How to Care for a Weeping Cherry Tree

Weeping cherry trees create excellent ornamental trees for the landscape with their mounded weeping habit and abundant early spring blooms. A small tree indigenous to Japan, weeping cherry trees (Prunus subhirtella) develop at U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 8. Weeping cherry trees grow up to 40 feet tall and broad, but a lot of varieties stay under 20 feet. While not hard to care for, weeping cherry trees have some particular needs which you must match to get the maximum from the tree.

Spread a balanced, acidic fertilizer starting 6 inches away from the weeping cherry tree back. Broadcast the fertilizer to just past the drip line in spring, when buds form.

Prune the cedar cherry straight after it blossoms in the spring. Remove water sprouts, or limbs that grow upright, and some other dead limbs. Trim any branches that touch the ground. Make cuts at a 45 degree angle, about one-quarter inch away from buds. Thin out branches that rub against one another.

Remove any suckers that grow up around the base of the tree. Cut them off at ground level with pruning shears.

Water the tree — around 84 liters of water — once each week during dry periods. While weeping cherry trees don’t perform well in moist conditions, they require water to grow and blossom correctly, particularly in sandy soils.

Check for insect infestation, as scales, borers, aphids and spider mites all present problems for weeping cherry trees. Hand eliminate any insects and egg sacks. Remove wood. See to the tree with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap after the package directions.

Start looking for signs of disease, including yellowing and browning leaves, rotted places and dying limbs. Start looking for signs of canker, mildew and rot. Cut any diseased branches from the tree and dispose of them. See to the tree with fungicide, such as horticultural oil, as a preventive using the package directions as an outcome.

Lay a 3- to 4-inch layer of wood mulch around the tree. Initiate the mulch approximately 6 inches away from the base and spread it into your 3-foot diameter around the tree. This suppresses weed growth, keeps moisture and temperature levels in the soil and adds nutrients as it breaks.

See related

Comments are closed.