Problem
pgeralddavies
Posts: 3
in Plants
I have just acquired a young weeping cherry tree which has a single trunk/ trig as the main stem grafted to a root stock
it is now dormant
should I prune the end to encourage new branches to sprout and then encourage to weep?
it is now dormant
should I prune the end to encourage new branches to sprout and then encourage to weep?
0
Posts
Do you know what variety your cherry is? Generally, weeping flowering cherries have a natural weeping habit which will develop over time. Pruning will hinder rather than help, I think - though if you can tell us the variety, and preferably post a photo of your tree (click on the "landscape" icon above the posting box and follow the instructions), we'll be able to advise you better.
If you have a photo, that will help with advice- for anything.
As @Liriodendron says, it will often depend on the variety, and too much pruning early on may have a detrimental effect. Less is usually more where pruning's concerned with young trees, as described in @rossdriscoll13 's post
i put it in this pot temporarily until the weather is better and will then plant in the ground
as you can see it has lots of buds all the way up the trunk and also a few side shoots lower down
so do I just leave it grow and I suppose when there are side shoots at the top let them weep and go free there possibly removing any lower shoots to shape in years to come
i would like it to grow to about 2 to 2.5 meters where I am placed it
any comments would be gratefully received
regard
gerald
As you have just repotted it, I would be inclined to leave it alone until the Spring. That does not look like a particularly good location for a potted tree if there is pedestrian traffic on the path around the corner of the house. It is going to knocked and possibly wind damaged. You will also have your hands full keeping a potted specimen tree adequately watered.
It would do best if you can plant it in the ground while it's dormant. Because you want the stem to grow to 2-2.5m before it branches, you'll need to give the tree a stake to that height so that you can tie the stem in to it as it grows. The bamboo cane it's come with, isn't long enough or strong enough, in my opinion. The natural habit of the whole tree is to "weep" so if you don't support the stem it will just bend over; you can buy them already "top grafted" to a tall stem (the sort of graft you see with standard roses) which would have given you a quicker - and possibly more sturdy - result, but I think you can get what you're looking for eventually.
As @Joyce Goldenlily says, it wants to be a bush not a tree. So when you've planted it, I'd remove the three shoots emerging near the bottom of the tree, right back to the stem, with sharp secateurs. (Although the recommendation is not to prune cherries in winter to avoid silver leaf disease, it's ok to do so when they're very young. Branches as thick as your wrist or thicker shouldn't be pruned in winter, but you're ok with your little tree.) Take off the tight plastic ties fastening the tree to the bamboo, but tie it carefully to the new stake - old tights will do at this stage, though later on you might prefer the look of proper tree ties. You'll need to check and replace ties regularly. I'd put a temporary tie just above the graft union for support, and maybe one below it, as well as ties to keep the leading shoot growing straight up.
Don't prune the top of the shoot or it will stop growing straight up. For the next year I'd just keep it well watered and tied in to its stake.
Next winter, prune off any further side shoots from the bottom two thirds of the tree. The reason for not cutting them all off at once is that the tree needs leaves to feed it, so it grows upwards fast.
If it's grown to the height you want by the third winter, you can clean up the stem further - and hopefully the new growth will then weep down from the top of your stake.
Hope this makes sense...
I've actually trained a weeping cherry with a tall stake after most of it died the first winter after planting. It just had one shoot growing nearly horizontally a couple of inches above the ground. It took a number of years but in the end I had a small but reasonably shaped weeping tree. (I think it was 'Red Sentinel' but can't be sure now, thirty years on...)
I have only planted the tree in this pot until the weather gets better and i only placed it against the wall for the photo it is not going to live here
i have noted all your comments regarding lower branches and staking as I was concerned the lower branches would turn it into a bush rather than a tree
thanks all