When to prune cherry
Late winter to just before bloom. Late pruning lowers canker infection; prune in dry weather.
| Type | fruit tree |
|---|---|
| Blooms on | spurs/old wood |
| Bloom season | spring |
| When to prune | Late winter to just before bloom |
| Stop | No heavy pruning in the 6–8 weeks before your first fall frost |
Avoid
Wet-weather and fall pruning.
Example dates
| Place | Dates |
|---|---|
| Austin, TX (78701) | Feb 10–Mar 10 |
| Atlanta, GA (30303) | Feb 24–Mar 24 |
| St. Louis, MO (63101) | Mar 4–Apr 1 |
| Chicago, IL (60614) | Mar 13–Apr 10 |
| Denver, CO (80202) | Apr 2–30 |
| Seattle, WA (98101) | Feb 13–Mar 13 |
Every ZIP page has its own dates. Find your ZIP.
Find loppers: Lowe's · The Home Depot · Amazon · DoMyOwn
Retailer links are plain search links. We don't earn anything from them today; if we join a retailer's affiliate program later, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
Sources
- Penn State Extension: Pruning Fruit Trees
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC: Pruning Shrubs
Summarized in our own words from public extension publications.
Never miss a frost: get The Dial
Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
- Soil-temp heads-up
- Weekly yard to-dos
Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.