Gardeners like the felt cherry - it gives a good harvest, has a beautiful compact crown, and is unpretentious to growing conditions. To increase the fruiting of the crop and give the branches shape, you need to periodically remove them. Proper pruning of felt cherry trees is carried out in autumn, spring and summer. The activities are carried out according to several schemes and if you know the technology, the specifics of the work are not difficult.
Garden felt cherry is a dwarf tree native to China. It reaches a height of up to 2 m, and the branches spread out to 1.5 m. The crop is grown for many reasons:
- rapid growth and fruiting in all climatic zones with the exception of the Arctic;
- abundant and colorful flowering, reminiscent of sakura;
- compactness of the trunk and crown;
- high yield - about 20 kg of berries are harvested from one plant;
- early fruiting - berries ripen 2 years after planting;
- early fruit formation - cherries appear in mid-summer and are easily picked from the bush;
- resistance to diseases (coccomycosis, fungi), pests and frosts down to -30 degrees;
- drought resistance, while practically no shoots are formed.
The disadvantages of the variety include a tendency to be affected by moniliosis and root rot during warming. However, the usefulness of fruits with a high content of vitamin C, PP, and carbohydrates makes the felt cherry a favorite of gardeners.
The plant does not live long - about 10-15 years. But timely pruning of branches in the fall prolongs the activity of fruit formation to 20-25 years.
Need for pruning
Early fruiting, short growth and spreading crown lead to rapid drying of the trunk. Proper pruning of dwarf felt cherry, done in the fall, will increase the quality of the harvest and life expectancy. Molding and sanitary renewal of the crown are necessary to obtain large berries and remove diseased and insect-infested branches.
The purpose of the measures is complete pruning:
- branches from the side parts, deepened into the crown;
- shoots that have weakened or dried out after fruiting;
- old branches that do not produce branches and do not bear fruit;
- an excess of branches to maintain the quality and quantity of berries.
The crop is not only pruned in the fall. Spring and summer removal of shoots is allowed.
Basic types of branch deletion
Cherry pruning should be carried out taking into account the biological characteristics of its growth, crown shape, fruiting dynamics and branching. Depending on the direction, there are several types of pruning. 
Thinning branches
The shoots are completely removed, due to which the crown becomes compact, and the “tops” practically do not grow. It is used only on thickened fruit crops.
Non-selective removal
The branch is cut off above the bud in order to obtain young shoots. The material grows from buds located above the cut area. With this procedure, the volume of the crown is preserved, but the tree looks fluffy.
Selective circumcision
If you prune limbs this way, remove them selectively. Make a cut line above the side shoot for wide branches, and remove thin ones to the bud. This preserves the height and density of the crop.
Plant molding
Spring is a good time for crown formation. The work is carried out before the start of bud formation, in the second half of March. Skeletal and lateral shoots are cut from the tree. You can leave about 10 skeletal outgrowths, but every year they need to be shortened by a third. Try to keep the distance between the shoots 10-15 cm. When forming the crown, you can shorten the remaining branches a little - they will grow back quickly. 
Sanitation procedures
During the spring, summer or autumn procedure, unhealthy, shrunken, broken and weakened elements are removed. Branches with growth defects must be cut out. If a cherry or sweet cherry is affected by a fungus, the shoots are immediately removed.
Anti-aging activities
Cherry pruning is carried out in the autumn after leaf fall, in September or early October. Since the plant bushes quickly, the procedure is carried out 7-8 years after planting. On annual shoots, fruits form faster, so sections of the crown older than 3 years are removed to the outer bud. Rejuvenating procedures are divided into weak - they get rid of growth in 2 years, medium - they remove branches formed over 4 years, strong - they cut out branches that have grown over 6 years.
Depending on the type of work with cherry plantations, their age and variety, the sequence of cutting the material is selected.
Cherry orchard age and pruning
Felt cherry is a bush crop whose branches are shortened by ½ or 1/3 the size. Stone fruit fruiting occurs only on last year's branches. Therefore, semi-skeletal and skeletal shoots are cut to the level of lateral branches in order to accelerate their growth and upward direction. During spring work, it is permissible to shorten the elements at the level of the dormant bud.
To better tolerate the cherry procedure, sections of skeletal and semi-skeletal material are alternated every other year. Annual branches are not touched; only long ones (about 50 cm) are removed. 
How to work with young cultures?
Stone fruit varieties differ in the speed of crown development, so there is no need to delay pruning. Every year, before budding begins or in the fall, branches are removed. When performing gardening activities, you need to consider the following nuances:
- annual plants will freeze if shoots are removed before wintering;
- young plantings are pruned later than others;
- work only with a saw or a sharp knife, removing loose elements under the ring;
- damaged areas are coated with garden varnish;
- knots should be located at a distance of 10-13 cm from each other.
Crown formation is possible only for seedlings over 2 years old. Forming is combined with thinning, removing branches more than 50 cm in length. The work follows the following scheme:
- Select 6 main shoots, 8-15 cm apart from each other.
- Cut out the rest of the vegetation, giving the crown a ring shape.
- Branches facing the trunk are removed.
- Leave one parallel element at an acute angle.
This gives a mature cherry tree approximately 15 main branches. They expand without limitation, but for convenient collection of fruits they are periodically thinned out. 
