Question

CherryBlossom   QUESTION: Hi Jonathan,

I had planted a Cherry Blossom Tree in front of our house in NY about 2 years. It seems to be healthy, but since the trunk is still too thin it can抰 support the weight of the new growth on top.

Do you have any suggestions on how and when I should prune it to make it look and grow better?

Thank you,

SK

ANSWER: Hi SK

Ok, pruning a cherry tree is not the easiest of affairs because the cherry tree genus (Prunus) is subject to catching a deadly fungus if pruned at the wrong time.

Therefore, it is best to never prune trees under this genus (cherries, peaches, almonds etc). However, if you must prune a cherry tree there is a very specific moment to do so and that is immediately after the flowering (around June. Most people make the mistake of pruning cherry trees in the fall (when the majority of other deciduous trees get pruned) but this is fatal!

So, prune your tree after flowering to about 2 thirds its present size and you'll see it shoot well, without catching the deadly fungus. If you can, spray the tree with a copper-based solution or any other fungicide and you and your tree will be very happy!

Thanks for any points you donate to this question in advance!

Regards

Jonathan Radford www.ecologicagardens.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks Johnathan for your response. Since the tree is only 2 years old, it still hasn't flowered yet. Do you suggest waiting until it does before I prune it. How would you do it? As you can see from the attached picture, the top is growing like crazy and the whole tree is starting to bend over.

Answer
In reality cherries should not be pruned, as a rule, so I would leave the pruning for now and just stake it well with a wooden post, as this will support the trunk until it gets big enough to support itself (roughly at the time when the post rots away).

Flowering cherries require far less than pruning than standard fruiting cherries but, if you do need to prune it in the future, do so in the period when the flowers on the other cherry trees in your neighborhood begin to fade - simple!

Enjoy your tree Sir!

Regards

Jonathan www.jonathanradfordgardens.com