Frequent reasons why cherries do not bear fruit, what to do with it and control measures

Cherry is a popular plant among summer residents and simply fruit lovers. The juicy fruits make excellent jam, compote, jam and wine. However, it happens that a tree that is unpretentious in care ceases to yield. There are many reasons for this, ranging from bad weather to improper care. Why cherries do not bear fruit, and what needs to be done to correct the situation, further.

Main reasons

The most common reasons for the lack of berries in cherries are:

1. Pollination deficiency or lack thereof.
2. Unfavorable climatic conditions.
3. Incorrect planting of seedlings and care.
4. Self-infertile variety.
5. Incorrect pruning and shaping of the tree.
6. Pests and diseases.
7. Plant age.

Each of these reasons can affect the yield of the fruit, so you need to know how to properly grow a fruit plant in order to delight yourself and others with delicious and juicy fruits every year.

Lack or deficiency of pollination

In the case when a fruit tree blooms profusely, but does not bear fruit, most likely the reason for this is the lack of pollination. More than half of cherry varieties are self-fertile. This means that when a flower is pollinated with its own pollen or pollen from a tree of the same variety, then 95% of the flowers will not bear fruit.

To avoid this, it is imperative to plant different varieties of cherries nearby. However, it happens, and it does not help. The reason is that not all cherry varieties pollinate each other well. It is recommended to ask a specialist for advice in order to plant the desired tree nearby.

Pollinators need to be attracted, for this in the spring, during flowering, spray the flowers with water with the addition of granulated sugar (a tablespoon of sugar per liter of water).

Unfavorable weather

Climatic conditions can also affect the formation of the fruit of the fruit tree. Even when the cherry blossoms profusely, but frosts come abruptly, heavy rains or persistent heat and drought begin, the harvest may not be at all.

Smoke fires around the tree area will help in case of frost. Thanks to the smoke, the air warms up and saves the ovaries from frost. And in order to save from drought or high humidity, the plants are stimulated by treatment with a solution based on boric acid (one tube of acid per 10 liters of water).

To facilitate the evaporation of moisture, it is necessary to loosen the soil around the plants, and during drought, water it every evening.

Improper fit and care

The annual yield of cherries is also affected by their location on the site. When planting a fruit tree, pay attention to the following:

1. So that later the cherry on the site can be propagated, it is necessary to purchase a graft seedling.
2. Cherries grow and bear fruit in neutral sandy loam soil. Avoid planting the tree in barren swampy ground or shady areas.
3. It is recommended to monitor the level of the root collar when planting a seedling; it should not be deeper than the soil level.
4. An orchard requires decent care: regular watering, loosening, fertilization, mineral dressing and pruning.

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If we neglect the growing conditions of the fruit tree, over time it will weaken, the number of fruits will decrease, the branches will no longer appear, and abundant gum will be noticeable along the crown.

Self-infertile variety

Most of the known cherry varieties are self-fertile. This quality suggests that cherries are unable to form ovaries without cross-pollination. A neighboring pollinator variety is required for fruit formation. Therefore, the abundant spring flowering of the fruit tree does not guarantee a rich harvest.

To increase the fruiting of fruits, the pollinator variety must be planted no further than within a radius of 25 meters. The next important point is the simultaneous flowering of two trees.

Important! Some of the cherry varieties are partially self-fertile. In principle, they can be fertilized with their own pollen, but for a bountiful harvest, a pollinator neighbor is needed.

Cutting and shaping errors

Another reason why cherries do not bear fruit is the thickened crown. This is rarely observed, but it is worth considering the recommendations for timely pruning of the tree.

In early spring, in March, pruning of dry shoots, sick, rotten and broken branches is carried out. And also those branches that grow deep into the crown. This procedure promotes the formation of new young branches that will bloom and bear fruit.

Common mistakes made when pruning a fruit tree:

1. Pruning shoots with flowers. The vital activity of such branches is no more than 3 years, however, if you remove them in advance, the cherry will stop bearing fruit.
2. Strong pruning. It is not recommended to excessively remove young shoots on the tree - this leads to a general weakening of the plant, as a result of which the yield is reduced.

Damage by diseases and pests

Lack of juicy cherries provoke disease. The most common of them are coccomycosis and moniliosis.

Coccomycosis can be identified by the presence of small red spots on the leaves of the tree. The disease begins to manifest itself from the last weeks of May. As a result of infection, diseased leaves dry quickly, curl into a tube and fall off.

