When to prune a cherry tree

Are you growing a cherry tree in the garden? Or have you gained an allotment or garden and no Idea about pruning a fruit tree. Here we will explain when to prune a cherry tree, how to prune a cherry tree and why you should prune a cherry tree.

All fruit trees need pruning each year. This is to help the tree focus on growing the delicious fruit and not focusing on branches which are not doing much. It also keeps the tree looking good, shaped well and good to look at.

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When to prune a cherry tree

Most fruit trees are pruned when the tree is dormant and in hibernation during the winter. Unfortunately, cherry trees do not follow this standard rule.

Early spring is an ideal time to prune cherry trees or right at the end of the summer. Early spring is the better option just before the cherry tree starts to blossom. Prune the cherry tree just before the buds on the tree start to appear. This is usually after the chance of frost has passed. Cutting the branches when the frost is still around can upset the tree as it could affect it from the cold weather.

How to prune a cherry tree

To prune a cherry tree you will require the tools to prune your tree with. These are pruning saw, hand loppers, and possibly a hand pruner. The most vital thing you do before you even start cutting your branches off is to clean the tools with rubbing alcohol. You do not want to spread any kind of disease to the tree that may have from any other trees.

To prune a young cherry tree you need to prune it to look like a open vase this is so that the sunlight can get into the tree once all the leaves have grown back on. It also helps with the air circulation in the tree.

Check round the base of the tree and cut off any shoots coming from the bottom of the tree these are called suckers. Chop off any branches on the cherry tree that are pointing down wards, you don’t want your branches growing in the wrong direction. You don’t want any pointless branches growing that would just take the energy and nutrients away from the cherry tree.

You can cut off any branches that look diseased or that are dead. These are only wasting the trees energy plus you don’t want the disease spreading to other parts of the tree.

If you are wanting to cut some height off the tree do this in Autumn this is called head the tree. If you were to head the cherry tree in spring you would be cutting off developing buds. The heading cut is to chop back upto 1/3 of the branch or limb. Heading a tree is when you are cutting back the leading central trunk. This is usually done to develop the lower branches of the fruit tree.

When pruning a cherry tree you can also look for any branches that cross over any of the other branches. You will not want these as this stops the air circulation on the fruit tree. Chop these right back.

Final thoughts

Remember when pruning a cherry tree you want it to look good so try and vision it with leaves on when pruning it back. Clear away any old branches and leaves you have chopped away as this can encourage disease on the tree. You can also paint on the tree tree sealant where you have cut branches off this will help stop diseases in the tree.

We hope you have found these tips useful on when to prune a cherry tree and how to prune them. You can find out lots more information on plants here.