Pruning cherry plum in the summer and how to do it correctly

Information on how to form cherry plum will not be superfluous for any gardener. Indeed, the harvest depends on the shape of the crown and the number of branches. It is worth paying more attention to the description of this process.

When and why the plum is cut

The plum is pruned from the moment of planting and continues to do this seasonally throughout the entire existence of the tree. The crown is formed during the first 15 years. Old trees only get rid of dry branches, young shoots are not cut off. If you follow this recommendation, the tree will bear fruit well, even when it is considered quite old by all standards.

Variety Gift SPB

Gardeners who have no idea why pruning is needed, what does it change besides the fact that the tree becomes more compact and beautiful, it is worth knowing that by their actions they increase the yield of the tree. The dense crown harms the plant, it becomes sensitive to cold, it can die if there is little snow in winter, but there is a severe frost. Branches hang over the fruits, hiding them from the sun and wind, which negatively affects the speed of their formation and ripening.

Features and tips for pruning

The pruning method depends on the age of the plant. Young trees are pruned with more care than old ones, which can quickly recover even after very inept actions of the gardener.

Spring pruning of plums

Pruning a young plant

A cherry plum seedling, before planting or some time after it, is cut in a rather drastic way. All its shoots are shortened by 15-20 cm.

Cherry plum is pruned in summer (in the north, for example, in Siberia) or in autumn, as well as in spring. At the same time, seedlings are cut only in early spring or until June at the most. In the first 5 years, any actions aimed at changing the shape and appearance of the plum are performed to redirect all the energy of the plant to build up green mass and increase the width of the trunk. The tree is not allowed to grow in height.

Pruning an old plant

The old cherry plum is cut off if young shoots have ceased to appear on it. In this case, in the spring:

• cut off skeletal branches;
• clean the cut site;
• treat it with garden var.

The shoots formed on the cuts:

• leave until mid-summer;
• choose 3-4 pieces of them that are especially strong;
• all the remaining are cut with a pruner.

You cannot cut off all the old shoots, the tree may not withstand such stress. Those who are trying to learn how to cut cherry plum in one sitting in the summer will have to accept that the procedure needs to be extended for 2-3 seasons. They try not to carry out summer pruning of old trees.

Correctly formed crown

Features of pruning depending on the type of tree

The number of branches cut, the order and frequency of pruning also depend on the type of tree.

Bushy

Fruits on bushy varieties of cherry plum appear on a one-year growth.If an adult tree is not pruned, then after a few years only the side branches will bear fruit. Thinning begins with bare and hanging branches, they are removed first. After the direction of growth has been determined, the branches are shortened, which allows you to gradually return to the fact that the central shoots will bear fruit again.

Tree-like

Among this species stand out tall (6-9 m), medium-sized (up to 7 m - Cleopatra) and undersized (up to 5 m) varieties. Pruning them is carried out in order to prevent the interlacing of the branches and their inclination to the ground. In the case when a tree grows no more than 50 cm in 1 year, the shoots are not shortened. If the growth rate has slowed down, the branches are pruned once every 2-3 years. The rest of the time, they only get rid of dry shoots.

Columnar

Trees of this species are pruned by removing branches on the main conductor to increase yields. Columnar cherry plum is pruned annually.

Hybrid

We are talking mainly about low varieties such as Kometa or Gift to St. Petersburg, in which the main conductor is deflected to the side, and the branches have the shape of a bowl. Fruits are formed on young shoots and bouquet branches for 1-2 years. The shoots are shortened annually, this process cannot be started. The lack of pruning leads to crushing of the fruits and the loss of their taste, fruiting decreases.

Tools and materials for work

To form the cherry plum crown and care for it, you need:

• secateurs;
• gloves;
• scissors;
• saw;
• hatchet;
• mixtures for processing the saw cut.

Using a secateurs

You may also need a measuring tape or ruler.

Types of tree pruning

There are many types of plant pruning. The gardener must independently decide what he needs, how exactly a particular tree can be cut.

Thinning branches at cherry plum

Thinning pruning is done to free the crown of excess branches and leaves. At the same time, they get rid of all the shoots that do not grow as they should, according to the gardener's idea. These are, first of all, branches directed to the center of the tree, as well as all shoots growing vertically (tops).

Shortening branches and shoots of cherry plum

Branches and shoots are shortened, mainly, either not overly young plants, or on old trees in order to rejuvenate them. In this case, use a hacksaw or pruner. Only the strongest shoots are left untouched, all the rest are cut off by 15-20 cm.

Sanitary

Sanitary work is carried out after the winter cold, removing all frozen or dried up branches. Also, they resort to sanitary cleaning of the tree after bad weather. Any broken or bent branches should be removed as quickly as possible. When sanitizing, the gardener does not think about how to form the crown of the garden cherry plum, in most cases he helps the tree to avoid death.

Crown formation scheme

Rules for cutting stem branches on cherry plum

When cutting stem branches, follow the scheme and follow the detailed step-by-step recommendations of experienced gardeners:

• it is necessary to cut everything to the root, hemp should not be left, a sooty fungus often appears on them;
• if the cut is large, it must be treated with garden varnish;
• the shoots growing inside the crown must be removed.

Sick, crooked and malformed branches are also cut off.

Formation of a bowl-shaped and flattened crown

The formation of the crown of cherry plum from a seedling leads to the fact that already by 4 years a well-formed skeleton appears. The krone is shaped into a bowl, but sometimes they try to make it flat. To form the bowl, you need to get rid of the central conductor, the branches forming the skeleton should be directed in different directions from the trunk and be symmetrical. To do this, the seedling:

• in the first year after planting, 2 branches are selected and cut off by 50 cm, forming the skeletal skeleton of the first tier;
• in the second year after planting, young shoots are cut off and a crown is formed around the skeleton.

To form a flat crown, the skeletal branches are cut so that they are at the same level, the main conductor is shortened by 30-40 cm. The result of the work will be visible by the age of 3.

Anti-aging pruning

It is carried out on old trees and bushes in order to stimulate the growth of young shoots and increase yields. In this case, the old branches are cut or shortened by at least 15 cm.

Cherry plum care after pruning

After completion of work:

• the tree must be watered, the soil at the trunk must be mulched using peat or sawdust;
• cover the cuts with garden pitch 5 mm thick;
• feed the plants with mineral or organic fertilizers.

Weather pruning of a seedling

The type of feeding is chosen based on the growing season. In autumn, organic matter is preferable, and in spring and summer nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are preferable.

Newbie mistakes

Inexperienced gardeners who do not know how to cut cherry plum often:

• carry out pruning in unsuitable weather for this (in the rain or after it);
• they forget to use garden pitch, replacing it with paint, lime or manure, which is not correct.

No more than 1/3 of the tree should be cut in one cut. If more branches are removed, the cherry plum may die.

The formation of a young cherry plum seedling begins with pruning. By cutting off the extra branches, the gardener will allow the tree to develop correctly, form a crown of the desired shape, and please with a large harvest in the coming season. The procedure is carried out throughout the entire life of the tree - from the moment of planting to the saw cut, regardless of whether it is a two-year-old cherry plum or a tree aged 30 or more.