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johndougg

sweetheart cherry pruning question (see pic)

19 years ago

2nd season for this bareroot tree.

i actually didn't know if it was going to survive the japanese beetle fest last year. they were unstoppable and ate most all the leaves - but things look good this year with lots of buds.

there is really not much to the tree yet. there is the main trunk about 5.5 foot tall, a couple side branches, and then one continuation of the trunk, or branch, that goes up to 9 feet. i'm thinking i should cut all or some of this part that goes from 5 to 9 feet, in order to concentrate growth on side branches and keep the tree full and not tall. is this correct thinking?

i'm not too knowledgeable in pruning. i have another young cherry that is in a vase shape, and i'm wondering if it is ok to "top" it to keep it shorter. i always read you should never top trees, but how do you keep the growth low and full, and not let branches get high, without cutting down the branches that go straight up?

thanks for your response

{{gwi:89272}}

Comments (7)

  • 19 years ago

    I wouldn't cut too much this year, perhaps the lower branch, [it has a bad V, narrow crutch]
    Perhaps cutting back the top new leader by 1/3, it makes it a bit stronger.
    If you leave on more branches and butts when the tree is young, it will get established a little faster.
    More pruning I would do next year, establishing your new lateral branches, cutting off some, most of these butts will have a new branch and have to be spaced apart.
    Konrad

  • 19 years ago

    I'm with Konrad, let her grow.

  • 19 years ago

    Sorry guys, but I'm going to dissagree. That tree should have been headed back at about 3 feet when it was planted. I would cut it off at 3 foot tall, just below the top of the wire, this year while it is still dormant (sort of) and invigorate it. As far as topping your other tree, go ahead and cut it at the hight you want to keep it. Just rember, pruning begets pruning. Dormant prune to invigorate, summer prune to devigorate.

  • 19 years ago

    Johndoug:

    I come down with Baumer on this one, in disagreement with my esteemed colleagues Konrad and Geraldo. A rare moment indeed.

    I would have headed the tree back at 3 feet or even less at planting time, but for now would cut it off below the top of the chickenwire, just as Baumer suggests. That wild single branch up-top is not the future of your tree. You don't need it and you don't want it. What you want is a nice, low-branching, spreading tree if you can train it, and that is why I suggest you look into ways to spread the branches and reduce the sharp crotch angles and upward growth of this tree.

    If you are having deer problems on the tree (And who doesn't?), you should soon be looking into taller, stronger wire, maybe anchored by a couple of steel posts, to allow for future branch spreading within the protected area.

    Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

  • 19 years ago

    the reason i said to leave it is because that will bring you the quickest fruit. I want fruit as soon as I can get it, and I am less concerned with one them thar purdy lawn trees.
    It should have been headed when it was young, but now I would leave it for early fruit. When the tree enters a good fruitful state in its lifetime then I would cut that central leader out of and open up the center of the tree. I would do it in early August where I am at. Just MHO

  • 19 years ago

    I'd also like to see this tree cut down low. I've found sweet cherries to be very predictable in their response to dormant pruning. That is two or three buds below each heading cut will consistently take off strongly. My concern on this tree is that there may be no buds remaining low on the trunk. I can't tell from the picture. If it were my tree I'd cut it back down to the two lowest branches, and cut those back to some well-directed buds. Take that with a grain of salt however, since cherries grow like gang-busters here, but I don't know how vigorous they are where you live.

  • 19 years ago

    Ups....I haven't realized you want a low, low branching out tree.
    I like mine branching out a little further up, just for the reason of wild life damage.
    I any case, I still let it grow this year with minimal pruning for the sake of good
    root developenment.
    Konrad