Bird cherry, or cherry, common in the forests of the southern regions of the country, is actively cultivated today and, thanks to a very impressive selection work, bears fruit in temperate Russian latitudes.
Conquering with its magnificent decorativeness and excellent taste of fruits, this stone fruit remains quite demanding in choosing a planting place, care and pruning, which contributes not only to the formation of a beautiful crown, but to a greater extent increase the yield of a tree.
Culture features
It should be noted that the gentle southerner, accustomed to the sparing climate of warm zones, is developing more and more temperate areas not only thanks to breeding developments. A large role in adapting the culture is played by sweet cherry grafting. In the spring, before the plants awaken, cuttings with two or three growth buds are grafted onto the cherry rootstock. This method of reproduction is fully justified: the plant is resistant to harsh winters and excellently bears fruit. Cherry has an intensive branching, therefore, at different stages of its development, various types of pruning come to the fore. Let's talk about each of them.
Spring cherry care
Most of the cares for this garden culture, as well as for many fruit trees, fall on the shoulders of gardeners in the spring. This hot time is also the most important, because the quality of life of a tree depends on the complex of spring work.
Care for the spring of cherries includes compulsory top dressing, cultivation, generous watering, treatment against viruses and pests, and, of course, competent pruning.
Any fruit tree needs to be shaped. Sweet pruning is different:
- formative;
- fruit bearing (sanitary);
- anti-aging.
Let's talk about how to cut sweet cherry. Crown cultures can be built in the form of a ball, oval or pyramid at the choice of the gardener and in accordance with the capabilities of the site (its features and area are taken into account).
Forming Cut
This procedure forms the correct skeleton of the tree, distributes the branches inside the crown, thereby creating conditions for setting and ripening of fruits. This pruning is the very first, and they begin to do it in the year of planting. Traditional for cherries is a sparse-tier system of arrangement of branches. With her, the branches are evenly illuminated by the sun, not oppressing each other, and therefore, give the crop to the fullest. To understand how to cut sweet cherries in spring, the following scheme will help:
- in the skeleton of the tree there should be 6-8 branches, half of which forms the first (lowest) tier, where the branches are located on different sides of the trunk;
- the remaining skeletal (they are also called the main) branches form the second and third tiers (the second is 60 cm higher than the first and 40 cm higher than the second).
When the cherries are formed, they make sure that the branches do not block each other, but are (when viewed from above) between the branches of the first tier. Since it is necessary to cut the sweet cherry in the spring before the sap flow begins, it is important not to miss the time.
Stages and periods of skeleton formation
While the tree grows, the process of formation:
- On an annual seedling, 5-6 buds are counted and the conductor is cut off above the top. The height of the stem depends on the area of growth: in the southern latitudes - from 60 cm, in the temperate zones - 30-50 cm.
- Next spring, 3-4 strong branches are selected for the first tier, the tops are cut off so that the length is not more than 50-60 cm, other branches are removed. The central shoot is also cut, measuring 60-70 cm from the line of the first level. It must be ensured that at least 4 kidneys remain on it.
- With the onset of the third spring, inspect the tree. If the lowest branch is the least developed (and it should be), they do not touch it, and the shoots of the remaining main branches of the first tier are cut off at its level. Be sure to remove branches that are able to compete with the main ones (they are called competitors), but growing inside the bush or on the stem, because they pull on themselves and at the same time thicken the crown. A strong, correctly located branches will go to the formation of skeletal branches of the second order. They are cut so that they are 15 cm shorter than the central conductor. 40-50 cm are measured from the line of the second tier, noting the presence of 4-6 kidneys, and the conductor is shortened. In other words, they form a crown of regular oval or spherical shape.
- In the fourth year, it is necessary to slow down the growth of the central conductor, for which it is cut over a weak side shoot, which, in turn, is shortened to half a meter. Keeping the pruning principle, in this and subsequent years they form the third tier and shorten the growth of skeletal branches, as shown in the figure above.
Sanitary pruning
This is a necessary sanitary measure, since it is necessary to cut the cherry in the spring, after examining the tree and identifying dried, sick, broken branches or growing inside the crown and thickening it. At this time, the growth of the central conductor, as well as the main branches, is carried out by transferring to weak side shoots.
Anti-aging pruning
Such pruning is needed for the cherries when fruiting is reduced. In this case, all branches of each level are shortened by the length of one-, two-year growths. Do not be afraid when carrying out such radical operations: the sweet cherry flower buds are located at the beginning and middle of the branch, therefore, cutting the tops, the gardener stimulates the formation of new shoots without touching the already laid buds.
Spring sweet cherry cutting: what you need to know
The rapid growth of shoots is a feature of the culture. It is necessary to restrain it. Therefore, they resort to summer pruning. These procedures are carried out on the basis of the necessary knowledge on how to cut sweet cherry:
- All types of spring pruning is carried out before budding.
- Of great importance is the angle of departure of the branch from the trunk. The optimum angle for the formation of skeletal branches is considered to be an angle of 45-50 °.
- Slices are necessarily processed by garden var.
- During the development of culture, annual shoots are pruned by a quarter of growth each year.
Practical knowledge about cultivation features and how to cut sweet cherries in spring stimulate generous fruiting of the tree. Proper care of young crops contributes to the beginning of fruiting already in the sixth year.