Rules for pruning fruiting crops
Felt cherry loses crown volume with age. At the bases of large knots, shoots called “tops” appear. In order to improve the quality of the harvest, the cherry orchard is rejuvenated by removing no more than 1-2 meters of the crown. Exceeding the norm will lead to death or disease of the tree. The cut is made above the branches with fruits, in several stages, if the work has not been carried out for several years.
Features of rejuvenation of old plants
On old trees, dried, non-fruitful and diseased twigs are removed. Sections are made to the level of healthy material. The inclined crown is also removed.
Nuances of the procedure: time, tools
The season for agricultural work depends on the varietal variety of the tree. Shaping pruning of cherries is relevant in the spring before the start of sap flow and bud formation. It is important to remove only the skeletal and side branches. Sanitary and rejuvenating measures are carried out in the fall, after harvesting the fruits and falling leaves. During a sanitary cut, it is necessary to completely remove the diseased, damaged material directed towards the trunk. During the summer growing season, they work with cherries affected by diseases. It is recommended to rejuvenate stone fruits after 8 years in early spring or mid-autumn. 
What tool can you use?
The quality of agricultural procedures depends on the use of tools. You will need:
- pruner;
- sharp saw;
- hacksaw;
- scissors.
Tools must be treated with antiseptics to prevent plants from being affected by fungal or infectious diseases. The cut areas should be coated with garden varnish.
How to make a garden varnish?
A special plant putty is needed to treat open cuts, damaged wood or burns. Beginning gardeners can purchase Petrolatum, but experienced agronomists recommend making the following compositions for healing tissue yourself:
- nigrolovy. You will need 1 kg of paraffin, nigrol and rosin, which are heated separately. Carefully pour rosin and paraffin into the hot nigrol and mix thoroughly. Before use, you can fill in the ash of tree bark and be sure to improve the putty;
- on wood alcohol. They work with garden varnish in the cold season. To prepare, mix melted lard and fine rosin in proportions of 1:16. The liquid is heated, brought to a homogeneous state and combined with 8 parts of alcohol;
- on beeswax. To make the solution, prepare beeswax, rosin or resin, and linseed oil in a ratio of 4:20:1. First, beeswax is melted, and then rosin is added to it. After mixing, add flax oil. After boiling, you need to add 2 parts of charcoal to the mixture;
- in lard. You need to melt 1 part of lard, add 2 parts of wax to it and bring to a homogeneous state. Then 4 parts of fine rosin are added to the mixture and boiled for 30 minutes. The mass should be poured into cold water and kneaded.
For high-quality healing of cuts, you can add heteroauxin to the garden varnish at the rate of 1 tablet per 1 liter. The solution can be used at any time of the year.
Rules and technology for autumn pruning
Dwarf felt cherry tolerates autumn pruning best. This is how its branches remain viable after a long winter. The period of work completion depends on the gardener’s region of residence and the period when sap flow stops. In the southern regions, the procedure can be carried out at the end of September or October, and in the north - at the beginning of September. It is important to control the timing of the event so that the wounds heal quickly and the shoots do not dry out.
Features of the procedure
Gardeners advise how to prune a plant so that it retains its vitality and fruiting quality. So, you need:
- remove large non-skeletal knots that make the crown excessively thick;
- cut off elements located at right angles;
- leave only skeletal crown-forming branches;
- small shoots need to be cut off in the spring;
- do not leave branches growing from the trunk at an acute angle.
Check the location of the branches. In order for stone fruit varieties to rejuvenate, you need to know which shoot will bear fruit. Be sure to treat the cutting areas.
Choosing a Trimming Pattern
The correct pattern of cutting branches guarantees abundant fruiting of cherry trees. Gardeners recommend following the standard procedure when thickening and shaping the crown:
- When decorating, you need to leave 10 skeletal branches. The rest of the material should be removed or trimmed by 1/3. This increases the crop yield and prevents overgrowth of the bush.
- Thickened varieties are cut out almost completely. You need to leave no more than 5-6 shoots 2 years old, and remove the rest at the root. The technique is used to restore the quality of fruiting of an old orchard and rejuvenate it.
The cut areas are treated with varnish and special frost protection agents.
Benefits of Cherry Pruning
The felt variety of the crop must be pruned regularly. Thanks to agricultural manipulations, the plant is formed correctly and looks proportional. Due to the normal density of the branches, the number of fruits increases and their quality increases - the cherries become large and tasty. By removing old branches, you will eliminate the appearance of pests and diseases of the tree, which will
Pruning bush felt garden cherries, done in the fall, will maintain the level of fruiting and eliminate thickening of the bushes. At the same time, a beautiful, neat crown is formed, which eliminates the complexity of caring for and picking berries. Removing branches will not be difficult if you know the technology of the work.
Cherry is a cold-resistant crop that can easily tolerate low temperatures. But, in order to obtain a full harvest, the tree should be provided with appropriate care in the autumn. Proper preparation for winter is the key to high cherry yields.
Below you will find useful information about preparing a tree for winter, features of care, pruning and covering cherries in the fall. This information will be especially useful for beginning gardeners.
In autumn, cherries need appropriate care, which consists of:
- Pruning;
- Feeding;
- Pest protection;
- Whitewash.
The plant is fertilized in mid-autumn. Fertilizing is done using bird droppings, compost, humus, etc. With the help of fertilizers, not only growth, but also the strength of the crop is ensured.
