Columnar cherries are a hit on balconies and terraces. The space-saving fruit trees are also very popular in the small garden. Hobby gardeners appreciate the uncomplicated pruning care. Read this tutorial to find out when and how to skillfully cut a columnar cherry.
When and how should you cut a columnar cherry?
A columnar cherry should be cut in summer, after the harvest. Remove long side shoots and shorten them to 10 to 15 cm short cones. Do not cut the central shoot in the first few years. Avoid cutting in wet weather to prevent fungal infestation.
Best time is in summer
In terms of the ideal time for pruning, the narrow columnar cherry is no different from the impressive cherry tree. After the harvest, you have the best overview of the removed fruit wood. Another advantage of a summer pruning appointment is that cuts close more quickly. This keeps lurking fungal spores and pests at bay.
A columnar cherry usually enters its yield phase in the third year at the latest. This eliminates the need for extensive pruning in winter, as is mandatory for the large cherry tree. On older specimens, a cut in the lower area is advantageous when the fruit wood begins to age.
Never cut when it rains
Do not prune a columnar cherry at any time of year in wet weather. Cuts in damp wood are a welcome target for fungal pathogens. This doesn't just apply to the usual suspects, like mildew or gray mold. Lethal wound parasites that cause fruit tree cancer primarily target apples and pears. However, if a susceptible cherry comes across them, the fungal spores will not miss this opportunity.
Conservation cut
In contrast to the conventional cherry tree in the garden, thefruit wood sprouts directly from the trunk on a columnar cherry In combination with strong growth at a young age, cherries as columnar fruit are to be cut more often. As the image below illustrates, maintenance pruning focuses on long side shoots. How to cut a columnar cherry correctly:
- Columnar cherry onlyif necessarycut
- The best time is after the harvest, preferably mid to late June
- Cut long side branches back to 10 to 15 cm short cones
- Place the scissors just above an eye that points outwards or downwards
- Do not prune the middle shoot at the top in the first few years
Steep upward side shoots compete with the trunk and are not suitable for fruiting wood. To ensure that these branches do not consume valuable nutrients, they should be removed. If a steep shoot is in a favorable position, spread it out to an angle of around 60° to the trunk. This can be done with a spreader (€17.00 on Amazon) or a clothespin.
Cut excessively long side shoots of a columnar cherry back to 10 to 15 cm after harvesting. Thin out steep shoots or spread the wood to an advantageous angle of 60°.
Excursus
Do not prune the leading shoot too quickly
The timing for cutting the tip of the leading drive needs to be carefully considered. Young columnar cherries are characterized by powerful growth. As long as the top bud is enthroned on the leading branch, the law of top promotion reigns. The cherry pumps a large part of the reserve substances towards its dominant tip in order to force growth towards the light. Lateral shoots receive fewer nutrients and grow weaker. Weaker growth always causes fruit trees to produce numerous flowers and fruits. Only cut the top bud on the leading shoot when growth has calmed down after a few years. The desired final height may initially be exceeded. In return, your columnar cherry will bloom and fruit profusely.
Cut old columnar cherry in stages
Characteristic of older columnar cherries is different growth in the upper and lower areas. In the lower half the growth visibly weakens over the years and the fruit wood ages. Harvest yields and fruit quality noticeably decline. There is no trace of such signs of age anywhere in the upper half of the column. You can simply accept the shortcoming or compensate for it with strategic pruning care. This is how it works:
- Cut old columnar cherry in 2 stages
- Vitale, cut upper half in summer
- Cut weak lower half in February
- Choose a date with frost-free, dry weather
The split date choice has no influence on the cutting. Shorten excessively long, worn branches to 10 to 15 cm. Thin out competing shoots and dead wood. The disadvantage of a late winter cut is that flower buds that have already formed fall victim to the scissors. It makes sense to prune back in stages if the columnar cherry showsclear signs of aging and is hardly flowering and fruiting in the lower half anyway.
