There are several reasons why cherry trees dry up. Inadequate pruning, pest attack, diseases, water stress…
Inadequate cherry tree pruning
Improperly cherry pruning, especially if cutting the main branches, can cause irreversible damage to the tree.
Cherry trees can dry out if major cuts are made to the branches and healing paste is not applied to pruning wounds. Since cherry wood can be attacked by various fungi.
In addition, the absence of branches to protect the cherry tree from sunburn can dry out the exposed sap cords. This can generate burns of varying degrees on the tree, which produce weakness.
Failed grafts
When crown grafting is performed on old cherry branches there is some probability of failure that can cause the cherry branch to dry out. Similarly, although less frequently, English graftsmade on cherry seedlings can fail, causing the tree to dry out.
Pest Attack
The headworm is the main cause of cherry tree death. It affects both cherry seedlings and adult trees. It first deals with weaken trees, cutting their leaves and damaging the buds Once the tree’s vigor is reduced, it reproduces, laying eggs on the trunk Bighead worm larvae feed on the cambium (cherry tree bark), cutting off the flow of brewed sap to the roots and causing the cherry tree to dry out.
Diseases
Some diseases of cherry trees, such as the silver fungus (Chondrostereum purpureum), can dry out entire branches or even the tree if pruning tools are not disinfected.
The Xylella fastidiosa, popularly known as olive ebola, can also infect and dry out cherry trees.
Root asphyxia
The cherry tree is a tree that is not very tolerant of root asphyxia. This can cause cherry trees to dry out before they can even produce. For this reason, it is recommended to use resistant patterns such as Adara in areas prone to waterlogging.
Water stress
Water stress is a major cause of weakness in cherry trees. The cherry tree is a tree adapted to temperate zones, which needs a certain freshness to vegetate well. Its plantation in hot and dry areas must be carried out with support irrigation to prevent the cherry trees from drying out due to water stress. Cherry tree seedlings during the first years are especially susceptible to drying out due to water stress in rainfed crops.
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We have translated the information on our website from Spanish to English. Please note that some words may have had their meaning altered during translation.