Planting cherries is not difficult, but in order for the tree to grow strong, healthy and give a rich harvest, it is necessary to properly care for it. The care of cherries in the spring is very important, and it consists of several stages that will ensure the proper development of the tree and obtaining an excellent harvest.
Planting cherries
First of all, it is necessary to determine the place where the tree will grow. Cherry is demanding in sunlight, so you need to choose a well-lit area on a hill, protected from the cold wind. The tree does not tolerate transplantation, so you need to approach the selection of a place for it with all responsibility.
Cherry is planted in April until the buds are full. Light loamy or medium loamy soil is preferred. First, prepare a landing pit, the optimal depth of which is 40-45 cm, diameter - 50-60 cm. In the middle, put a peg on which the tree will rest. In the center, an elevation is made from soil mixed with fertilizers (humus, superphosphate - 30-40 g, potassium chloride - 20-30 g and 1 kg of ash). The seedling is set strictly vertically in the pit, sprinkled with earth and compacted. Around the tree, you need to make a hole for watering and pour two or three buckets of heated water into it. The earth around the seedling is mulched with humus or sawdust.
If there is still a need to transplant a tree, then transplanting cherries in the spring will be the most successful option, since over the summer the seedling will have time to get used to a new place and acclimatize well.
Top dressing
Many gardeners are interested in the question of how to feed cherries in spring to add strength to the tree and get a good harvest?
The first top dressing is done before flowering. Effective use of ammonium nitrate or urea, which must be applied to the soil in liquid form. Spraying does not bring much benefit, since it turns out to be processed branches, not leaves, through which microelements are absorbed.
During the flowering period, top dressing is carried out by the root method using nitrogen-containing compounds. You can also use green manure or chicken droppings. In order not to harm the root system, you must try not to exaggerate the dose of chicken droppings.
After the cherry blossoms, organic fertilizing is performed: manure, compost or special organic mixtures. This ensures a quality crop.
Pest control
Caring for cherries in the spring also includes the fight against pests and diseases that are activated at this time of the year. Cherry aphid, cherry moth, weevil, slimy sawfly can cause serious damage to your tree.
The first processing of cherries in the spring is carried out in late March or early April, until sap flow begins. Thus, all pests that survived frosts in the ground or in the tree are destroyed. In stores you can find many effective and safe pest control products, the main thing is to follow the instructions so as not to harm the tree.
Processing of cherries in the spring for the prevention of fungal diseases is carried out using copper sulfate or Bordeaux fluid. The products are safe for both people and fruits.
Whitewash trunk
In the spring, dry grass and debris are cleaned around the trees, the soil is carefully dug up so as not to damage the roots of the cherry.
Caring for cherries in spring does not go without whitewashing. This procedure is necessary to protect the tree trunk from parasites, rodents and excessive exposure to sunlight. In addition, whitewashing prevents cracking of the crust during temperature changes, creating a protective film on the surface . It should be remembered that young plants that have a smooth bark should not be whitened, since gas exchange is disrupted in whitewashed pores, which interferes with the normal development of the plant.
Spring whitewashing is done before the arrival of heat and the appearance of pests. It’s best to do this in mid-March or early April. Do not whiten trees in cloudy or rainy weather. Before whitewashing, it is necessary to inspect the cherry trunk, clean off the old bark and moss from it. Do not use knives and brushes for this, so as not to damage the bark of the tree. Existing lesions are covered with garden varnish, after which the trunk is whitened using a spray gun or a wide brush.
Cherry pruning
Such care for cherries in the spring is necessary for the proper formation of the tree, increase productivity, improve the taste of berries. In addition, pruning is an additional protection against pests and prevents the spread of diseases. Cut off all dried up branches, as well as those damaged by pests or diseases. For convenience, branches that grow too high are also pruned during harvesting. In addition, dried bark is also removed.
Cherry pruning rules
- Pruning cherries should be done the next year after planting, this ensures the correct formation of the crown and prevents its thickening.
- It is necessary to cut off all the branches that grow inward.
- Young shoots that appeared on the stem should be broken off in the summer or cut off in the spring of next year.
- The trimming procedure is done before the kidneys swell. Dry and damaged shoots are removed. After that, it is necessary to cover every wound with garden var.
- Shrub-like varieties need pruning of branches whose length exceeds 50 cm.
- To form the correct crown shape, as the tree grows, lateral shoots are left on the main trunk. An adult tree should have approximately 15 branches.
- When pruning an old cherry, do not remove too many branches at a time.
Pruning a young tree
The cherry pruning scheme in spring is as follows: it is necessary to leave 4-5 developed branches, removing the remaining growths and covering the wounds. The branches that remained should be located at a distance of ten centimeters from each other and look in different directions. In the future, it is necessary to observe the correct formation of the crown. Shoots that go inside must be removed. To prune a young tree, you must carefully to avoid a decrease in yield in the future.
Adult tree pruning
Pruning adult bushy cherries is done in order to rejuvenate the tree and increase its productivity. This procedure is carried out when fruiting decreases. The spring pruning scheme is as follows: reduce the number of branches and shorten them by a third or half of the shoot length. In addition, it is necessary to remove skeletal and semi-skeletal branches, but not in one year, so that the tree can bear fruit. Do not remove annual growths.
The old tree-like cherries need to slightly shorten the annual shoots. This rejuvenation is necessary when the skeletal branches become bare at the base and shoot growth slows down (less than 15 cm per year).
When trimming old trees, it is necessary to remember that it is not recommended to get rid of a large number of branches at once, rejuvenation should be carried out in stages, over several years.
Cherry is not a moody plant. But to get a good harvest, you need the right care for cherries in the spring, as well as throughout the year.