Gardeners are recommended to do only root feeding. Fertilizers are applied during the period of digging the tree trunk circle. This allows you to fully saturate the roots with useful substances and significantly increase the yield level.
Before fertilizing, you need to remove the foliage and clear the tree itself of dry branches. If the tree is young, then 30 kilograms of humus should be used to fertilize it. Trees whose age is more than 50 kilograms. You can use store-bought fertilizer to feed the leaves.
Pruning cherries in autumn
Should cherry trees be pruned in the fall? In the autumn period, such an event should be held without fail. Let's figure out why.
Why trim
The vast majority of people are of the opinion that stone fruit trees do not require pruning. But this is far from true. Pruning cherries in the fall is necessary to ensure that the quality of the harvest is high. In the absence of this measure, the tree will have an abundant crown, but this will not have a positive effect on the yield.
Pruning in spring or autumn
Many gardeners often ask the question “when is it better to prune cherries - in autumn or spring?”
- To ensure a well-groomed garden and proper formation of the tree crown, it is recommended to prune cherry trees in the fall.
- In the spring, only dry branches that could not withstand the effects of negative temperatures are removed.
Timing of pruning
You can prune a tree at almost any time in the fall. The procedure begins in mid-September. The gardener must complete all pruning work by mid-December.
How to carry out the procedure correctly
Pruning is a kind of surgical intervention in the life of a tree. That is why it must be carried out in compliance with certain rules.
How to properly prune cherries in the fall?
- The procedure should only be carried out at rest. For this reason, you need to start it only after the crop has shed its crown.
- Pruning involves removing dry and disease-affected branches. To avoid re-infection with the disease, cut branches and discarded foliage should be burned.
- If the crown is very neglected, its thinning is carried out gradually over several years. Global pruning may result in plant death.
In order to successfully carry out the procedure, it is necessary to follow all the rules for pruning cherries in the fall.
Video: how to prune cherries in the fall.
Procedure for young and old cherries
The choice of tool for pruning a crop in the fall is carried out in accordance with its age:
- If the cherry is young, then a knife is used for this purpose.
- To trim old trees, use pruning shears or a saw.
In the first year after planting, seedlings are not pruned. Otherwise, when exposed to negative temperatures, plant death may occur.
Pruning of young cherries in the fall is carried out once every few years. In this case, you need to cut off all the shoots, leaving a few main branches on the trunk. If the seedlings are two years old, then the shortening method is used. For this purpose, the central branch is cut by 25, and the side branches by 35 centimeters.
Video: pruning cherries in autumn.
Features of the procedure for felt, bush and tree cherries
How to prune tree, bush and felt cherries in the fall? The following nuances should be observed:
- You can prune tree cherries in the fall using the standard method.
- Felt cherries are pruned in the fall, usually by shortening.
- Bush cherry pruning in the fall is carried out in such a way as to thin out the crown.
Pruning all types of crops requires the removal of branches that grow inside the crown, which will eliminate the possibility of its thickening. Pruning is carried out in several stages.
If you remove all the branches at once, this may negatively affect the condition of the plant. The event should be carried out after the leaves have fallen. But it is highly not recommended to postpone the matter until severe frosts.
Pruning diagram for pruning tree and bush cherries in the fall.
Sheltering cherries for the winter
Despite the frost resistance of the crop, it needs to be covered for the winter, especially at a young age. This will eliminate the possibility of plant death.
How to cover properly
Covering cherries in the fall involves mulching the circle around the trunk. Covering must be done in such a way that the thickness of the mulch is no more than 10 centimeters. During snowy winters, the root system is protected by a thick layer of snow. It is collected around the trunk of the plant, and crushed with sawdust and straw on top.
Shelter of young and old cherries
Sheltering old cherries for the winter is carried out mainly using mulch. Covering is done in such a way that the mulch does not touch the cherry trunk. Otherwise, the bark will sag and rot.
Young trees should be tied. This will eliminate the possibility of pest damage to the bark.
Felt cherry is a plant that is currently quite common and enjoys well-deserved love among amateur gardeners. What is the secret of her popularity?
- This is a very productive garden crop: from one plant you get from 8 to 10, and in good years and with proper care, up to 15–20 kg of berries.
- Differs in friendly maturation.
- It is quite unpretentious: it easily tolerates frosts down to 35–40 degrees, and it also easily tolerates drought.
- It grows very quickly and also quickly begins to bear fruit.
- The berries of this crop do not fall off.
- Since its bushes are quite small, the felt cherry tree occupies a small area.
- During flowering, it is highly decorative and will decorate any area.
- The agricultural technology of felt cherries is quite simple and does not require much expense or knowledge, so any gardener can grow it and get a rich harvest.
Description of felt cherry and its biological features
Although this plant bears the name cherry, but is not one. The closest relatives of this plant are apricot, plum, and cherry plum.
This crop is a shrub, less often a tree, its height is from 1 to 2.5 meters. Its crown is very thick and spreading. The color of the bark can vary from brownish-gray to almost black.
Sami leaves small, oval, jagged.
Flowers felt cherries are white or pink; they begin to bloom earlier than most of the leaves bloom, in the second or third decade of May. It is important that the flowers are not afraid of frost down to 3 degrees. It blooms for quite a long time, about two weeks, and the bush looks very impressive, resembling one continuous bouquet.
