Weeping Cherry trees
- Gay_Klok
- Carol Wallace
- TODDLERMOM01
- Carol Wallace
- Treeman
- rowlandr
- Carol Wallace
- cranberryhouse
- Carol Wallace
- cranberryhouse
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» Gay_Klok - Re: Re: Hi!Could someone please tell me if they ever prune t
In response to message posted by CarolWallace:I did once follow instructions on the tag that came with a standard Prunus "Okumiyako" and cut all the branches back. I was planting at the right time, very late Fall or early Winter, and it has been a great shape ever since. It is in the town garden and very beautiful.
It is recommended that you treat your new Rhododendrons the same way and be patient in waiting another year for the flowers. It will certainly make a bushier plant but who has the patience? :=]
It is recommended to
-- posted by Gay_Klok
» Carol Wallace - Re: Re: Re: Hi!Could someone please tell me if they ever prune t
In response to message posted by Gay_Klok:My rhododendrons are usually so small when I buy them that I'm quite accustomed to waiting a year or two to see flowers.
If nothing else, gardening has taught me patience.
But still - it's hard to sacrifice that first peelkat all of a plant's flowering glory. They say the same about roses - but it's SO hard to resist!
-- posted by Carol Wallace
» TODDLERMOM01 - Re: Generally speaking they shouldn't need much pruning. An ex
In response to message posted by Cottage_Garden:My neighbor has a weeping cherry and the bottom portion is definitely weeping. It must be in the ground 3 years and it has grown considerably. The problem is that the portion above the weeping is not weeping. Will it weep when the branches mature?
-- posted by TODDLERMOM01
» Carol Wallace - Re: Re: Generally speaking they shouldn't need much pruning. A
In response to message posted by TODDLERMOM01:Those straight branches may be errant branches that should be cut out - but I won't swear to it. I'm going to see if I can't get out resident Treeman to come in and give your question a look.
I will say that almost any branch emerging from mine has had a definite downward direction so there may be a problem at the graft of the tree you describe.
-- posted by Carol Wallace
» Treeman - Re: Re: Generally speaking they shouldn't need much pruning. A
In response to message posted by TODDLERMOM01:Weeping Cherries as we know them are interesting in that in order to attain the upright form with a weeping mop at the top, the tree has usually been grafted twice. A cherry selection noted for straight up right growth is grafted to a root stock, this stout straight shoot then is severed at the height where the weeping mop is desired and a scion of wood having the desired weeping chacteristic is grafted at this point.
In a normal weeping standard any upright growing shoots that emerge at or just below the weeping branches need to be prunned out as these will take over the tree and through the phenomenon of apical dominance and cause the weeping shoots to be suppressed. They will gradually die off.
In your situation, it sounds like the root stock is from a weeper- thus the sprawling habit of the base. It is precisely this behavior that is desired and transferred to the top of the upright cherry stem in the second graft. I suspect the entire top and upper portion of the tree died back, leaving the lower portion of the straight middle scion alive. This has taken over and is now growing upright as is its nature. It will not weep. While the top was dead and with out an actively growing shoot, there was no expression of apical dominance, and the root stock sprouted from dormant buds.
So in effect you have a weeper in reverse. maybe somewhat interesting to talk about, definitely not a specimen that was sought. My advaise would be to pull it up and start with a new one, unless an upright flowering cherry is acceptable in that location. What will the bloom look like? God only knows till it happens. On second thought start anew with a known quality.
-- posted by Treeman
» rowlandr - weeping cherry
I have two weeping cherries that were planted last August (late winter here in Australia). They were two years old when bought from the nursery and stand about 7 feet tall.The trunk looks healthy as do most of the branches however many branches have died back about 9 inches. There are lots of buds on the branches but the plant failed to come into leaf in spring.
My questions are
1. Should I cut back the dead parets of the branches?
2. How much water should I put on the plants?
3. Can I expect the plants to weep this spring?
Any help would be greatly appreciated as I am very much a novice gardener.
-- posted by rowlandr
» Carol Wallace - Re: weeping cherry
In response to message posted by rowlandr:I'm no tree expert - you'd be bestter off asking WEes, our treeman who posted just before you - just click on Mid-Atlantic gardener in his signature to get to his topic.
But yes, definitely remove dead branches and weak ones. Trees don't actually "know" that those are dead ans so expend energy trying to send life out to them that they really need to send to their leaves.
As Wes noted above, cherry trees are grafted. Have you checked the grafts on these trees? Do they seem to be OK or do you see anything like insect damage, weeping and oozing sap or anything? I'm trying to get a handle on why the branches would have died back and why it would fail to leaf.
Unfortunately all new trees need a lot of water their first few years in the ground - something that it may be tough for you to provide during your drought. At a very minimum they need an inch of water a week in good times. As new trees, I try to give mine a good soaking weekly - leaving those hose on trickle at its base for an hour or two.
-- posted by Carol Wallace
» cranberryhouse - starting weeping cherry trees
Hi, I purchased a weeping cherry tree today and I was wondering if it is possible to start another one with the part I am cutting off. I am cutting off about 2 feet of the top because it looks like a complete tree and then there is about 2 feet of just trunk and then a couple of branches on the top. It kind of looks like a poodle. If I can start another one, it would be great. I am aware that I need to tar the cut.It is not an old tree. Thanks!
-- posted by cranberryhouse
» Carol Wallace - Re: starting weeping cherry trees
In response to message posted by cranberryhouse:You would need another rootstock to graft the weeping portion to. Most weeping cherry standards that you see are actually grafts - they go onto the rootstock of a regular cherry tree with a straight stem. Otherwise the weeping part will sort of weep over the ground and not get any taller. And that is provided you can get the cut off portion to root.
Your tree may look like a poodle now because it is young - but when the branches start growing those top ones will weep downward and fill in what appears to be a blank right now. I know with mine I need to go out and trim the branches every spring because even at 9' tall the branches are still longer than the tree is high and I have them dragging on the ground until it gets its summer haircut.
-- posted by Carol Wallace
» cranberryhouse - Re: Re: starting weeping cherry trees
In response to message posted by CarolWallace:Thanks Carol, maybe you can help me with this? One reason I wanted to cut the top off was that I would like it to stay small like it is. I realize that according to the card it should get 8-10 feet tall and I would like it if it stayed like a dwarf. If I tried to start one, I understand what you mean about it not getting taller and just weeping but how could you start one with just using the cut trunk and top. I think it would be fun to try. I am definately no greenthumb but maybe I can learn something. Thanks again.
-- posted by cranberryhouse
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