When is the best time to prune cherry trees?

Cherry tree pruning time

Cherry tree pruning is mainly divided into growing season pruning and dormant period pruning. Growing season pruning is mainly summer pruning, while dormant period pruning is mainly from mid-to-late November when the leaves fall to mid-to-late March of the following year.

How to prune a cherry tree

1. Topping

  When the new shoots of the cherry tree grow to about 30 cm, the tender buds at the front end of the new shoots can be removed. This can inhibit the vigorous growth of branches, increase the number of branches and layers, expand the crown, and promote early fruiting of cherries.

2. Pull branches

  Cherry trees can be pruned after the spring or after the fruits are picked in June. Generally, the main branches and side branches are kept at 60-70 degrees, and the remaining branches can be pulled to 80-90 degrees. The purpose of pulling branches is to better adjust the tree shape, ease the growth trend of the fruit trees, and promote early fruiting.

3. Thinning branches

  Cherry trees can be thinned out after the fruits are harvested. By thinning out the branches, nutrient consumption can be reduced, and ventilation and light transmission conditions of the fruit trees can be improved, thereby enabling better growth. Thinning mainly involves cutting off branches that are too dense or too strong, and some dense branches and leaves should also be removed.

Things to note when pruning cherry trees

After pruning the cherry tree, it is necessary to provide it with sufficient light, ensuring 6-8 hours of light per day, so that the plant can absorb sunlight, promote the fruit to grow larger, and increase the yield of the cherry tree.