knowhow

Trimming a cherry fruit tree is an essential part of its maintenance and health. The process, known as pruning, not only influences the tree’s aesthetic appeal but also its fruit production and overall health. Pruning should be done during the dormant season, typically in late winter or early spring, to minimize disease risk and to allow the tree to heal before the growing season begins. 1. Understanding the Tree’s Growth Pattern: Cherry trees grow in two forms: sweet (Prunus avium) and sour (Prunus cerasus). Each has a slightly different growth habit and pruning requirements. Sweet cherry trees, often larger, are typically pruned into a vase shape to allow sunlight and air circulation. Sour cherry trees, more compact, are generally pruned into a central leader system, where a main vertical branch is the focal point. 2. Tools and Safety: Before starting, ensure you have the right tools. Use sharp, clean pruning shears for small branches and a pruning saw for larger limbs. Safety is paramount; wear gloves and safety goggles to protect from sharp branches and debris. 3. Basic Pruning Steps: Remove Dead or Diseased Wood: First, cut away any dead, dying, or diseased branches to prevent the spread of decay and to improve air circulation. Thin Out Overcrowded Areas: Identify areas where branches are overcrowded. Removing some of these will improve light penetration and air flow, essential for healthy fruit development. Cut Back Old Wood: Older wood often produces less fruit. Prune some of this back to promote growth of new fruiting wood. Shape the Tree: Maintain the overall shape of your tree – vase-shaped for sweet cherries and central leader for sour cherries. This step is important for the tree’s structural integrity and aesthetic. 4. Pruning Young vs. Mature Trees: Young cherry trees (1-3 years) should be pruned lightly to establish the desired shape. Mature trees require more aggressive pruning to maintain shape, encourage fruit production, and remove any unproductive wood. 5. Timing and Frequency: Prune cherry trees annually to maintain their health and productivity. The best time to prune is late winter or early spring before the sap starts to flow and the buds swell. 6. Aftercare: After pruning, ensure the tree is well-watered, especially if the weather is dry. Mulching around the base can help retain moisture and provide nutrients. 7. Monitoring and Maintenance: Regularly inspect your cherry tree for signs of disease or pest infestation. Prompt action can prevent most issues from becoming serious. In conclusion, proper pruning is crucial for the health and productivity of cherry trees. By understanding the tree’s growth pattern, using the right tools, and following the basic steps of pruning, you can ensure your cherry tree remains healthy, aesthetically pleasing, and fruitful for many years. Regular maintenance and monitoring will also contribute to the tree's overall wellbeing. At Arundel Arboretum we have a wide selection of fruiting and flowering cherry tree available all year round at the nursery and for delivery. Check out trees available at our online shop  

With welcoming in the New Year and Christmas already feeling like a distant memory we are eager to get back into the garden with it being the perfect time for flowering cherry trees. We hope you have had a relaxing festive break and an excellent start to 2020, and are ready for some colour to be added to your gardens. Our winter flowering cherry trees are looking good and adding some much-needed colour on these dull days we are currently experiencing.  Flowering cherry trees are normally associated with beautiful spring blossom, but there are winter-flowering cherry trees too, which can add a bit of cheer to your garden. With their delicate flowers, they are an ideal choice if you are looking to plant a winter flowering deciduous tree in your garden. We have a good selection in stock, and to get you started you could consider one of these:- Prunus x subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’ Prunus x subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’ is a spreading, deciduous winter flowering cherry tree, and is also known as the Rosebud Cherry. Its delicate semi-double pink-white flowers are a pleasure to see during the autumn and winter months are they are looking good just now. This variety will grow happily in full sun in a sheltered or exposed position. If you have a small garden, this is an ideal choice as it has an eventual height and spread of 4-8m. Prunus x subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’ is best planted in moist, well-drained soil. Prunus ‘Marie Mallet’ Prunus ‘Marie Mallet’ is an exceptionally pretty flowering cherry tree, and although is an early spring flowering variety, is actually in flower now! This weeping variety is easy to grow and has white flowers flushed with pink. It will grow happily in full sun or partial shade and has an eventual height and spread of 5m after about 20 years. Prunus ‘Marie Mallet’ can be planted in any good well-drained soil. Its green foliage transforms into rich autumn colours. Prunus x subhirtella ‘Autumnalis Rosea’ Prunus x subhirtella ‘Autumnalis Rosea’ is a small tree with semi-double pale pink flowers, which appear from November to March on bare branches. The flowers are followed by small fruits, which are good for birds – so looking after our garden friends too! Prunus x subhirtella ‘Autumnalis Rosea’ has green foliage that turns shades of orange/yellow in the autumn. It is ideal for small gardens and is pollution tolerant, so is a tree suitable for urban areas. It will thrive in most conditions but does not like wet soil or shallow chalk. Prunus x subhirtella ‘Autumnalis Rosea’ can be planted in a sunny location, with little or no protection. If you are looking for a nursery with flowering cherry trees for sale, we shall look forward to welcoming you to Arundel Arboretum. Our staff are always available to answer your questions and give you further help and advice on the right tree for your garden.