Berries Colors range from bright orange to pink and dark red depending on the variety. The berries, like the leaves, are pubescent. The fruits of this crop are located on short petioles and cover the branches so abundantly that they are somewhat reminiscent of sea buckthorn.
The fruits ripen for about ten days and can remain on the bush for a long time without falling off. The berries of felt cherries are smaller than those of ordinary cherries, 0.5-1.2 g in seedlings from seeds, 1.2-2 g in selected plants and up to 5 g in varietal forms, but the fruits are more tender and sweet, because they contain less acids.
Ripening time is 1-2 weeks earlier than that of common cherries.
Felt cherry varieties
Varieties are divided by flowering time on the:
- early flowering,
- medium flowering and
- late bloomers.
There is also a division according to ripening dates:
- early varieties,
- medium ripening varieties,
- late ripening varieties.
When choosing a variety, you must be guided primarily by the climatic conditions prevailing in the area. For example, the Far Eastern forms take root very poorly in central Russia, as they die from the root collar getting warm. You also need to take into account the possibility of late frosts, and it is better to choose late-ripening varieties.
Early varieties
Amurka
Forms a vigorous, medium-spreading bush. Heavily pubescent, fruits weighing 2.7 g. The fruits are red, sweet with sourness, juicy. Ripens in mid-July. Tolerates winter well. Gives a yield of 12.5 kg.
Natalie
The flowers are pink, the bush is also distinguished by its strong growth. The berries are dark red, sweet and sour to taste. Harvest up to 9 kg. The fruits do not last long.
Pink harvest
It bears fruit early, already in the 2nd year. Berries up to 3 g, pink. Ripens in mid-July. Produces up to 10 kg of fruit. It is not very resistant to frost, so it is more suitable for planting in the southern regions of Russia.
Fairy tale
The bush grows up to 130 cm. The fruit weighs 3–4 g. Sweet and sour fruits, red in color. Ripens July 17–24. The plant is long-lived, growing up to 17 years. Gives a harvest of up to 10 kg per bush.
Medium ripening varieties
Eastern dark-skinned woman
The variety is small in size, about 120 cm. The berries are very dark, small 2.5 g, are little damaged by insect pests and do not suffer from bad weather conditions. Harvest 7 kg of berries per season.
Anniversary
The fruits weigh 3.5 g, the color of the berries is burgundy. Has slight pubescence. Harvest - about 9 kg. The variety is poorly resistant to high humidity, but tolerates drought well.
Late ripening varieties
Oceanic
Harvest: 9 kg per season. The berries ripen at the end of July. It is resistant to high humidity and dry periods.
Damanka
The fruits are large, burgundy, and have excellent taste. The harvest is about 10 kg.
Beneficial properties of fruits and their use
The fruits of this plant are very useful fresh, and they are also used to prepare various desserts, drinks, and make preparations for the winter. The fruits are included in various confectionery products, and they are also frozen and dried.
It must be said that since the berries have a delicate texture, they are not stored for a long time, so they are processed freshly picked.
In addition to nutritional value, the fruits contain a lot of vitamins and microelements. These are vitamins C, B, P, PP, anthocyanins, catechins and flavonols, malic acid, fructose. They contain more iron than apples.
Thanks to such an abundance of useful substances, the fruits of this plant can rightfully be called medicinal. Frequent consumption of them strengthens capillaries, improves digestion and appetite, as well as metabolism. The threat of heart attacks and strokes is reduced because the substances contained in the fruits normalize blood pressure.
Features of growing felt cherries
The agricultural technology of this plant differs little from the agricultural technology of other berry crops.
The soil
Felt cherry is undemanding to soils; it only dislikes heavy and acidified soils.
Selecting a location
The crop does not tolerate shading well: it stretches out, the fruits become smaller and the yield drops significantly, so sunny places should be allocated for its planting.
It is bad for the felt cherry if there is close groundwater, or too much accumulation of soil moisture in places where it grows, for example, after melting snow or rain, and its root system may suffer. Therefore, it is better not to plant bushes in lowlands.
Lifespan
Felt cherry does not live too long, about 10 years, however, if it is rejuvenated with the help of trimmings, it can grow for about 20 years.
Planting felt cherries
Landing dates
Plants are planted in early spring before the buds swell.
Felt cherry trees are planted and in the fall, but not later than September. If for some reason the seedlings cannot be planted in the fall, then you can let them overwinter in the basement and plant them the next year. The roots of the seedlings are placed in a container and dug in.
Planting process
- Before planting, it is necessary to prepare the holes in advance. A hole is dug 50–60 cm wide, it should be 40–50 cm deep. Before planting the seedlings in the soil with which the hole will be filled, rotted manure 6-10 kg, fertilizers containing potassium 20-30 g and phosphorus 50 are added -60 g.
- Plants should be spaced at least 2 meters apart.
- When planting, the root collar is not buried, otherwise it will rot and the seedling will die.
- After planting, be sure to water the plants and mulch the ground underneath them.
Felt cherry propagation
Felt cherry can be propagated by seedlings, seeds, as well as cuttings and horizontal layering.
Reproduction by seedlings was described above in the section.
Cuttings of this crop is a rather complicated process, since it is carried out in special greenhouses. This will require special equipment to regulate soil and air humidity.
Let's take a closer look at propagation by seeds and layering.
