must be transferred to a lateral branch growing outward.
It is much more convenient to work with a low crown
This procedure should be carried out annually. In addition, all the same operations are performed as for conventional tree varieties.
Correct pruning of cherries in autumn, depending on age
The scheme for pruning cherries must be chosen not only depending on its type, but also on age. The procedure for different periods of tree life is different and has certain subtleties.
Pruning cherries after planting in the fall
After planting, the cherry seedling is carefully examined and future skeletal branches are outlined (usually no more than 5). They should be well developed, be at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other and evenly move away 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, cherries are considered young. During this time, it is annually pruned, during which the base of the tree, its skeleton, is formed, the foundation of its future fruiting is laid. A brief description of the cherry formation process by year is given in the table:
Cherry age | Activities carried out |
1 year | The crown is shortened by 0.2 m. All small shoots on the trunk up to the first future skeletal branch are cut into a ring. Excess shoots that are not involved in the formation of the skeleton are also cut out to the base. |
2 years | Cut out shoots-doubles, competitors, as well as branches directed into the crown. The rest are cut by 10 cm. |
3 years | Remove everything that thickens the crown. An annual growth of more than 0.6 m is shortened by 8-10 cm. You can add 2 well-located 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 located below should not be higher than those that grow above them). You can leave 2 more well-located shoots as skeletal, cut the rest. |
5 years | Formed cherry-five-year-old should have about 10 well-developed skeletal branches, cut according to the principle of subordination. They remove everything that grows incorrectly, clean the stem, 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 an adult fruiting cherry in the fall is as follows:
- All shoots longer than 0.6 m are shortened by 8-12 cm.
- The ends of the skeletal branches are trimmed if they violate the rule of subordination.
- They clean the inner space of the crown, cut out thickening improperly growing shoots.
- All dried and broken branches are removed.
- The stem is cleaned and the root shoots are cut out.
When pruning, the inner space of the crown is significantly lightened
If the tree is formed correctly, then pruning cherries in the fall can be done very quickly, and this will not cause trouble even for an inexperienced gardener.
How to prune old cherries in the fall
A signal that the cherry begins 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 few dry branches. If such factors are present, anti-aging pruning should be performed.In the course of its implementation, not only the annual growth is cut off, but also the older wood. Rejuvenation can be:
- weak (remove wood up to 2 years old);
- medium (up to 4 years old);
- strong (up to 6 years old).
Cardinal pruning significantly rejuvenates the old tree
Pruning old cherries in autumn gives a powerful impetus to the tree, which will intensively drive out annual shoots. Among them, there are usually many tops - vertical branches that do not participate in fruiting. Some of them need to be removed, and the rest, the most well-located ones, need to try to give a horizontal position with the help of braces.
How to properly prune cherries in the fall
It is necessary to prune cherries in autumn on a dry, fine day at a temperature not lower than + 5 ° C. To carry out the work, you will need the following tools and materials:
- secateurs;
- garden saw;
- lopper;
- ladder.
Before work, it is imperative 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 with no jagged edges and will heal much faster. All tools 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 work, but also about your safety. Cutting should be carried out in protective gloves and goggles, and when working, observe safety rules.
To remove thin branches up to 1 cm in diameter, it is preferable to use a pruner. Thicker branches are pruned with a delimber, and if their thickness exceeds 3 cm, then it is better to use a garden hacksaw for pruning.
After the end of the work, all large cuts on the tree must be treated with garden varnish. Sawed branches must be collected and burned. It is especially important to destroy old damaged trunks and dry shoots, since various insect pests and their larvae are hibernating 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 autumn is one of the last activities in the annual cycle of caring for them. Once the tree has been pruned, it can be prepared for winter.
To do this, you need to do the following:
- Whitewash the stem and lower skeletal branches with lime. This is an excellent measure to protect the trunk from sunburn, as well as prevent pests.
- Wrap the barrel with 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 up young trees with spruce branches. This will increase their frost resistance.
- Dig up the 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 trees with copper sulfate or urea. It is an excellent measure against fungal diseases.
Conclusion
For beginner gardeners, pruning cherries in the fall is useful for beginners in pictures and basic recommendations for tree care during this period. However, we must remember that there are no two identical trees, so any recommendations should be applied with caution.It can be difficult for beginner gardeners to immediately understand all the subtleties and nuances of the process, so it is better to first watch the video of pruning cherries 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.
