Cherry tree cut: Cut spindle tree

• plant section
• education section
• preservation section
• rejuvenation pruning

The sweet cherry is ideal for raising it to a spindle tree. Although the sour cherry can be designed in this way, it needs an annual strong pruning of annual shoots, which is why it is not ideal for the spindles. Cherry spindles are cut exclusively in summer, mainly to limit their strong growth. If you cut them outside, there will not be any damage, but growth will be so stimulated that you will not be able to keep up with cutting.

Spindle trees of sweet cherry grow up to 3 m high, which is related to the fact that they are all finished on a strong growing surface. The cut therefore always has the goal to slow down the strong growth triggered by it. The spindle education for sour cherries does not really make sense.

Cherry spindles are easy to harvest because they are not that big. They are perfect for small gardens. A cherry spindle tree consists only of the center drive as a framework. Here are the flat-growing side shoots, the fruit shoots. A well-developed spindle is more in the shape of a cone or fir-tree, which has the advantage that all crowns receive evenly much light. The cutting of the spindle tree is necessary that the fruit wood, mainly the lower fruit shoots remain vital and that the tip is beautifully slender. It prevents the tree tip from growing unwantedly. Otherwise there would be complications.

plant section

For the spindle education, a tree is needed that has five to seven circumferentially distributed, flat side shoots above 60 cm trunk height. It is important that the middle drive above the last side shoot is not longer than 60 cm. When planting all steep shoots are removed, especially in the upper part of the center drive. Do not cut the center drive and the remaining side shoots.

1. Central drive above the last side drive must not be longer than 60 cm. He will not cut.
2. Remove all steep shoots, especially around the center drive.
3. Remove all shoots below 60 cm
4. Do not cut middle and remaining side shoots.

If the central drive is not occupied by side shoots or it exceeds the last runner by more than 60 cm, it must be shortened to 60 cm. The resulting side shoots are distributed more evenly over the center drive and additionally the tree is not too high.

education section

In the case of an educational cut, it is important to completely remove all shoots that are growing steeply on the middle instep or on the lateral fruit shoots. The top of the center drive and the side shoots must be streamlined. Do not cut all remaining shoots, otherwise their growth will be stimulated. The educational cut is carried out for four years. Over the years, plenty of flat, flower bud-covered side shoots form.

1. Remove all shoots on the base that are growing steeply at the center drive and lateral fruit shoots
2. Slice the tip of the center drive
3. Runners slim
4. Do not cut the remaining shoots
5. Run this cut four years

Last year's capped center drive, which had to be cut, formed some shoots below the new sequel the following summer. The shoots are steep. Except for the direct continuation of the middle, all these shoots are removed, even in summer. The center may not be shortened for the next few years. Let flat side shoots stand.

preservation section

Cherry spindle trees like to develop a strong center and steep shoots. The aim of maintenance cutting is therefore to promote the lower part of the tree and to maintain vitality. The growth of the top must be calmed down. It is cut again in summer, shortly after the harvest. The tip is slimmed down and all too steeply growing shoots are cut to 10 cm long pins. If older, laterally growing fruit shoots have become too thick, they will also be shortened. Steep drives directly on the center drive must necessarily away. From the beginning they have to be cut on short pins. Favorable here is a section in June, since then form in July, short, mostly flat Neutriebe. Below standing buds develop into flower buds. This cut has the advantage that a disturbing downdrive is used to create a short fruit shoot.
Sweet cherries tend to steep shoots. Not all can be cut away, because that would not leave enough. Freshly driven side shoots, however, are still very flexible. If they are too steep, you can easily spread them. It bends the shoot almost horizontally and stabilizes it with the aid of a clothespin on the central drive. After a few weeks, he is mature and holds in this position. The brackets are removed.

1. Slim down the top of the tree
2. Shorten all shoots growing too steeply on 10 cm long cones
3. Older, too thick fruit shoots also cut on cones
4. Cut steep drives directly on the middle drive onto short pins
5. Spread freshly driven side shoots so that they grow horizontally

rejuvenation pruning

In a forgotten spindle tree you can see the tips of the fruit shoots hanging down. There are no high-quality fruits trained. These shoots must be redirected to at least two years, horizontally outward growing shoots. The new shoot tips are being streamlined. Remove fruit shoots that are too thick in diameter, but leave a 2 to 5 cm long cone. If the tree top hangs over itself, it must also be redirected to a shoot that grows at an angle of at least two years. Also this tip is to slim down. Very upright and too strong shoots in the upper tree area are removed directly on the trunk, always on small cones. Spindle trees are only about 20 years old. From this age, a rejuvenation cut is no longer worthwhile. It is better to raise a new tree.

1. Overhanging, old fruit shoots for at least two years, horizontally outward growing shoots divert
2. Slim down new shoot tips
3. Remove excessively thick fruit shoots, let the cones stand
4. Also divert hanging tree top on at least two-year, obliquely upwardly growing shoot
5. slim down
6. For upright and too strong shoots in the upper tree area on trunnions cut out

General hints and tips for cutting sour and sweet cherry trees can be found here:

• Cut sour cherry

• Cut sweet cherry