Background
Pruning time influences bud growth
The later in the year you cut, the more reserve substances the roots have already released to the shoots. This dampens the sap pressure at interfaces, which can be seen in significantly weaker shoots. Conversely, late winter pruning activates vigorous growth because the sap pressure is at maximum level. This leads to this rule of thumb: Prune heavily growing areas of a columnar cherry in the summer to calm the growth. Prune weak growing areas in February to encourage growth.
Raising your own cherry – is that possible?
The columnar cherry is a hit wherever majestic cherry trees are out of place. It's obvious that hobby gardeners are toying with growing the slender fruit tree variety themselves. In contrast to popular standard trees, the bar for developing a cherry as a columnar fruit is significantly higher. The following arguments speak in favor of purchasing a columnar cherryfrom the hand of the master gardener:
- No specific botanical species
- Rather, targeted selection of spindle trees with extra strong main shoots
- Selected specimensrefined on a weakly growing rootstock
Sweet cherries are therefore not born as columnar fruit. Rather, they initially thrive in the nursery as spindle trees. Only when a cherry with a noticeably strong, straight central shoot and short side shoots attracts attention is the specimen chosen for further training to become a columnar cherry. For this purpose, the master gardener grafts the cherry onto a weakly growing rootstock.'GiSelA 5' is highly valued thanks to its robust winter hardiness and early start to yield.
Tip
The columnar cherry does not need a support post. When grafting, tree nurseries specifically use break-resistant bases that guarantee stability in growth right from the start.
Frequently asked questions
Is a columnar cherry self-fruitful?
Columnar cherries sold in specialist stores are usually not self-fruitful. Suppliers sometimes declare modern varieties to be self-fertile. However, this attribute should be viewed with caution. It is generally advantageous for the harvest day and fruit quality if there is a second variety nearby. This could also be a large cherry tree in the neighbor's garden.
Does a columnar cherry planted in spring need winter protection?
Cherries are naturally sensitive to late frosts. The greatest danger is when temperatures drop below freezing during the flowering period. In this case, a fleece or large potato sack should be ready to hand. Put a cap over the columnar cherry to protect the flowers from frost damage.
Three years ago I planted a columnar cherry that is now almost 4 meters high. Unfortunately, few side branches have formed so far. Should I shorten the leading shoot now or let it continue to grow?
To support the formation of side shoots, cutting the leading shoot is the right strategy. The best time is early spring. Cut the leading shoot back to a strong bud. This creates a sap that encourages lateral buds to sprout. Shorten existing side branches to 15 cm at the end of June.
I planted my two columnar cherries, Victoria and Sylvia, last spring. Since then, both plants have grown by one meter and now have a dense coat of foliage in March, unfortunately without flowers. What can I do?
As a rule, columnar cherries bloom from their second or third year in May. Even in the particularly mild spring, the flowers do not appear until mid/late April at the earliest. Columnar cherries produce flower buds the previous year, provided there is a balanced nitrogen-phosphorus ratio in the soil. The strong increase signals that your garden soil contains an excess of nitrogen. This circumstance can suppress flower formation. We recommend carrying out a soil analysis or at least applying a phosphorus-rich fertilizer this summer to encourage numerous flower buds to form.
My columnar cherry had three long shoots at the top that I cut off. Do I have to expect that the process will be repeated and the plant will have to be radically cut?
Of the three shoots, you should have left the middle, long lead shoot standing. It is the tip that fulfills the function of a crown on columnar fruit. This is no cause for concern because the cherry grows a new leader with complementary side branches. Please do not trim the height of the new crown. Only shorten the side shoots to 10 to 15 cm at the end of June.
The 3 most common cutting mistakes
Wrong pruning timing or overzealous pruning leaves a columnar cherry that doesn't deserve its name. The following table summarizes the three most common cutting errors with information on damage and prevention:
| Cutting errors | malicious image | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| cut in winter | no flowers and cherries | Cut at the end of June |
| pruned every year | little fruit wood | cut extra long side shoots if necessary |
| never cut | spacious growth with dense network of branches | cut every few years in summer |
Tip
When caring for columnar cherries, there is no need to thin out the fruit cover. When caring for apples, pears or peaches, excess fruit must be removed at the end of June. For cherry trees and cherry trees, you can delete this date from the care calendar without replacement.
