If pruning cherry trees isn't on your list of annual pruning jobs, it should be! Trimming cherry trees, whether they are acid cherries or sweet cherries, is the key to healthy growth. And, of course, healthy growth encourages all fruit trees to bear fruit for you to harvest.
In this guide, our horticulturalists have shared some of their best tips to encourage your cherry tree to produce fruit, plus a step-by-step guide to pruning your cherry tree when the time comes. Grab your shears and get ready to tend to those cherry trees!
Why you should cut back cherry trees
Pruning cherry blossom trees is important because:
- You'll remove diseased branches, boost air circulation, and prevent the spread of pests.
- Controlling the shape of the fruit tree ensures it fits your garden space and is easy to harvest.
- Pruning can encourage new growth, so you'll see more new shoots and leaf buds emerging.
- Fruit production can also be increased by pruning some cherry trees, including sweet cherry trees.
If you don't prune a cherry tree, it could become diseased or simply grow awkwardly, thus compromising the beauty, functionality, and strength of the tree.
When to prune cherry trees
The best time to prune cherry trees depends on whether you have a sweet or acid cherry tree, but it is always during dry weather.
Sweet cherry blossom tree varieties (Prunus avium) prefer late summer pruning - wait for all the fruit buds to produce and then drop.
Pruning cherry trees of the sour variety (Prunus cerasus) is best done in the late winter or early spring months before the pretty spring blossom arrives.
Gardeners Dream tip: With both varieties, only give the tree an annual prune. Regular pruning can 'shock' cherry trees and cause them to lose vitality. The trick is to care for your tree well, applying fertiliser when needed. This will ensure that even a heavy annual pruning won't deter the tree from producing fruit.
Before you start pruning cherry trees
Fruit trees cannot be pruned in the same way as the hedges and ornamental trees in your garden. So, before pruning flowering cherry trees, pick the right tools and understand what you're doing. How to prune a cherry tree depends not only on the type of cherry but also on the age of the tree!
Choose the right tools
For cherry tree pruning, you have two main cutting tools at your disposal. What you need depends on your pruning method and the tree's health.
- Pruning saws - these pruning tools do the bulk of the work and are the best way to remove larger branches cleanly, especially diseased and oversized branches.
- Pruning shears - shears and scissor-like tools are suitable for only light pruning. Great for tiny twigs as you do a final once-over to thin out the canopy.
You will also need gloves and disinfectant for cutting any and all fruit trees.
Old vs young cherry trees
Pruning young cherry trees is essential. Doing so will encourage the young cherry tree to produce a full canopy with the shape you desire - it's all about highlighting leader branches. This also stimulates greater fruit production as the tree grows. So, don't be afraid to give young cherry trees a good trim back.
For an old cherry tree, your main task is removing dead branches while leaving older fruiting wood in place. Heavy pruning of an old fruit tree may reinvigorate it to produce a bumper harvest... but it will shorten the life of the tree.
How to prune a cherry tree in seven steps
Pruning cherry trees, whether they are sweet fruiting cherry trees or sour cherry trees, follows the same process.
1. Cut diseased or damaged branches
Identify diseased branches and damaged branches on your cherry tree - these must be removed. Use your cutting tools to cut at a slight angle, leaving a stump at the central trunk. If you have a young tree with small branches, you may not have many branches to remove at this stage.
2. Remove crossing or rubbing branches
The next step to prune a cherry tree is to identify lateral branches crossing each other. While these younger branches may be verdant and healthy, crossed branches apply pressure as they fruit, leading to breaks and damage that could invite disease. Prune crossed branches now to ensure healthy growth.
3. Trim overgrown branches
Next, excess branches. These may be larger branches or smaller other branches that aren't giving you any fruit production and may be draining the main branches. For older trees, this step of cherry tree pruning will also cut away branches protruding into other areas of your garden. Cut away what you don't need, leaving the remaining shoots to flourish.
4. Thin out the canopy
The remaining branches will be healthy and in the right place. But part of pruning a cherry tree is making the tough choice to thin the canopy where needed. Thin it by about a third or less, removing weak branches. The more you prune a weak tree, the more vigorous and strong it will grow back.
5. Shape the tree
With unneeded branches removed and the canopy thinned out, the next task when you prune a cherry tree is the final shaping. Seeing the shape of the tree is easier for acid cherries, as the branches will be bare - trim away any branches you know aren't bearing fruit in the summer and others that give the tree an awkward shape.
6. Assess your work
Step back after cherry tree pruning to assess the fruit tree. Look at the fruit tree from all angles to spot any areas that need shaping up. Make sure all your pruning happens on one day - regular pruning is harmful to cherry trees, and you don't want there to be young shoots growing when you decide to snip back a branch or two. This is the key to delicious cherries!
7. Disinfect your tools
Finally, disinfect your tools after pruning cherry trees. Though the cherry tree doesn't need to be pruned regularly, you may need to use your saw to prune back other fruit trees. This can spread fungi and diseases, which can be fatal. Both sour and sweet cherries can be quickly killed by silver leaf disease, for example. So, make it a rule to disinfect all your tools after use.
Now you know how to cut back a cherry tree, you'll be ready for winter or summer pruning like a pro. Pruning a cherry tree should be added to your annual gardening diary to encourage your tree to bear fruit and grow healthily year after year. If you want to grow more delicious fruits to increase your garden orchard, shop our cherry trees today and get free delivery on orders over £50.
