256 



PRUNING 



The Cherry 



Sweet and sour cherries normally make a somewhat dif- 

 ferent type of growth and hence require different pruning 

 treatments. 



(a) Prune Young Sweet Cherry Trees Just Enough to Form 

 a Desirable Framework. Although sweet cherries are trained 

 by several different systems, the open-head or modified- 

 leader type of tree seems to be most satisfactory under most 

 conditions. Many varieties of sweet cherries tend to produce 

 upright branches and thus tall trees if the center leader is 

 used. 



At planting time, if two-year-old trees are used, four or five 

 main branches should be selected for the main framework, and 

 all others, including the central leader, removed if the open- 

 head system is to be employed. These branches should be 

 shortened, leaving them 20 to 24 inches long. If the modified 

 leader tree is desired, the center leader should not be removed, 

 but should be shortened somewhat in proportion to but not so 

 much as the main branches. Three or four additional frame- 

 work branches are then selected during the next two or three 

 years, after which the leader is suppressed by cutting it back 

 to an outward-growing branch. If one year-old whips are 

 planted, these should be cut back to 24 to 30 inches, with 

 similar treatment as the head develops. 



Pruning during the first three or four years should con- 

 sist of light thinning out, the removal of crossing and inter- 

 fering limbs, and light heading back to outside buds or branches 

 in order to encourage a more spreading habit. Most of the 

 crop is borne laterally on spurs in the sweet cherry. The tree 

 branches very little as it gets older, and it is consequently 

 unnecessary to thin out very much to admit light and air. As 

 the trees increase in age, it may be desirable to do some cut- 

 ting back of the upper limbs to outward-growing branches 

 in order to cause additional branching, new spur develop- 

 ment and an invigoration of the old spurs. 



