Pruning cherry tree

Hi
Recently moved into a house which has a couple of cherry trees, don't know the varieties. One of the trees had lovely sweet fruit on it earlier this summer, the other nothing. The non fruiting one is a nice shape and i'm not too bothered about it, except the lack of fruit, but perhaps it's a not fruit bearing one anyhow.

The fruit bearing one is in need of a trim, in that it's placed, leaning back towards the fence and it's growing over the fence and into next doors pine tree. The question is how can I prune it and get it growing back into my garden.
It's about 2m high and it's the main 'trunk' that's the concern. Can I trim the top off the tree, will this encourage growth lower down?
An help on this matter will be gratefully received. I will post a picture in a few hours when the sun comes up.

Cheers Tony

 

Piccies





Tony

 

Hi Tony

I'm not very experienced with cherry trees, but I did discover this PDF article by "Which?"; it has pictures so I saved it for future reference

Pruning Cherries

HTH

 

ty both for this thread.

We have a cherry tree in our new garden, and now I know I need to get out there and prune it in the next few weeks. One more thing to add to my to-do list!!

 

... of course, we moved in August, so I have no idea if it's a sweet or acid cherry (or if it even fruits!) I know all the trees have been neglected for at least 3 years, so I will do a "hard" sweet cherry prune. :-)

I'll take a before and after photo, and also a shot of the amber "ooze" coming out of some branches. I have a strong suspicion the tree is not long for this world. However, it's one end of my washing line , and whilst we will be replanting fruit trees, they will be apples, plums and greengages (further up the garden), so hopefully it will not contaminate the new stock in its remaining seasons...

 

I pruned it yesterday and hopefully it will be ok. Won't be upset if it doesn't fruit next so long as I've strengthened it by pruning. I'm also going to stake it and try to encourage it to lean towards my garden, who ever planted it, has it leaning back towards next doors garden and before pruning it was growing into their fir tree.

Tony

 

Ok, I've probably been far too light with the loppers and pruning saw. As I wobbled on my mini step-ladder, I suddenly realised I didn't even know what language the neighbours on the other side of the hedge spoke, to know how to call for help; never mind if they were in or not! The tree is about 20+ ft tall, so I just did the lower branches, and pruned out the sickest infection...
before - tree is stretching into the neighbouring pear to the left, and apple to the right


a clear gap between the trees, and lower dead and worst-diseased branches removed


a picture of the amber "ooze" I found. Limb was removed just above the fork to the right of the picture