![]() ![]() Pruning is mostly limited to removing crossing, weak, diseased material and strong vertical growth. Rub out any buds developing on the lower trunk and carefully pull off suckers arising from the rootstock. In the fourth year switch to early to mid-summer pruning, as for established trees.In the third springcontinue developing a well-spaced framework.By the second springthe main laterals should have produced their own side shoots, the strongest of which need shortening by half, pruning to an outward-facing bud to develop an open crown.Remove shoots below the selected laterals Cut the central leader back to just above the uppermost lateral. In the first springon a feathered maiden tree, choose three or four well-spaced wider angle side shoots (laterals) about 75cm (2½ft) from ground level to be the main branches and shorten these by two-thirds.Fruit will only develop on young shoots so each year after harvest remove some of the poor yielding branches in order to stimulate growthįormative pruning of an open centred bush tree With established sour cherry trees remove all dead, diseased and broken branches in spring but leave healthy old wood. ![]() Light formative pruning can be carried out in spring as the leaves start to develop, but the time to prune established trees is in early to mid-summer. Cherries are usually grown as small trees (‘open centred bush’ or ‘pyramid’), or else they are fan-trained against a wall or fence.īoth sweet and sour cherries (and other stone fruit) should not be pruned during the winter, to minimise the risk of infection by silver leaf or bacterial canker.įruit is borne on one-year-old and older wood and therefore pruning needs to encourage a balance of older fruiting wood and younger replacement branches. ![]()
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