Photo Description
Top Left: Tree unbalanced. Left side producing little. Right side producing well.
Top Right: Shown from opposite side. Full limbs visible without flowering.
Bottom left: Close up of the left side of the tree. Several branches not flowering down full length.
Bottom right: Closer view of the graft and up.
Please do ask for any more clarifying photos if you think it would help.
Questions:
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The tree just started blooming this week. Is it too late to start pruning or should I wait until Autumn?
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Pruning the tree is going to make it even more lopsided than it already is. Would you all recommend trimming back the healthy branches so it's not so heavy on one side?
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This website gives the advice below. Any thoughts otherwise?
Thank you all so much!
How to Prune a Weeping Cherry Tree
The different types of weeping cherries can grow to between eight and 40 feet tall. Proper pruning keeps these trees looking beautiful and can prevent the development and spread of diseases. Prune while the tree is dormant (no flowers or leaves on the branches) in early spring or late fall. Take the following steps once a year with bypass pruning shears or a pole pruner.
- Cut back any branches that contact the ground until they’re at least six inches off the ground.
- Remove branches that are rubbing against each other.
- Trim back branches that are closer than two inches apart.
- Remove dead branches.
- Remove stems or branches growing out of the trunk or around the base of the tree (a.k.a. suckers).
- Trim back the tips of the branches around the perimeter of the canopy until it’s a balanced, uniform shape.
- Remove branches that are growing straight up on grafted cherry trees because they will continue to grow upward instead of weeping down.
- Thin out the mangled cluster of branches that often develops near the base of the canopy of grafted trees.
- Remove diseased branches as soon as they’re discovered, regardless of the time of year. Sterilize the blade of your cutting tool in between cuts to prevent disease spread.
That looks over pruned to me, There's barely any flowering branches vs the trunk and that leads to less leaves to support the tree.
Look at this tree
You can see that it's an even shape, and clearly cared for, but it has a massive canopy vs trunk. It's not the same species but it's an example of the balance.
This video is quite a severe prune and you can see that he hasn't really taken a lot.
Leave it alone for now and then go for it in early spring.
However, if it's so heavily pruned because you're just taking off dead bits then it's not a very healthy tree and I'd look at that first. I definitely water mine in the height of summer, which is an easy change to make, but it might need more.
Thanks for the response! The ideal photo you shared for the even shape and care is definitely what I would like to see. I'm concerned the tree we inherited isn't in the best of health, but I would like to see that change however possible.
The video you shared was excellent. My main concern is that the "left" side of the tree is clearly less dense and currently has several dead branches. That's readily evident now that it's flowering. Pruning that side further, although it needs it, will exasperate the lack of balance even further. This is why I wondered if the healthy side should also be trimmed back to help even it out the aesthetic.
@LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net indicated in another comment not trim back the healthier part unless stability was the concern. I wouldn't call it "unstable" based on the ground space and roots, but the trunk isn't entirely vertical and leans a bit towards the fuller side. Not sure that would classify as a "stability" issue though. It's not yet a dense tree.
I will check the soil this summer and water as needed as you suggest. Would you suggest anything else, perhaps certain kinds fertilizer, to help the tree?
When you said, "Leave it alone for now and then go for it in early spring." Do you mean next year? Or next month? The photos were taken the day of the post. It's very nearly "officially" spring and the tree is blooming.
Next year. It's already flowering so it's too late for this year. It will vary depending on where you are but I'd say maybe late feb?
I think you might be right that it isn't in great health but I do think the overpruning is part of it. There just won't be enough leaves to support that big thick trunk. I think adding nutrients might really help but I don't want to recommend any as it's not something I've had to do myself.
Thanks you for your responses. I really appreciate it.