How to Prune Weeping Cherry Tree: A Step-by-Step Guide

Pruning process is an art that need to be done with patient and technique and if its done properly, it will give a stunning look to your weeping cherry tree with a new bloom.

The process of how to prune weeping cherry tree is simple that include removing dead and diseases branches with care and attention. The process is followed by thinning the crowed area to improve air circulation along with give them proper weeping look.

In the blog below, I listed my personal method of pruning weeping cherry tree. So, let’s get to it.

Weeping Cherry Tree:

The Prunus subhirtella ‘Pendula’, or the weeping cherry, is a famous ornamental tree with weeping leaves that has small, beautiful pink and white flowers during the spring season. Before pruning, you need to understand the why you need to prune a weeping cherry tree.

Importance of Prune a Weeping Cherry Tree

You might have this thought in your mind about why pruning a cherry tree is essential. Well, to maintain its features, like

Shape:

People prune their trees to keep them in shape and manageable condition. For weeping cherries, you need to prune them to give them their characteristic weeping look and shape.

Health:

Pruning keeps your trees and plants healthy by cutting and removing dead and diseased branches. Its also important to not only prevent diseases but also to improve air circulation.

Bloom Quality:

Another important pruning feature is encouraging and promoting vigorous growth by exposing more area to the sun and allowing the branches to grow openly. You will only know this one by examine your weeping cherry tree before pruning and after pruning.

Related: How to Care for Cauliflower.

When to Prune a Weeping Cherry Tree:

Knowing the time and season of pruning the weeping cherry tree is a key factors and you shouldn’t prune it other then its recommended time. Usually, the best time for Pruning is from late winter to early spring when the new buds haven’t appeared and the plants is still in its dormant condition. Pruning this time reduces the stress on your weeping cherry plant.

If these seasons have passed but you haven’t pruned your cherry tree, then I would suggest you avoid Pruning in other seasons, like summer and fall. Because it not only makes the tree easy to damage by frost but also make it weak for other diseases.

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How to Prune Weeping Cherry Tree:

As you may know, the weeping cherry tree is known for its look and grace, but you can’t achieve that without proper punning. With the help of pruning you not only archive its elegant looks but also maintain its health with pruning time to time. The guide below explains how to prune a weeping tree, weeping cherry tree maintenance, and what is the best time to prune your weeping cherry tree. So let’s find out.

Tools for Pruning:

Pruning has very specific tools that everyone should knows, but if you are new to pruning, then let me share my list of pruning tools, which include,

• Hand Pruners: The hand pruners are perfect for small branches and twigs.
• Pruning Saw: During pruning if you come across a thick branch, a pruning saw can make it easy to cut.
• Loopers: consider it used for any branch bigger than 2 inches.
• Sanitization: Before using any tools, sanitize them to prevent the spread of diseases or any infection.

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Step by Step Process of How to Trim Weeping Cherry Tree:

After pruning my cherry tree for quite a while, I think I’m the right person to tell you how you can prune you cherry tree. So below, I listed and explained my pruning process, which started by.

Step 1: Removing Damaged, Dead, and Diseased Branches:

The first step in pruning cherry trees is cutting diseased or dead branches. So, look for signs of fungus, disease, or discoloration. Removing these branches is very healthy for the tree because it prevents the spreading of diseases.

Step 3: Thinning Crowded Areas:

The next step would be to thinning the crowded. By crowded area, I mean the branches that grow together or rub against each other. You need to prune and clear those areas to improve air circulation and allow the sun to penetrate.

Step 3: Trimming Weeping Branches:

In this step, we start cutting or trimming weeping branches that are touching the growing or closer to the ground because they attract pests and get infected by ground dust. You can cut them about 6 to 10 inches above the surface of ground.

Step 4: Keeping The Shape:

Now you have to maintain the shape of the weeping cherry tree. So prune any branches that are out of place or sticking out, and focus on the sides and bottom of the tree to keep it in balance and shape for all sides.

Step 5: Cutting Top Branches:

One of the most important things you know before pruning a weeping tree is whether it is ‘grafted’ or ‘normal natural grown’ because it can change the whole pruning process. Let me explain: If the weeping cherry tree is grafted, you can prune the above-sticking branches because they won’t bend and continuously grow upward.

But if its naturally grown weeping cherry tree “not grafted,” then avoid cutting and trimming the top branches because they will grow and arch down and turn into weeping branches.

Step 6: Remove Suckers:

If you don’t know what suckers are, it’s the vertical plant growth from the base of the tree, usually in the grafted tree. So, remove any of those growths from the base of the grafted weeping cherry tree to prevent energy draining.

Common Mistake to Avoid:

When you prune your weeping cherry tree, you must avoid mistakes that can ruin your tree. There are mistakes that you should know before starting Pruning, which are,

• Over Pruning: Over Pruning is one of the common mistakes that I have done it myself, but I want you to avoid it because it can affect the growth of cherry tree.
• Cutting Close: Another common mistake is to cut the branch to close to the trunk which not only damage the bark but also make the tree vulnerable to diseases.
• Not Sanitizing Tools: Most people will think its unnecessary but trust me it can help you prevent contamination immensely.
• Take Step Back: During the Pruning frequently take step back and check the overall shape of the tree, so you won’t trim too much. BE aware you are only allowed to prune 1/3 of your weeping tree. More than that can damage your tree and ruin its shape.

Can I Prune Weeping Cherry Tree in Summer:

No, I wouldn’t suggest pruning your weeping cherry tree in summer. The perfect time to prune a weeping cherry tree is late winter to early spring when the cherry tree is still in dormant condition. The reason why it’s the perfect time is to reduce sap loss, which also helps the cherry tree to recover quicker before the growing season begins.

You will face different problems if you prune your cherry tree in summer like,

• After Pruning and cutting in summer, the cherry tree stimulates new growth for which it doesn’t have the time.
• It also weakens the tree to the stress of new growth.
• The new growth doesn’t have the time to become hard to withstand frost damage, which mostly ends up dieback.
• The tree becomes vulnerable to diseases after almost all of its leaves get damaged.

The Pruning weeping cherry tree is only advisable if you remove all the dead or diseased branches, but that can be done sparingly.

Below we have a video demonstration of Pruning a weeping cherry tree.

Conclusion:

The process of pruning a weeping cherry tree is complicated but you can do it with right approach. It is important to prune your weeping tree because it improves tree growth and shape. It’s easy; follow the above process, and you will prune your cherry tree like a professional.

I hope you get something from the above guide; for more info or guides, please visit gardencrafting.com. Till then, goodbye.