A guide to cutting cherry trees in summer: from choosing cuttings to caring for a new tree

Cuttings are a popular method of propagating stone fruit crops, including cherries. It allows you to preserve varietal qualities, but the percentage of rooting of wood material is not high. There are certain rules for cuttings depending on the selected raw materials from the mother tree. We will tell you in this article how to propagate cherries at home.

Is it possible to propagate cherries from cuttings in summer?

This method is considered the fastest. Cuttings of cherries in summer occur by ordinary rooting in the ground or grafting onto a wild rootstock..

The first method allows you to obtain your own rooted tree, the second - a cultivated variety with a more powerful, winter-hardy, unpretentious root system.

Many beginners are interested in whether it is possible to propagate cherries at home. Professional gardeners say that there is nothing complicated about it, and Beginners should try the method of rooting cuttings in the ground (instructions are provided below).

Reference. Cuttings are used by gardeners who want to increase the number of fruit trees of their favorite variety or rejuvenate a perennial garden. At the same time, they save a significant amount of money on the purchase of seedlings.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of propagating cherries by cuttings:

• experimenting with plant material;
• there is no need to use complex technical devices;
• preservation of the best characteristics of the variety;
• saving money.

Flaws:

• until rooting, cuttings need careful care;
• Without certain knowledge and experience, it is very difficult to get a new tree.

Optimal timing for summer cuttings

Prepare cuttings in the first days of June. At this time, the growth of green mass in the cherry tree slows down, and the shoots gradually become overgrown with wood.

Favorable days

According to the lunar calendar 2020, cherry cuttings can be taken on June 3, 5, 7, 9 and 10. It is permissible to carry out the procedure from June 12 to 15.

Suitable cherry varieties

The following varieties are considered good::

• Fatezh;
• Franz Joseph;
• Homestead yellow;
• Beauty of Kuban;
• General's;
• Dagestan;
• Tyutchevka.

The vigor of the tree is another problem that does not suit summer residents. The berries are too high and spoil quickly or are eaten by birds.

That's why Such low-growing varieties are valued:

• Colt;
• Maxma Delbar 14;
• Piku;
• Gisela.

It’s good if the crop can withstand frost, hot or rainy summer.

Interesting things on the site:

The best varieties of cherries for the Moscow region

Review of the best winter-hardy cherry varieties

What are the benefits of cherry-cherry hybrids?

Selection and preparation of cuttings

Green cuttings are prepared as follows:

1. Choose a cool day.
2. Well-developed shoots about 30 cm long are cut off.
3. Leave 2-3 healthy leaves on each.
4. The sections are immersed in Kornevin to stimulate root growth and kept in the solution for about 12 hours.
5. Then put the material in clean water for 2 hours.

How do woody cuttings propagate?:

1. Young mother plants are selected, in which the lower part of the shoots begins to become woody, while the upper part remains softer.
2. Cut shoots 25-30 cm long with 3-4 growth buds.
3. Place them in a bucket of water and moisten the leaves.
4. After 2-3 hours, cut the blanks into cuttings 5-7 cm long with two internodes.
5. Remove half of the leaf plates.
6. Place the material in the “Heteroauxin” solution (250 g of the drug is diluted in 1 liter of water) to a depth of 2.5 cm.
7. In the morning they drop off.

Cherry propagation by air layering is very rarely used., when the mother tree is weak and the cutting does not take root in open ground. An incision is made on the fruiting branch. This place is wrapped in a plastic bag with earth. The soil is constantly watered. The branch will take root only after 2 years.

During the procurement of raw materials for beginners It is recommended to adhere to the following rules:

1. Do not take cuttings from old trees. They won't take root.
2. Choose material from cherries, the fruiting of which lasts 2-3 years.
3. It is better to cut the lower, even, well-developed shoots from young, strong branches.
4. Separate samples in the morning or evening after 18:00.
5. Use only clean tools. Pre-treat the knife in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
6. Make the lower cut at an angle of 45°, and the upper cut at a straight angle.