Moniliosis. Young leaves, flowers, ovaries, as well as fruits dry up on the infected plant. The catalyst for the development of the disease is increased moisture during cherry blossom.

In order not to start the infection of plants with diseases, it is recommended to timely prune damaged and dry branches, as well as destroy pest nests.

Often, diseases are spread by pests, these include:

1. Cherry weevil... It not only contributes to the infection of the tree with the disease, but also itself affects the flowers and ovaries of cherries.
2. Fruit moths and aphids.

To avoid the appearance of harmful insects, you must carefully examine the fruit trees. In case of detection of the first signs of pests or various diseases, urgently take the necessary measures.

Old or too young tree

Early-growing cherry varieties begin to harvest in the third year after planting, others in the fourth. If after the specified period the plant does not bear fruit, you need to look for the cause of the problem.

An adult cherry bears fruit up to 15 years of age (with good care - up to 20 years). Therefore, when an old tree ceases to please with juicy fruits, it must be replaced.

How to make cherries bear fruit

When the cherry stops bearing fruit, eliminating all possible causes of trouble, gardeners increase the plant's yield in the following ways:

1. In the spring, when young leaves bloom, fertilizers are applied under the root of the tree.
2. During the period of bud formation, the tree is sprayed with a solution with the addition of boric acid. After the flowers bloom, the spraying is repeated.

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Symptoms and typical causes of immature fruit falling

It happens that gardeners do not have time to harvest juicy cherries. This is due to the shedding of ovaries and unripe berries. What is the origin of this phenomenon? There are several reasons.

Due to lack of moisture

Insufficient humidity as a result of bad windy weather and lack of rain. In view of this, the plant lacks mineral elements for the formation of ovaries and ripening of berries. When a clod of earth taken near the crown of a fruit tree easily crumbles in the hand, this is a clear sign of water shortage.

To remedy the situation, the cherries must be watered abundantly. A good time to water is after sunset. Grooves are dug around the tree trunk, water is poured into the same place. The amount of liquid should be enough to soak the ground to a depth of more than 40 centimeters. Watering can be combined with fertilizers.

Incorrect fertilization

Another reason for the premature shedding of green cherry berries is considered to be improper feeding with microelements or increased acidity of the soil on the site.

For this reason, the plant is not able to feed all the formed ovaries and fruits, and the lack of lime provokes the impossibility of bone formation.

To remedy the situation, in the first case, it is required feed the cherry tree mineral fertilizers or prepare a special mixture. To do this, it is necessary to mix potassium sulfate nitrate with superphosphate. The dosage is 20 grams per square meter (can be dissolved in water or simply scattered).

As for the acidity of the soil, the soil around the trees should be well watered with a solution of ash or chalk.

Due to disease

In addition to the above disease, cherry tree discards unripe fruits as a result of infection with clasterosporium. The disease begins with the appearance of brown spots on the leaves, then holes form and the leaves fall off. When the infection spreads to fruits or ovaries, they dry out and fall off.

To avoid this, when the first signs appear, it is necessary to get rid of the affected branches. For prevention, it is recommended to spray the cherry with Bordeaux liquid after flowering.

What needs to be done to preserve the harvest

In order for a rich harvest of juicy cherry berries to form and ripen after the flowering period, it is necessary to systematically care for the plant:

1. Water when there is persistent drought and no rain outside.
2. Timely carry out activities for pruning dry, sick, damaged by pests and unnecessary shoots.
3. Apply food for the fruit tree. The presence of various mineral fertilizers in the soil helps to increase the yield of cherries.
4. Carry out prevention against pests and diseases.

Preventive measures for good fruiting

To maintain and increase the yield of cherries, phosphorus-potassium supplements will not be superfluous. But nitrogen fertilization must be limited.

If it became noticeable that the tree began to bloom poorly, bear little fruit, it is recommended to stop manure fertilization. It does not allow the plant to prepare for the period and winter cold and provokes incomplete maturation of buds and shoots.

To prevent moniliosis, it is recommended to spray the cherries with copper-containing preparations or a solution of copper sulfate (100 grams per 10 liters of water).

It must be remembered that the processing of a fruit plant with chemicals is carried out strictly according to the instructions. Also, when spraying, respiratory protection and gloves must be worn.