Seed propagation of felt cherry
- Seeds are collected from the highest quality fruits that grow on the most productive bushes.
- Then they are washed and dried a little.
- Store the seeds mixed with wet sand until October.
- After this, they are planted in the soil to a depth of about 3–5 cm and no closer than 3 cm from each other.
- The next year in the spring, the plants are inspected and the weaker ones are removed, leaving the highest quality ones.
- These seedlings are left to grow for a year or two, and then they are transplanted to the area where they will grow in the future.
Seedlings can also be grown without replanting; then they grow better and produce a harvest sooner. For this:
- Seeds in the amount of 4-5 pcs. in October they are planted directly in a hole prepared as for seedlings.
- The distance between seeds should be about 20 cm.
- When the seedlings sprout, the strongest is selected, and the others are cut off.
The seed propagation method has a number of advantages:
- Plants develop better, grow faster and begin to bear fruit.
- Plants of Far Eastern forms can be obtained in other climatic conditions only in this way.
Reproduction by horizontal layering
This method is also very simple. A one-year-old shoot is taken, bent down and buried in soil, having previously been secured with wire brackets. When roots form, it is transplanted to the desired location.
Felt cherry care
Caring for felt cherries in the first years of life consists of:
- timely weeding and loosening of the soil for better air access to the roots,
- watering in dry weather.
Then added:
- feeding,
- pruning
Top dressing
The first fertilizing is applied three years after planting. They feed twice a season: in the spring they apply complex fertilizers, and in late July - early August - phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, so as not to stimulate the growth of green mass before winter.
Formation of the felt cherry crown
In order for plants to bear fruit well, their crown must be formed correctly. When the crowns are thickened, the fruiting shoots located below do not receive enough sunlight. As a result, the berries become small and ripen worse. Harmful insects, on the contrary, feel great in these conditions, and various diseases quickly attack dense bushes.
Therefore, every year the plants need to be pruned, leaving 10–12 well-bearing shoots.
Pruning is done in early spring, before the buds swell.
Annual pruning
- The first step is to remove dry and frost-damaged branches.
- Also, shoots that grow inside the crown and fattening shoots, which are of little benefit, are cut off.
- Fruit-bearing annual shoots are cut by 1/3, but their length must be at least 60 cm.
Anti-aging pruning
Rejuvenating pruning is carried out if the skeletal branches produce little or no shoots at all. Then they are pruned, leaving instead of one of the oldest skeletal branches one of the highest quality annual shoots. In order to stimulate the growth of fruiting shoots, it is enough to trim 2-3 skeletal branches per year.
Anti-aging pruning is usually done after the sixth year of the plant’s life. If you regularly perform anti-aging pruning, the lifespan of the plant increases significantly without reducing the yield.
Diseases and pests and other growing problems
Moniliosis
Most often, felt cherry suffers from moniliosis, a disease caused by a fungus that affects branches, fruit ovaries, and leaves. They fight this disease with 1% Bordeaux mixture, which is used to treat plants by spraying. This is done before the flower buds open. The drug XOM is also suitable; the solution is prepared at the rate of 25–30 g per 10 liters. water. When the felt cherry blossoms, for the purpose of prevention, you can spray it again with these products.
Pocket disease
Pocket disease affects felt cherry berries, as well as its related crops, plum and peach. It is caused by a fungus that attacks the ovaries. The affected fruits do not have seeds, they look more like sacs. Fungal spores mature in these sacs. If this disease is not dealt with, it can deprive the gardener of 1/5 of the harvest, and subsequently the plants may even die.
To fight the infection, you need to cut off all affected parts of the bush and burn it, the same is done with fallen fruits and leaves. In early spring, twice every week, the bushes are treated with a 1% solution of copper sulfate or 3% Bordeaux mixture. In autumn, when the leaves fall, repeat the same procedure.
Pests
Among the pests that attack felt cherries, the most famous are cherry weevils, gall mites, scale insects, and aphids. When a plant is damaged by these pests, it is necessary to use various pesticides, for example, Aktara, Aktellik, Karbofos.
Freezing of shoots
The cause of a poor harvest may also be freezing of the shoots. Although, as mentioned earlier, felt cherry is a very frost-resistant plant, frequent temperature changes and alternating thaws with frosts are dangerous for it.
Supporting the root collar
Root collar swelling is another extremely common disease of felt cherries. If snow falls in a thick layer on unfrozen ground, as often happens especially in the middle zone, then the root collar is supported, which leads to the death of the plant. In the spring it may even bloom, but then dries up. Therefore, it is advisable to mark places on the site where there is no large accumulation of snow and plant felt cherries there.
There is one an old but effective method to prevent overheating. It is necessary to dig up the plants at a distance of about 20 cm in the fall. The depth of the hole should be no more than 10 cm. Coarse river sand is poured into this hole. It will be even more reliable if you mix sand in a one-to-one ratio with foam chips.
Thus, there is nothing complicated in growing and caring for felt cherries. If you take into account all the recommendations, then this wonderful fruit crop will decorate the area with its flowering and will produce large harvests of delicate vitamin-rich fruits for many years.
, vasi.zorina, Natalia Isichenko, swetlana7151.For many novice gardeners, the question of pruning cherries leads to a state close to stupor. Questions immediately begin: do cherry trees get pruned? The trees seem to bloom well without this. And if after abundant flowering the harvest turned out to be not very good, then gardeners, without hesitation, explain this by the fact that among the flowers there were many barren flowers, but is this true?
