Page 26 - Simply Veg 3.21

Cherry ‘Sweet Heart’ 6 years old fan
important to recognise that acid and sweet cherries grow differently. Acid cherries bear most of their fruit on the previous year’s growth and the pruning aim is to achieve
a balance between one-year-old fruiting wood and new replacement branches and this is known as replacement pruning. Sweet cherries fruit on both
purchased a two-year-old tree these main branches will have produced their own side shoots and you will need to prune back the strongest of these by a half. At this time prune out any weak or badly placed shoots and cut back around one in four of the older fruited branches to a new strong shoot to
last year’s and older wood so pruning is required to ensure a balance between retaining older fruiting wood and establishing younger replacement branches.
So, let us look at the
pruning techniques; the
following may sound
complicated, but I assure you
that it is not! Once you have
done it once you will find it extremely easy
in following years. I am going to start with acid cherries first and pruning starts after harvesting your crop. For fans cut back each fruited branch to a new strong shoot and tie that shoot into your growing framework. This will be next year’s fruiting wood. Completely remove any shoots that are growing directly into the fence or wall and pinch out to two leaves any other shoot that you have kept but are not able to tie in yet - they may be too short, growing away from your fence or wall or simply because there is no room. If you have planted a maiden (a one-year-old tree) to develop into a bush tree you should seek to undertake the first prune once the buds have burst in early spring, and you
can safely prune. Select three or four well- spaced shoots growing off the main stem about 750mm (2 foot six inches) above ground level. These are going to be your main branches and you should shorten them by about two thirds to a bud. Remove all other shoots off the main stem below these branches and cut the leader back to just above the highest branch. By the time you reach the tree’s second spring, or you have
replace the removed branch. Shorten all upright growth that is growing in the centre to a suitable side shoot.
For sweet cherries, the pruning is slightly different as you are seeking a mixture of new and old wood. Therefore, you are looking to create fruiting spurs off the old wood and replace some of the older wood with new
wood. To achieve this with fan cherries tie new shoots into your framework from early summer onwards where there is space to tie them. Completely remove any shoots that are growing directly into the fence or wall as well as any congested growth. Pinch back the new shoots that you tied in to five or six leaves. After fruiting
...a cherry fan fruiting well is a very decorative feature during the summer!
Cherry Sunburst – fan trained
by about two thirds to a bud. Remove all other shoots off the main stem below these branches and cut the leader back to just above the highest branch. By the time you reach the tree’s second spring - or you are planting a two-year-old tree - these main branches will have produced their own side shoots and you will need to prune back the strongest of these by a half. At this time prune out any weak or badly placed shoots. Carry on this process in the third spring
and then in the tree’s fourth year move to pruning after harvest when
shorten these shoots further to two or three leaves to create a new fruiting spur. You also need to replace a few branches of your fan each year and for this you follow the same rule as
Once your cherry fruitlets have started forming the trees will benefit from water in times of dry weather
you will have developed a good, strong tree that has replacement wood each year which is vital for sweet cherry growing. Pruning from then on will be limited to removing crowded and vertical growth, keeping the centre of the tree open and ensuring adequate shoot replacement.
Once your cherry fruitlets have started forming the trees will benefit from water
for acid cherries i.e., cut
a fruited branch back to a
new strong shoot and tie
that into your framework. If
you have planted a maiden,
you will undertake your first prune once
the buds have burst in early spring when you can safely prune. Select three or four well-spaced shoots growing off the main stem about 750mm (2 foot six inches) above ground level. These are going to be your main branches and you should shorten them
in times of dry weather although I prefer to let the trees get on with it or surface roots will develop, and this is not good for tree longevity. A handful of blood, fish and bone every spring will be beneficial to your trees. Pick your cherries preferably during dry
26 Simply Vegetables