Pruning cherries in the fall is a necessary and important procedure for preparing the tree for winter. It helps to prevent plant diseases, increase immunity and promotes abundant fruiting in the next season.
The main goals of autumn pruning
Thanks to pruning, a beautiful crown is formed, productivity increases, frosts are more easily tolerated, the risk of developing diseases is reduced
Pruning is one of the most important cherry care measures. The main goal of the procedure performed in the fall is to free the tree from old branches affected by diseases. Together with them, bacteria, spores of fungi and insects are removed, which excludes the possibility of wintering of pests, pathogenic microflora and plant damage in the next season.
Trimming also allows you to form a crown, to prevent its thickening. A tree freed from unnecessary branches rejuvenates and as a result gives more fruit in the next season.
Only the seedlings of the first year of life do not need autumn pruning: their immunity is still undeveloped, and after the procedure the young trees risk not surviving during severe frosts. In the future, branches are removed annually, because old, diseased branches will infect the tree and take away its strength.
Adult trees are pruned every 2-3 years, young trees annually until the ideal crown is achieved.
Timing Recommendations
When cutting a cherry, make sure that the pruning shears are sharp
The timing of cropping depends on the climatic conditions of a particular region. The main indicator is the falling of leaves, which indicates that the sap flow in the plant is over, and cutting off the branches will not harm him. But it is important to be in time before the onset of frost. If the places of cuts do not have time to drag out before winter, the tree will suffer. Recommended deadlines by region:
- South - from the beginning to the last decade of November; The middle zone and the Moscow Region - from the last decade of September to mid-October;
- Leningrad Region - from the beginning to the middle of September;
- Siberia and the Urals - from mid to late September.
The procedure is best timed to auspicious days according to the lunar calendar 2019:
- September: 1, 6, 7, 15, 16, 26, 27, 28;
- October: 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 13, 25, 29, 30, 31;
- November: 4, 5, 9, 10, 25, 26, 27, 28.
Work Tools
Tools must be sanitized before trimming.
Being interested in how to prune cherries correctly in the fall, they don’t forget that only high-quality sharp tools are needed for the procedure. In order not to bring an infection into the tissue of the tree, they are pre-disinfected. Experienced gardeners are advised to prepare the following inventory:
- secateurs for thin shoots;
- garden saw or hacksaw for thick branches;
- delimbers for cutting branches at a considerable height;
- garden knife for grinding slices.
Trimming Techniques and Rules: Tips for Beginners
It is convenient to cut branches that are at considerable height
Trimming a tree is carried out in two ways:
- thinning - complete removal of the branch;
- shortening - cutting off only the crown of the head.
Each tree needs both pruning methods. General outline of the procedure:
- First, shoots growing down and inside the crown are removed.
- Then cut off the thickening branches.
- Last, sick, dried and damaged branches are cut out. This is important because infection from the instrument can get into healthy parts of the plant.
Small shoots are better not to cut, they are left on a tree until spring. When branches are completely removed, a stump about 5 cm high is left at the trunk.
Pruning is carried out exclusively in dry weather, otherwise there is a risk of developing infections. If frost is predicted in the coming days, it is better to postpone the procedure until spring.
Features of pruning depending on the type of cherry
Cherry pruning: 1 - strong shortening; 2- pruning to the side branch; 3 - thinning
Thinning crown of different types of cherries has its own characteristics:
- Tree varieties need annual shortening of annual shoots. This stimulates the growth of side branches and branches on which fruits are formed. They also remove growths on the external and internal surfaces of large branches.
- On bush-like varieties, annual shoots are left unchanged: cutting them off may cause the entire branch to dry out. If the tree is prone to thickening, the branches are cut near the trunk.
- Felt cherries are thinned out each year, leaving 10-12 branches. Annual shoots do not touch, because fruits are formed on them. The exception is branches 50 cm long, they are shortened by a third.
The nuances of trees of different ages
All branches that thicken the crown of the tree must be removed.
Pruning technology depends not only on the type and type of wood, but also on its age:
- Young treelike leave no more than 5 shoots. In bush - no more than 10. As the plants grow older, their number is brought to 15. Young specimens are rarely exposed to diseases and pest attacks, so they do not need to remove damaged branches. When thinning do not touch the branches that make up the skeletal base.
- The main goal of sanitary pruning of old trees is the removal of all diseased and withered shoots. If left, young branches will not have a chance for development. Anti-aging pruning extends the life of the plant.
- Fruiting trees lose their strength, and their branches are exposed. In order to have more berries next season, a third of the main branches are cut per meter. Annual shoots are mostly left. Branches growing in the wrong direction also interfere with each other.
Tree care after the procedure
Processing slices after pruning will help prevent infection of the tree
Having completed all pruning activities, they rake and burn garbage from under the tree to prevent the spread of infection and pests. Then the novice gardener should carry out the following procedures:
- processing slices with garden varieties or other similar means;
- top dressing with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers combined with irrigation (before this, the trunk circle is dug up to a half-piece of shovels);
- spraying with a solution of urea in a concentration of 5% after the first freezing for the prevention of diseases;
- covering straw with a near-tree circle of young trees in a snowless winter to protect the roots from freezing.
Long-term observations have confirmed that autumn pruning helps cherries safely survive severe frosts and increases its yield.