Not at all. The fact is that the buds are simple and are either flowering or leafy. At the same time, flower buds awaken much earlier than deciduous ones, which creates the illusion of a crown completely dotted with flowering.
More experienced gardeners may note that caring for cherries and pruning are two different things, since removing branches causes gum production, which will subsequently harm the plant. Such a scenario for the development of events is quite realistic if it is greatly weakened. But if the tree is healthy and not frozen in winter, then proper pruning of the cherry tree will only benefit it.
Planting, care and pruning of cherries should be carried out according to a well-thought-out scheme, not allowing growth to take its course. Indeed, despite the difference between bush-like and tree-like species, flower buds will form mainly on annual branches. Moreover, if the annual growth is 0.5 m or more, then the buds will be vegetative and new branches will then form from them. Shoots that are too short, on the contrary, will be dotted with flower buds. Both of these options are unsuitable, so the gardener will need to artificially adjust the length of the growths in the range of 0.25 to 0.5 meters. Only such growths will bear fruit this year and set the basis for a good harvest next year.
When to prune cherry trees, time, timing?
The timing of pruning cherries is somewhat different from the same care for apple and pear trees. The fact is that this crop is heat-loving and does not tolerate frosts as well, so the time for pruning cherries in the spring falls in March, when the risk of frost is much lower than in February. In summer, treatment can be carried out either together with/immediately after harvesting. If the plant is sick, then so-called sanitary pruning is carried out, for which there are no special deadlines. With this type of cherry tree care, the most important thing is to quickly remove diseased branches, which can subsequently infect the entire tree or even the garden.
In autumn, the end of the growing season is considered the right time for care. It is advisable that the weather be calm and clear, otherwise there is a risk of gum formation.
The gardener should understand that there are no strict deadlines for pruning cherries and other fruit trees. The main reference points are made on climate, soil fertility and weather forecast for the coming days. For example, if experts recommend carrying out autumn care after the leaves have fallen, but there is no frost, and weather forecasters promise a sharp drop in temperature to -15°C, it is better to cancel all manipulations that do not require urgent intervention.
Pruning cherry trees in spring is the most important and thorough undertaking. If the gardener does everything correctly and adheres to the same scheme of actions for several years, then in most cases only one spring care per year will be enough.
It is necessary to start properly pruning the cherry tree in the spring before the buds begin to awaken, and if the winter was very cold and there is a suspicion that some trees might have frozen, then you should start removing the branches after the buds begin to grow. In this case, determining which shoots are frozen and which are not will not be difficult. Then you can begin to form the crown, simultaneously removing frostbitten shoots. The disadvantage of this method is that the plant is highly tolerant of the resulting wounds.
If the length of annual shoots is 25-35 cm, then they are not pruned, limiting themselves only to removing competing branches and shoots that thicken the crown. In this case, the branches growing upward must be cut off at the point of their origin, while the peripheral ones are left. The last part of cherry tree care is to shorten the conductor, after which it should rise slightly above the ends of the skeletal branches (no more than 20cm).
Pruning cherries in autumn
Pruning cherries in the fall is used much less frequently than in the spring, since many gardeners believe that they can thus harm the future harvest, because the wounds caused when removing the branches make the tree more sensitive to winter frosts. But this is not so; proper autumn pruning can prevent the development of many infections, extend the life of plantings and increase future yields. Cherry, like other representatives of stone fruit crops, needs at least two treatments per year - spring and autumn, so it is still worth preparing it for wintering.
It is necessary to plan the autumn care procedure in accordance with the climatic zone of residence. For warm regions, the last days of November may be suitable, and for cold regions - September 10. The most important thing here is to catch the moment between the end of the growing season and the first frost.
It should be noted that annual cherry seedlings do not need autumn pruning, since a young, immature tree at the cut site can easily freeze, which should not be allowed under any circumstances. For older seedlings, diseased and broken branches are removed in the fall, and only then see if the crown needs a little adjustment by shortening other plants.
Pruning cherry trees in winter
In contrast to the widespread opinion among gardeners that pruning cherries in winter is not done, as this can destroy them, there is another opinion, which, on the contrary, recommends carrying out work at the end of winter.
Pruning a cherry tree in winter allows the gardener to be 100% sure that it is in a state of absolute dormancy, which means that wounds will be tolerated more easily than in the spring. However, it should be taken into account that work cannot be done in severe frosts, since the bark becomes too fragile and can be seriously damaged in the process of removing branches. Also, do not forget that mature plants tolerate frost much better than young ones, which are not recommended to be removed in winter.
Otherwise, winter pruning of cherries has a number of advantages, among which we can highlight: easier sawing of wood with an even cut, low probability of bark scuffing.
If the garden consists of cherries of different ages, then pruning should begin with the most mature and fruit-bearing trees, since the buds on them will awaken earlier than on young or old relatives.
Wounds caused during the formation of the crown must be thickly covered with garden varnish, thereby protecting the bark at the base of the wounds from frostbite.
Summer pruning of cherries
Summer pruning of cherries is inherently an additional way of caring for the crown in the process of its formation. Leaving the main work of shortening shoots and forming skeletal branches until the summer is extremely unwise. Firstly, this is extremely irrational: it turns out that the branches to be removed received nutrients from the beginning of spring and instead of accumulating strength and directing it to young shoots and fruit buds, the tree wasted it completely.
