Tibetan cherry: when and how to prune

Tibetan cherry: when to prune it?

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Only in summer, in July–August, in dry weather. It needs little pruning.

What else to prune in those months? July · August

Tibetan cherry: how to prune it?

1. Remove dead, diseased and crossing branches.
2. On a young tree, gradually remove the lower side branches to create a clean trunk and show off the bark.
3. Remove shoots from below the graft union and water shoots.
4. Saw with a clean, sharp saw just outside the swollen collar at the base of the branch.

How much to cut, and how often?

• One pruning period a year: July–August.
• Never remove more than about a quarter of the crown at once. Better a little every year.

What does it mean for wildlife?

• Pruning in July–August can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
• Tibetan cherry flowers in April–May, when it attracts bees.
• Prunings can go on a dead hedge or brash pile in a corner of the garden: shelter for hedgehogs, wrens and insects.

Common mistakes

• Clipping without first checking for nesting birds.
• Leaving a stub or sawing flush with the trunk: cut just outside the branch collar.

Nearby: related pruning guides

• Almond tree
• Apricot tree
• Cherry tree
• Japanese flowering cherry
• Morello cherry
• Peach tree

Plant profile: Tibetan cherry · Pruning calendar and basic rules