Having a cherry tree in the garden is a source of delicious fruit. This article explains how to prune and care for a cherry tree.
05.03.2025
Pruning shears such as the STIHL PB 11 bypass are a great help when pruning cherry trees. A pruning saw, such as the STIHL Curved Blade Pruning Saw, is good for thick branches. A pole pruner such as the STIHL HTA 50 can help you reach higher branches.
When pruning a cherry tree, you should selectively remove the following:
With sweet cherries fruiting on two-year-old wood, you should also remove older branches that are no longer productive in order to encourage new fruiting wood.
A sour cherry tree can be pruned in winter, but not a sweet one.
Regular annual pruning is ideal for keeping the cherry tree healthy and productive.
While young trees need a shaping cut in the first few years to develop a good structure, older trees need maintenance and rejuvenation pruning to ensure fertility and health.
If your cherry tree shows signs of disease, it’s time for what is known as rescue pruning:
While light pruning is usually unproblematic, with a heavier pruning, no more than a third of the entire tree should be removed in a year.
Too radical a pruning can weaken the tree and make it more susceptible to disease. Rejuvenation pruning on older trees should be spread over several years.
Yes, cherry trees can be grown as espaliers, especially in gardens with limited space. The tree is drawn into a flat, two-dimensional shape on a wall or grid.
Yes, it is advisable to seal wounds, especially for larger incisions. This protects the wound from pathogens and pests and promotes rapid wound healing.
It is important to use a wound sealant specially designed for fruit trees and to follow the manufacturer’s instructions precisely.
No, sour cherries are not pruned in the same way as sweet cherries. Sour cherries have bushier growth and a more open crown. They can tolerate and often require a stronger prune than sweet cherries.
While a light pruning cut is often enough for sweet cherries, sour cherries can be cut back more to obtain an open, well-ventilated crown.
Pruning is important to control the growth of the tree. You should also prune your cherry tree for the following reasons:
Timing pruning correctly can help to optimise the health and yield of the cherry tree. While some trees benefit from summer pruning, others should be pruned in autumn or winter.
Please note that there are considerable differences between the sweet cherry (Prunus avium ) and the sourcherry (Prunus cerasus) so the two species are treated and pruned differently – this also affects the timing of pruning.
Here is a tabular overview to help you determine the optimal time to prune depending on the cherry tree species:
| Cherry tree variety | January - March | August - September |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet cherry | initial pruning, development pruning | maintenance pruning, rejuvenation pruning |
| Sour cherry | initial pruning, development pruning, rejuvenation pruning | maintenance pruning, rejuvenation pruning |
The ideal time for summer pruning of sweet cherries is after harvest between the beginning of August and the end of September.
Pruning your sweet cherry in the summer will curb the strong growth and promote wound healing.
If your cherry tree is a sour cherry, you can prune it in autumn or winter, between November and March to be precise.
You can also prune your sour cherry in late winter to lighten the crown and encourage new fruiting wood.
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It is important to note that the best time to prune may also depend on regional weather conditions and specific tree needs. It is always advisable to keep an eye on the health and growth of your tree and make adjustments if necessary when pruning your cherry. If you are unsure about pruning, a suitable course at a local gardening association or adult education centre is certainly a good idea.
Special tools are required for pruning cherry trees in order to work precisely and safely. Make sure to use sharp and clean tools to ensure neat cuts and minimise the risk of infection. Here is a list of the most important tools and safety precautions for tree pruning:
Working with high-performance power tools is fun and allows you to broaden your skills, which is great if you can rely on effective and safe protective clothing.
Always wear your personal protective equipment when working with STIHL power tools. Find out more in the STIHL owners manuals for your product. Before using your power tool for the first time, fully familiarise yourself with it and ensure that it is in flawless condition before each use.
On request, your STIHL dealer will be happy to prepare your power tool for its first job, and will also advise you on models and sizes of protective clothing that you can try on at your leisure. Please remember that personal protective equipment is no substitute for safe working.
Properly pruning a cherry tree requires knowledge of various pruning techniques.
Each technique has its own meaning and is used at different times in the life of the tree:
Sweet cherries and sour cherries have different growth habits and pruning requirements. It is important to know these differences in order to maintain each tree type optimally and achieve the best yield.
By understanding these differences and applying the right pruning techniques, you can ensure that both your sweet and sour cherries grow healthily and produce plenty of fruit.
Sweet and sour cherry trees have different properties and therefore also different pruning requirements. The following table provides you with an initial overview of the special considerations you need to take into account.
| Characteristic | Sweet cherry | Sour cherry |
|---|---|---|
| Type of growth | Strongly apical dominant, tends to grow strongly upwards | Bushy growth with a more open crown |
| Main objective of pruning | Limit tree size, keep crown open, preserve fruiting wood | Open crown that lets light through, stimulates the formation of new fruiting shoots, prevents decay |
| Best time to prune | initial and development pruning in late winter, maintenance and rejuvenation pruning after harvest in summer | Late winter before sprouting, maintenance and rejuvenation cutting also possible in summer after harvest |
| Pruning frequency | Restrained pruning, as the sweet cherry reacts more sensitively to pruning measures | Regular pruning to keep the crown open and allowing light through to prevent decay |
| Special features | The inside of the crown tends to become bare, fruiting moves to the outside, therefore thinning and fruit wood renewal are necessary. Gum flow should not be related to the cut. | Tends to form long whip shoots that barely produce fruit, so regular trimming of younger side branches |
Dwarf cherries are particularly popular as trees for small gardens or for cultivating terraces in pots due to their compact size. But even though they are smaller, they need targeted care and regular pruning to stay healthy and bear plenty of fruit.
The ideal time to prune a dwarf cherry is late winter before the new shoot begins. Light summer pruning after harvesting can also be beneficial to correct the shape and control growth.
The main goal when cutting a dwarf cherry is to obtain a balanced, open crown that is well-ventilated and through which sunlight reaches all parts of the tree.
As dwarf cherries generally grow more slowly, it is important to be careful when pruning and not to remove too much at once. Pruning too harshly can slow down the growth of the tree.
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By pruning your dwarf cherry regularly and expertly, it will not only stay healthy, but also deliver a rich cherry harvest every year.
Depending on the age of the cherry tree, the requirements and techniques of pruning vary. Below you can find out more about the special features and recommendations for pruning a young or old cherry tree:
If you are pruning a young cherry tree, you should observe the following points for successful pruning:
If you want to prune an old cherry tree, you should pay attention to a few different features than with a young cherry tree. Here are some practical tips:
By understanding these specific requirements and techniques, you can ensure that your cherry tree grows healthily and bears plenty of fruit, regardless of its age.
A healthy cherry tree bears lots of fruit.
Old cherry trees may appear overaged, bear less fruit or be affected by diseases. In such cases, a radical cut, also known as a “rejuvenation cut”, may be the solution.
Radical cherry tree pruning has several advantages:
After a radical prune, the tree needs special care:
STIHL tip
When you radically prune an old cherry tree, you breathe new life into it. With the right care and attention, your old cherry tree can bloom again and give you many more years of joy.
Once you have pruned the cherry tree properly, it is important to give it the right aftercare – so you can ensure health and vitality. A well-maintained tree will heal faster, be more resistant to disease and provide a rich harvest in the following season.
When pruning a cherry tree, you should follow these care tips after pruning so that your cherry tree remains healthy and continues to bear plenty of fruit for years to come. It is always advisable to pay attention to the specific needs of your tree and the climatic conditions of your region. Finally, we would like to advise you not to be put off by the many tips on pruning cherry trees – in the end, it's all about your garden and enjoying your own harvest.