Secondly, in the summer the cherry growing season is at its peak, so it will immediately react to any wound. And insect pests, as well as various diseases of garden plants, will be happy to have the opportunity to settle on them without hindrance. Therefore, in summer there are mainly two reasons for removing branches:
- it is necessary to perform minor crown correction according to the previously selected scheme;
- It is urgent to carry out sanitary cleaning of diseased branches, since there is a possibility of infection spreading both throughout the tree as a whole and among other cherries.
Remember, sanitary pruning must be carried out as quickly as possible after identifying a problem area.
Pruning old cherries has its differences for bush-like and tree-like trees, but the common goal for them is to rejuvenate the tree and increase its fruiting.
The fact that rejuvenating pruning of bush cherries will be necessary will be indicated by exposure of the ends of the branches. In this case, you can return the yield by reducing the number of branches by shortening them by 1/3 or even ½ the length of the shoot. In addition to shoots, skeletal and semi-skeletal branches must be removed to the level of dormant buds or to well-developed lateral branches growing upward. In order for the plant to have the strength to bear fruit after removing the branches, skeletal and semi-skeletal branches are removed in different years, but the annual growths that appear should not be touched.
Rejuvenating pruning of old tree-like cherries occurs somewhat differently: annual shoots are shortened only slightly, which makes it possible to obtain a large number of new bouquet branches and lateral branches, where the fruits will then appear. Such rejuvenation should be started when the skeletal branches are bare at the base, and the shoots grow no more than 15 cm per year. In this case, shortening to a length of up to three-year-old wood is possible. If the branches growing in the middle of the crown have dried out, then rejuvenating pruning of the cherry tree should be done on the lateral branches growing on five-year-old wood.
When pruning both types of old cherries, there is a general rule: you should not remove a large number of branches at once! If there is a large amount of work, it is better to plan multi-year gradual rejuvenation.
Pruning young cherries
Pruning a cherry seedling immediately after planting allows it to form a shape convenient for harvesting, thereby helping the root system, weakened by the process of replanting the tree, to take root more easily, since some of the removed branches will no longer need to be saturated with nutrients. It is better to do the planting and first pruning of cherry seedlings before buds appear on the tree, this will give it the opportunity to get stronger before flowering and a period of active growth.
In this case, the seedling is left with five strong and most developed branches, everything else is removed under the ring, and the wounds are covered with garden varnish on the same day. Ideally, the branches left should be spaced more than 10 cm apart from each other and directed in different directions.
In the spring of next year, the gardener must ensure that the bush does not thicken and that the crown continues to form according to a given pattern. Therefore, all branches directed inward are cut out. The shoots that appear on the trunk are removed in the summer or cut out for the following spring. Young tree-like plants are pruned from above, thereby controlling the growth of the tree, and shoots of bush-like plants are shortened to a length of 0.5 meters.
As the young cherry grows, new skeletal branches are left on the tree until their total number exceeds 15. Damaged and dried branches are removed.
Pruning young cherries should be approached with great responsibility, since during this period the growth pattern is established and mistakes made during this period can significantly reduce its yield in the future.
Features of pruning felt cherry
In the felt variety, the main part of the harvest is formed on annual shoots, so you should not be overzealous with pruning them, but if the shoot is more than 60 cm long, then it should be shortened by 1/3.
Felt cherry thickens quickly, so it needs to be thinned annually. It is recommended to leave 10 to 12 strong shoots. All old and broken branches must be removed in a timely manner. Rejuvenating pruning of felt cherries on aging bushes will allow you to obtain good harvests for quite a long time. To do this, you need to remove several side shoots from the ring without affecting the peripheral skeletal branches and the central part of the crown. Then the treatment “for retreating growth” should be carried out and when shoots appear from the dormant buds located next to the place of shortening, the old crown, which is located above it, should be removed.
The Sovereign landscape design studio employs specialists who have not only theoretical knowledge of pruning fruit trees, but also practical skills in its implementation. They are familiar with the features of this type of work and take into account the condition of the tree, its age, and varietal. Their high professionalism will allow you to competently form young trees, as well as put the older ones in order, which will allow you to obtain high and stable yields of tasty and healthy berries. We provide tree pruning and other gardening services not only in Moscow, but also in the Moscow region, and at competitive prices.
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Cherry pruning in the photo
Stone fruits, which include cherries, plums, sweet cherries, as well as almonds, apricots and peaches, are pruned carefully and moderately. In most cases, only sanitary pruning (which can be quite intensive) and removal of thickening branches growing inside the crown are sufficient. Stone fruits, especially plums, are also prone to the formation of very sharp corners due to large tops - in many cases it is more advisable to leave a young and strong top and remove the aging branch.
When pruning cherry trees, root shoots are removed from grafted trees (or planted for growing for use as a rootstock for future trees) and all shoots below the grafting site. Root shoots of self-rooted trees can be used for vegetative propagation.
The peculiarity of cherries is that strong growths are carried only by vegetative buds, while medium and weak ones almost always consist mainly of generative buds, and only the apical bud continues to grow. Shortening a growth bearing a large number of flower buds can lead to its complete drying out.
