Summer Management Methods and Technical Key Points for Cherry Trees

Doing a good job of summer management of cherry trees is the key to achieving yield and profitability in cherry tree cultivation.

1. Branch Bending to Open Angles

In summer, branch bending can solve problems that cannot be solved by winter pruning, thereby reducing the amount of branch thinning. Generally, branch bending to open angles is carried out after harvest in June. The tree responds relatively mildly, and shoots are not likely to sprout on the upper side. The appropriate bending angle is 60-70 degrees for main branches and side branches, while other branches can be bent to 80-90 degrees.

2. Pinching and Short Cutting

Pinch the growing tips of vigorously growing trunk extension branches; do not pinch those that are not vigorous, and pinch competing branches heavily to control them. When the trunk extension branch reaches 50 cm, pinch off 10 cm. When the main branch reaches 40 cm, pinch off 10 cm (leaving the lower buds), and for upright branches that grow out after pinching, leave 10 cm and pinch. From late May to early June, perform three-leaf pruning on upright branches or overly vigorous side branches (leave 3 large leaves at the base and cut off the rest); individual vigorous shoots can be short-cut twice in succession.

3. Branch Thinning and Renewal Pruning

Summer branch thinning is generally carried out from late May to early June after fruit harvest (thinning large branches is best done in July). Its purpose is to remove overlapping, upright, overly dense, and overly strong perennial large branches that seriously affect light, so as to improve ventilation and light conditions inside the canopy, balance tree vigor, and because wounds heal easily after fruit harvest, the weakening effect on tree vigor is mild.

4. Twisting and Bending Shoots

From late May to early June, when new shoots have not yet lignified, perform shoot twisting. For upright branches, competing branches, and inward-facing temporary branches, gently twist 180 degrees at about 5 cm from the base of the branch, which helps form flower buds.

5. Appropriate Girdling

Girdling large cherry trees can promote flower bud formation, increase fruit set rate, and improve fruit quality. However, after girdling, wounds heal slowly. Note that the girdling width should not exceed 0.5 cm, and because large cherry trees vary in vigor, especially trees with little organic fertilizer applied, gumming is likely to occur, so it should be used with caution in production.

6. Timely Watering

In summer drought, water well for the pit-hardening stage, pre-harvest, and post-harvest. According to northern rainfall patterns, attention should be paid to drought prevention in late June, and irrigation should be done in time according to soil moisture; while July-August is a rainy season, so drainage and waterlogging prevention in the orchard should be done well.

7. Applying Paclobutrazol

For vigorous large cherry trees entering their 3rd year, in Shandong, Henan, and other places, paclobutrazol is applied in late April and mid-June, 5 grams per tree. According to trials, applying paclobutrazol in early May gives better results; by early to mid-June most branches stop growing at the tip, and the flower formation rate is 95%, while the flower formation rate of trees not treated with paclobutrazol is only 20%.

8. Reasonable Topdressing

Immediately after fruit harvest, apply quick-acting fertilizer, preferably compound fertilizer, 0.2-0.3 kg per tree, to promote flower bud differentiation.

9. Pest and Disease Control

The main pests and diseases harming cherries in summer include: gummosis, white peach scale, bridge worm, and peach leafminer moth. For gummosis, in the early stage of gumming, use a knife to make several longitudinal cuts at the diseased spot and squeeze out the sap, then brush with lime sulfur mixture for a certain effect. White peach scale: in mid-May during the expansion period of the 1st generation nymphs, spray 48% chlorpyrifos 1500x solution or 30% wax scale spirit 1000x solution to control the damage, and spray pesticide in early July to control the 2nd generation nymphs. For bridge worm and peach leafminer moth, spray 2.5% deltamethrin emulsifiable concentrate 3000x solution or 25% quinalphos emulsifiable concentrate 800-1000x solution for control.