It is coming into the time of year for many beautiful flowering cherry trees (Prunus) to add a delightful, delicate focus to your garden. They are very versatile trees offering fresh spring colour when they are in full bloom. Many consider that the flowering cherry tree offers the most attractive blossom of all trees. Most flowering cherry trees are particularly hardy and disease resistant. They can also tolerate poor soil conditions, including clay and some chalk soils. Many varieties originate from China and Japan, but they grow happily in the UK and are easy to grow making them a popular choice. Many people will purchase a flowering cherry tree for the attractive spring blossom, but numerous varieties of flowering cherry will have autumn interest too. Their leaves will change to beautiful yellows, reds and golds before the leaves fall off. There is a considerable choice of shape and size with flowering cherry trees. These range from weeping, upright or spreading varieties to large and small trees, suitable for all gardens, especially small gardens when space is a premium. Flowering cherry tree blossom can range from dark pink, pale pink and white. Flowers can be single, semi-double or double flowers. Three varieties you could consider are: Prunus serrulata ‘Amanogawa’ / Flagpole Cherry Prunus serrulata ‘Amanogawa’ is a small columnar tree. This variety is ideal for a small garden. It has clusters of large fragrant single or semi-double shell pink flowers. The leaves are bronze turning green into summer and turning yellow in autumn. This tree is often used for small spaces. Prunus serrulata ‘Amanogawa’ is an ideal tree for urban areas, because it is tolerant of pollution. It does not however, like wet soils or shallow chalk. Prunus serrulata ‘Amanogawa’ can be planted in a sunny, exposed position. Prunus ‘Tai Haku’ / Great White Cherry Prunus ‘Tai Haku’ is a medium to large tree. It has pink buds that are followed by very large white, dazzling flowers. Prunus ‘Tai Haku’ has rich coppery-red young leaves which turn green in summer eventually turning a vibrant yellow/orange in autumn. This variety is often known as the Great White Cherry and has an attractive rounded habit. It does not do well in wet soils or shallow chalk. It is also pollution tolerant, so again it is good in urban areas. You can plant Prunus ‘Tai Haku’ in a sunny position, and it will cope with being unprotected. Prunus subhirtella ‘Autumnalis Rosea’ / Winter flowering Cherry Prunus subhirtella ‘Autumnalis Rosea’ is a small tree with semi-double pale pink flowers from November to March on bare branches. The flowers are followed by small fruits, which are good for birds. Prunus subhirtella ‘Autumnalis Rosea’ has green foliage which turns shades of orange/yellow in the autumn. It is ideal for small gardens and is pollution tolerant, so is another tree suitable for urban areas. It will thrive in most conditions, but does not like wet soil or shallow chalk. Prunus subhirtella ‘Autumnalis Rosea’ can be planted in a sunny location, with little or no protection. `