Not only cherries are propagated using shoots. The method is chosen to obtain new cherry, plum, and apricot trees.

Ways to root them

Root blanks in two ways: planting in the ground or grafting.

How to grow cherries by planting in the ground:

1. Prepare the greenhouse and soil. A good option is a greenhouse or mini-box. For the substrate, take equal parts of peat and river sand.
2. Place the mixture on the bed in a layer of 12 cm and carefully level it. A 1.5 cm layer of sand is poured on top.
3. The soil is moistened. Then the prepared cuttings are planted.

To propagate cherries by grafting, the bark method is used.

The rules are as follows:

1. For the rootstock, choose a healthy branch of plum, apricot, cherry or another variety of cherry.
2. Using a clean, sharp knife, separate the upper part of the rootstock so that the length of the working material is 30-45 cm.
3. Make a longitudinal incision in the bark and carefully separate it from the wood.
4. An oblique cut is made on the scion so that 15 cm and 2 healthy buds remain.
5. The cutting is inserted into the cut of the mother branch with the cut side inward.
6. The parts are wrapped with polyethylene, and the open areas are treated with wood ash.

Vaccination is performed in cloudy weather after lunch, no later than June 15.

Planting ready-made cuttings

Cuttings are planted in a temporary area according to a 70x70 cm pattern.. Water generously. Cover with polyethylene to protect from sunlight. The seedlings are left until next spring. During this time, they will have time to gain strength and form a powerful root system.

Cherries are transplanted to a permanent location at the end of May.. Maintain a distance between trees of 1 to 1.5 m. Care for them as for an adult shrub.

Features of cuttings depending on the type of cherry

The cutting methods described earlier are suitable for any type of cherry. The main thing is to follow the general rules for harvesting and subsequent planting.

Depending on the region

In the southern regions, cuttings are carried out from June 1 to June 15, but no later.

In the middle lane and northern areas - no later than July 10. But in the latter case, experienced gardeners recommend harvesting cuttings in the fall, leaving them in a container with soil until spring.

Further care

The process of rooting a tree cutting lasts up to 6 weeks.. It is considered difficult because the shoot has no roots and needs constant heat and high humidity.

Care is as follows:

1. Maintaining optimal day and night temperatures. New trees are germinated in closed greenhouses. They are opened a crack every week. Monitor the temperature: optimal values ​​day and night are from +20 to +27°C.
2. Regular abundant watering. Do not allow the soil to become waterlogged, otherwise the lower part will begin to rot and the root formation process will stop. Water as the top layer of soil dries. Up to 3 liters of water are poured under one cutting.
3. Avoiding drying out of seedlings. They are sprayed in hot weather with soft, slightly warmed water. In winter, the soil near the cuttings is covered with a thick layer of peat or fallen leaves. After the snow appears, rake a high snowdrift and make sure that an ice crust does not form on it. In spring, the soil around the seedling is compacted, watered abundantly with warm water and a layer of mulch is laid again.
4. Feeding. Only those cherries that have successfully overwintered are fed. The earth is watered and 2.2 g of superphosphate per 1 square meter is added. m plot. Feed 2-3 times throughout the season.

Care measures are carried out for another 1 year, and then the young cherries are replanted to a permanent place. The buds that appear are removed. Care for the plant as for an adult tree.

Advice from experienced gardeners

Cuttings require taking into account the following recommendations:

1. Only a healthy mother tree is selected. Otherwise, diseases of adult cherries will spread to young ones.
2. Comply with care measures. Control the temperature and irrigation regime.
3. In the southern regions, cuttings are harvested no later than June 15. In the northern regions they prefer to perform the procedure in the fall.
4. Separate the lower branches. The cut area is sprinkled with ash.
5. Use only clean, sharp tools.

Conclusion

Cuttings are an accessible and economical way to propagate cherries, but a beginner will find it difficult. In order to prevent the death of shoots during the rooting stage, it is important to follow the recommendations of experienced gardeners, water correctly, and maintain optimal temperature.