The he althy cherry tree starts with the he althy roots. These have the task of absorbing oxygen, water and nutrient s alts from the soil and passing them on to the shoot organs. The roots also ensure a secure hold.
How deep do cherry trees have roots?
The rooting depth of cherry trees varies depending on the species and soil conditions: sweet cherries grow widely in width and depth on deep soil, while sour cherries are considered to have shallow roots. Cherry tree roots can usually be found in layers up to 50 cm deep.
Building the roots
According to the strength of their formation, a distinction is made between main, secondary and fibrous roots. The main roots grow more or less steeply downwards. Depending on the nature of the soil, their root depth can be up to two meters. The secondary roots extend almost horizontally from the main roots and thus open up the entire rootable soil space.
The fibrous roots, the actual active root parts where both growth and nutrient absorption take place, are located on the secondary roots. The root parts that are no longer actively involved in water absorption become woody and serve to anchor and conduct the nutrient solution.
Development of roots
The root development of a strong-growing sweet cherry tree extends greatly in width and depth on deep soil, and a so-called taproot may form. The slower growing sour cherry, on the other hand, is considered to be a shallow rooter. The sweet cherry also forms a heart-like root system on compacted soil.
As soon as the main root has reached a certain depth, roots form just below the surface of the soil, penetrating the entire rootable layer beyond the outermost edge of the crown. The reach of the roots increases the drier and less nutrient-poor the soil is.
Protection and care of the roots
The roots of fruit trees are by no means particularly deep. The main mass of cherry tree roots is in the layer up to 50 cm deep. To keep the roots strong, you should give them some care:
- When buying a bare-root tree, make sure that the root system is sufficient and well branched,
- when replanting or transplanting the dried, damaged and too long ones
Cut off the roots with sharp scissors (€14.00 on Amazon) so that the ends can heal better and promote new root formation,
In particularly cold winters, make a tree disc made of leaves or mulch to protect the roots
Tips & Tricks
“Whoever plants trees roots”, “finding one’s roots back”, – in many sayings the word “roots” is used symbolically and stands for being settled, close to home, down to earth.
