Cherry pruning is a fundamental practice to keep the plant healthy and ensure abundant, quality fruiting. However, it requires attention, knowledge and delicacy. An incorrect or too invasive intervention can compromise the harvest, causing problems such as irregular production or a weakened plant. For this reason, it is essential to know the right moments and the most suitable techniques to prune without errors.
The key to success lies in precision: a few but targeted cuts allow you to obtain well-balanced hair, where light and air circulate freely, reducing the risk of fungal diseases and parasites. Furthermore, following a regular and never drastic approach helps to avoid stress on the plant and maintain a constant harvest.
The importance of careful pruning for the cherry tree
The pruning it is essential to keep the cherry tree healthy and guarantee constant, quality production. However, the cherry tree is a delicate plant and requires targeted and light interventions, especially during the winter. Cuts that are too drastic in this season can cause serious damage, such as gum formation and slow healing, which put the vitality of the plant at risk. Late summer through fall is the best time for green pruningwhen the plant is still in the active phase and is gradually preparing for winter rest. This allows you to avoid unnecessary stress and prepare the plant for optimal fruiting in the following season.
Each type of cherry, from sweet to sour cherry, has specific characteristics to consider. For example, in the sweet cherry tree the best fruits develop on bunches of Mayshort and productive branches. Instead, in the sour cherry tree, fruiting occurs mainly on mixed, long and bud-rich branches. Knowing the right techniques and using quality tools is equally important. Tools such as well-balanced telescopic scissors allow you to work safely and precisely, reaching even the highest points of the hair.
How and when to prune the sweet and sour cherry tree
Cherry pruning does not follow the same rules as other fruit plants. To obtain maximum results, it is important to know what to cut and when to intervene. In the case of the sweet cherry, most of the production is concentrated on bunches of Mayshort ramifications rich in flower buds. As these bunches age, they produce lower quality fruit. Here’s what to do to encourage the growth of new production branches:
- Renew the May bundles: shorten the fruiting branches with the technique of return cutcutting at the point where a lateral branch branches off.
- Eliminate vigorous suckers: remove vertical branches that take energy away from the plant without producing fruit.
- Thins out the main branches: eliminate those that are too dense to facilitate the penetration of light and the recirculation of air.
Instead, sour cherry requires a slightly different approach. Its productive buds are found on mixed branches and on the brindilli, shorter and slender branches. Here’s what to do to get the best results:
- Thin out mixed branches older or unproductive.
- Shorten the toasts, eliminating the weak or dry ones.
- Cut the suckers at the base of the plant: these branches subtract resources without being useful for production.
Because regularly pruning the cherry tree is essential
Pruning is not just an aesthetic issue. It is an essential practice to ensure the cherry tree health and prevent future problems. A well-pruned foliage allows light to penetrate deeply, promoting photosynthesis and improving the quality of the fruit. Additionally, good air circulation reduces the risk of fungal diseases, such as monilia and corineo, which thrive in moist, shady environments.
Pruning regularly also means avoiding drastic interventions. If you skip a year, you risk having to make larger cuts, which the plant will compensate for by producing excessively vigorous but not very productive vegetation. Instead, with light and constant interventions, the cherry tree will maintain a perfect balance between vegetation and production. Always remember to use sharp and disinfected tools to avoid transmitting diseases. If you have diseased specimens, clean the blades before moving on to healthy plants.
Quality equipment is your ally for achieving optimal results. The telescopic scissorslike the Kantia E-22 TR, are ideal for easily reaching the highest branches without effort. With a well-balanced weight and an adjustable shaft, they allow you to work with precision and safety. In short, pruning the cherry tree is not just a question of technique, but of attention and passion. By following these tips and adapting them to the specific needs of your plant, you will have a healthy, productive cherry tree capable of giving you superior quality fruit year after year.
Photo © Stock.adobe
Follow Castelli News on
