Stubs won’t heal and could be a starting point for wood rot fungi. Leave the branch collar but don’t leave stubs. To reduce the height of a tree that’s too tall, cut limbs at the top of the tree to a lateral branch that is the height you desire (figure 4).This increases fruit size and quality on the remaining shoots (figure 3). In a mature tree, thin out more of the shoots that grow toward the end of a well-pruned branch.Sweet cherry trees may be pruned in August when there’s less danger of bacterial infection. Prune when all danger from fall or early winter freeze has passed, but before full bloom in spring.

Prune the top portion of the tree more heavily than the lower portion.

Prune mature trees more heavily, especially if they’ve shown little growth.

You’ll need much less pruning at planting if you plan to irrigate the young tree frequently during its establishment.

Prune all fruit and nut trees at planting time to balance the tops with the roots.

Water sprout-A 1-year-old shoot that grows within the tree.

Vertical branch-A branch that grows upright.

Thinning cut-A pruning cut that removes an entire branch from its point of origin.Sucker sprout-A 1-year-old shoot that grows from the root.Stub-A short portion of a branch left after a pruning cut.The bud scale scars (ring of small ridges) on a branch mark the start of a season’s growth. Shoot-The length of branch growth in one season.Scaffold limb-A large limb that forms a tree’s framework.Multiple-leader trained trees usually have three to five leaders per tree. In a central-leader trained tree, only one leader is left in the center of the tree. Leader-The uppermost portion of a scaffold limb.Lateral branch-A side shoot off of another branch, usually at a more horizontal angle.Heading (or head cut)-A pruning cut that removes only part of a branch.Crown-The base of the trunk where the tree meets the soil.The strongest crotch angle is 45 to 60 degrees. Crotch angle-The angle formed between the trunk and a limb.It contains specialized cells that seal off pruning wounds from wood rot fungi. Branch collar-The raised tissue at the base of every branch.

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