Key Techniques and Precautions for Summer Pruning of Cherry Trees
One, pinching. Its purpose is to control vigorous shoot growth, increase the number of branches and branching orders, promote the transformation of branch types, and expand the canopy. This measure is mainly used on young trees and vigorous trees. The best time for pinching is during the rapid growth period of new shoots. When the new shoots reach about 20-25 cm in length, simply pinch off the tender tips. If the tree is vigorous and the secondary shoots remain very vigorous after pinching, a second or third pinching can be done. Timely pinching is an effective measure to promote early fruiting and early high yield of young cherry trees.
Two, branch bending. The purpose of branch bending is to adjust the angle of scaffold branches or auxiliary branches, moderate tree vigor, and promote early fruiting. Branch bending is carried out after the beginning of spring or after fruit harvest in June. After one growing season, once the angle is basically fixed, the bending ropes are untied. When bending branches, care must be taken to prevent large branches from splitting, and also to prevent the middle of the bent branch from arching upward due to too high a support point, causing a small waist angle or the emergence of water sprouts.
Three, thinning branches and heading back after fruit harvest. After cherry harvest, pruning is carried out to adjust tree structure and improve ventilation and light penetration inside the canopy. The pruning methods are mainly branch thinning and heading back. For strong, vigorous large branches that seriously affect ventilation and light penetration inside the canopy and have no retention value, they can be removed from the base; for large branches that only affect local light within the canopy but still have some fruiting capacity, they can be cut back at a larger branch with a relatively wide branching angle and growth capacity. In specific handling, heading back is mostly used for large branches of lower order, while thinning can be used for branches of higher order.
In addition, from late May to early June, when new shoots have not yet lignified, twist the upright branches on the back, competitive branches, and inward-growing upright branches to favor flower bud formation and lay a good foundation for high-quality and high-yield production next year.