I planted a cherry tree this past spring and I'm wondering about proper
care for it. At planting time, I cut it back by a third, forming a
nice vase shape. During the following months, one branch shot straight
up five feet, the rest showed only modest growth. I'm wondering if I
should prune this one branch so some of the tree's energy can go to the
rest of the branches?

Also, does a cherry need a fall application of fertilizer or dormant
spray or anything to ensure a healthy tree?

Thanks in advance.

-Fleemo

prune in late winter early spring when/where you want growth, prune in late summer
where you dont want growth. so you need to cut the tips of branches you dont want to
get any longer ... and keep tipping all summer.
dont fert after July or so or you get soft growth (you dont say where you are
zonewise). you can always give the tree a shot of dormant oil to smother pests, but
if you live where it is cold it is a good idea to paint the trunk and then put
screening around the base to keep the rabbits and mice from chewing the bark.
I staple the screening to itself (not the trunk) and it is easy to spray thru the
screening. Ingrid

wrote:

I planted a cherry tree this past spring and I'm wondering about proper
care for it. At planting time, I cut it back by a third, forming a
nice vase shape. During the following months, one branch shot straight
up five feet, the rest showed only modest growth. I'm wondering if I
should prune this one branch so some of the tree's energy can go to the
rest of the branches?

Also, does a cherry need a fall application of fertilizer or dormant
spray or anything to ensure a healthy tree?

Thanks in advance.

-Fleemo



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Thanks for responding, Ingrid.

Sorry, I failed to mention I'm in Zone 9. Do you think it'd be too
late to prune the Wilt Chamberlain branch right now (where we're having
unseasonably warm weather (highs in the 70's!)?

-Fleemo

I have no idea on your zone stuff in the USA, but in the UK you should never prune a fruit tree during winter, or even early spring if more frost is likely.
The reason is silver leaf fungus, the spores are about in the cold times, any open wound (cut) is an easy entry point for the fungal infection.
It would be worth some web searching to see if silver leaf is in your area.

any time is good!! in zone 9. Ingrid

wrote:

Thanks for responding, Ingrid.

Sorry, I failed to mention I'm in Zone 9. Do you think it'd be too
late to prune the Wilt Chamberlain branch right now (where we're having
unseasonably warm weather (highs in the 70's!)?

-Fleemo



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List at
http://weloveteaching.com/puregold/
sign up: http://list.lovemyoldhome.com/web/wa.cgi?REPORT&z=3
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for
any of the recommendations I make.
AND I DID NOT AUTHORIZE ADS AT THE OLD PUREGOLD SITE