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Can anyone advise me as to when I should prune my morello cherry tree? It is in a large pot and was given to me earlier this year. The branches are well covered in fruit, but they - the branches - grow every whichway and I would like to get it looking a bit neater. Question is - do I prune before or after harvesting the fruit?
Tricia

I think cherries have to be pruned in summer, we just take out crossing branches and open out the middle a bit, also anything that's diseased and broken   :)
I'm not sure if it's cherries or just plums ?

I've also read that cherries and plums should be pruned in summer. My question is - before or after fruiting. I'd hate to have to remove branches full of unripe fruit.

Tricia

Definitely after fruiting I'd say. It's how I've always done it and it works fine.

I always prune mine after I harvest the fruit.

Thanks - glad to have that problem solved. We'll be netting the tree tomorrow - the blackbirds got every single fruit last year  >:(. It's my turn this year.

Tricia

You may want to have a look at what you want to prune now though. It might sound obvious, but it's easy to see the branches that are bearing fruit at this time of year, and you might want to preserve those and cut others out. Loosely tie pieces of twine to mark the ones you want to cut.

Thanks for that Jenny. There is just one twiggy branch that has no fruit on it, so out it will come when pruning starts. Thank heavens it is only a small tree and not too difficult to net - though some branches had to be tied in a bit.

Tricia