Four simple steps to pruning cherry trees on Gisela and other productive rootstocks

Published January 2007.Reviewed August 2016. Please check for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalogTree vigor is important because more leaves mean more carbohydrate production and larger cherries. The production of high-quality cherries requires a gross canopy leaf area-to-fruit ratio of at least 200 cm2 of leaf area per fruit, which roughly translates to five leaves per fruit. Trees with a lower LA:F ratio are unable to manufacture enough carbohydrates to produce premium cherries. Pruning strategies for trees on productive rootstocks should focus on the following:\ud • Thinning cuts to remove pendant (downward hanging) and weak wood and to improve light\ud penetration into the tree\ud • Stub cuts to reduce crop load and renew spurs\ud • Heading cuts to encourage branching (leaf production) and reduce crop loa