Before pruning cherries, clearly establish what variety you are growing in your area. Common cherry varieties are divided into two groups - bush-like and tree-like. This division is not based on the external characteristics of the tree - both of them, if they are rooted, can be formed both in the form of a small tree and in the form of a large shrub (more precisely, a multi-stemmed tree). The basis for classification is fruit formations.
Bush cherries (which include, in particular, the popular ancient varieties Vladimirskaya, Lyubskaya, Shubinka) bear fruit only on last year’s growth. Their generative shoots live only for one year, and each season the fruiting zone shifts to the periphery of the crown, and inside there is a tangle of bald and often tangled branches. If your garden has enough space to increase the size of the crown, you can leave everything as is and only do sanitary pruning and remove branches that grow inside the crown and thicken it.
Look at the photo - when pruning bush cherries, thinning is the main operation during the formation of the crown of such crops:
Cherry pruning diagram in the photo
When the branches become too bare and the length of annual growth decreases, rejuvenation is carried out. If there is a strong and well-placed top on a branch, it is advisable to cut to the transfer, to this top and remove the old branch. Bush cherry varieties require anti-aging pruning already in the 7-8th year of life.
Bush cherry trees need to be pruned regularly, as professionals advise. Next season, the cherry tree growing on the right will be covered with overgrown branches and will produce a bountiful harvest in a year. The growths of the cherry growing on the left will become too long and will have to be shortened, but it will produce a harvest this year
Bush cherries are characterized by strong branching. But if your task is a compact tree, then you can shorten last year’s growths - this will stimulate branching, and therefore fruiting. True, from time to time you will cut off part of the crop, and pruning will take a lot of time and effort, but it is simply impossible to make bush-like varieties compact in any other way. It is not advisable to shorten branches on old wood - there are simply no buds there, and a shortened branch will quickly dry out.
After watching the video on how to prune a cherry tree, you will understand how to form bush-like trees:
Rules for pruning cherry trees
Tree varieties of cherries (most modern varieties) bear fruit on bouquet branches - these are perennial fruit formations similar to the ringlets of apple and pear trees, although not as durable. They usually live 4-5 years, after which anti-aging pruning is necessary. Thanks to the efforts of breeders, compact crowns of modern varieties form almost by themselves, and pruning is greatly simplified - in most cases, only sanitary pruning is sufficient.
Typically, the crowns of tree-like cherries are formed according to a sparsely layered or low-standard bush-like system with 5-8 skeletal branches.
The basic rule for pruning tree-shaped cherries is to avoid thickening. It is necessary to cut out all the branches going inside the crown. When the length of annual growths decreases to 15-20 cm, the time has come for anti-aging pruning (the optimal length of annual growths is 30-35 cm). Many varieties are characterized by drooping branches; they need to be pruned to transfer them to an upward branch or removed.
You should be careful about the angles of branches, since cherries often have crown fractures.
Cherry-cherry hybrids (ducks) and sweet cherries are pruned in the same way as common cherries.
A special feature of cherries is their very long annual growths (up to 1.5 m), so in order to plant more bouquet branches, it is recommended to shorten the growths by a third or half. However, with good agricultural technology, cherries produce high yields even without pruning. To keep the tree compact, it is better to form a cup-shaped crown.
In the middle of summer, individual branches of cherries, as well as plums, may dry out sharply, the foliage acquires a characteristic brown color, and the tree looks as if it was scalded with boiling water. This is moniliosis, also known as monilial burn, a fungal disease that can quickly lead to the death of a tree. Cut damaged branches back to healthy tissue and destroy them. Be sure to carry out protective treatments with chemicals. Preparations against moniliosis are used during flowering, since the pathogen penetrates the tree through the stigmas of the pistils.
This video shows pruning cherry tree species:
Features of pruning felt cherry
Felt cherry is a fairly large shrub or small tree. Pruning felt cherries is done in the same way as for all fruit bushes. We carry out sanitary pruning and remove thickening and aged branches, if necessary, correct the shape of the bush - by nature, felt cherry tends to the shape of a wine glass, and its exceptionally abundant and decorative flowering makes it a seasonal accent in the garden. Felt cherry branches are durable, so in most cases only sanitary pruning is sufficient. You can form a felt cherry tree in the form of a tree on a low trunk.
Pay attention to the photo - when pruning felt cherries, the main method is thinning:
The crown should be rejuvenated periodically - the plant itself prompts it, forming strong young shoots at the base of large branches.
Before pruning the felt cherry, you need to take into account that this form, like the common cherry, is affected by moniliosis, but it is not afraid of coccomycosis - the causative agent of this disease does not like the pubescent leaves.
In August, cherry leaves become covered with black spots and turn yellow, premature leaf fall begins, and the bark looks healthy. This is coccomycosis - a dangerous fungal disease that greatly weakens the tree. Try not to thicken the crown and carry out preventive and protective treatments with copper-containing preparations.
Cherry blossoms profusely, but yields little? Most likely, the reason for this is the lack of a suitable pollinator variety, or damage to the flowers by spring frosts.
Does gum appear on the trunk and skeletal branches? The tree is weakened. Remove the gum, cover the wound, and give your cherry more attention to find and eliminate the cause. Gum is often a reaction to overly zealous pruning, but diseases and agricultural practices can also be the cause - for example, too acidic soil.
Here you can watch a video of felt cherry pruning to better understand how to care for these trees:
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