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Cherry is one of the most popular fruit crops grown in Our Country. It is second in popularity only to the apple tree. If the bark on the cherry is cracked, then she needs help. The presence of cracks makes cherry trees defenseless against pests and various diseases. In the wounds resulting from cracking, rot and fungal infections appear. To prevent the cherry from dying, it is important to determine the causes as early as possible and take all necessary measures to save garden trees.
Even experienced gardeners cannot always immediately determine the reason why the bark on the cherry cracked.
Why does the bark on a cherry crack?
When choosing a cherry variety, gardeners need to take into account the weather characteristics of their region. Thus, growing crops with low frost resistance in a cold climate will lead to the formation of cracks and the complete death of cherry plantings.
The deformations of the crust are the result of a sharp drop in temperature and weather conditions. From heavy rainfall, the trunks are filled with moisture, which fills microcracks. The frosts that replace the rains turn the water into ice, which, expanding, breaks the bark in the weakest places.
Causes of cracks in cherry bark
A variety of factors can serve as a source of cracked bark on trees, from pest invasion to fungal pathogens and weather conditions.
The most common reasons are:
- Severe frosts lead to freezing of internal juices. Under the influence of expansion, the bark succumbs to pressure and cracks.
- Active sunlight forms red-brown spots on the bark. Their appearance indicates a strong overheating of the trunks and branches. As a result of a burn, entire sections of the bark crack and die.
- A large harvest in summer and heavy snowfalls in winter create an additional load, and the surface of the trees cracks.
- Insect pests, such as bark beetles, gnaw holes in the trunks through which the gum begins to flow.
- Too frequent feeding, as well as exceeding the recommended dosages when applying fertilizers, stimulate the intensive growth of cherries, which can cause cracked bark.
- The activity of rodents leads to cracking of the bark of wood at the base of the trunk.
Improper care can also lead to cracks. Some gardeners, in order to prepare cherries for the onset of cold weather, feed them with special preparations. This enhances the growth of young shoots, which, not having time to get stronger before the onset of frost, crack.
External Factors
To avoid possible situations associated with the fact that the bark bursts on the cherry, you must first choose the right place for planting seedlings. For cherry crops, sandy and loamy soils are the most suitable. The soil should pass air well and not retain excessive moisture. Trees should not be planted in low-lying, shady and wet areas. An incorrectly chosen place can later cause the bark to crack on the cherry.
For effective growth and development, the rules for planting fruit crops should also be observed. In order for the seedlings to take root in a new place, it is recommended to fertilize the site with organic additives. To do this, six months before planting, manure is added to the ground and dug to a depth of 20 cm. If the soil is too dense, it is necessary to add 10-20 kg of sand per 1 sq. m and deep plow the entire landing area.
Loose soil will create favorable conditions for the normal development of the root system of cherry crops and protect against cracking due to lack of nutrients.
Cherry does not tolerate neighborhood with such large trees as pine, linden, oak, which have a strong root system. Being in the same area next to these crops, young seedlings receive insufficient nutrition, which can lead to the fact that the bark exfoliates on the cherry.
An incorrectly chosen landing site and non-compliance with the rules of care often lead to cracks.
disease
Cracking may be the result of one of the serious diseases:
- Moniliasis. It is caused by a fungal pathogen and is accompanied by the drying out of entire branches, the appearance of cracks and gray spots, gum disease.
Cherries affected by monilial scorch appear burnt
- Black Cancer leads to cracking of the surface and partial exfoliation of the bark. In conditions of high humidity, the disease destroys cherries more intensively.
The main reason for the appearance of black cancer is the neglect of preventive treatments.
- false tinder fungus – a yellow or dark brown hoof-shaped mushroom. Appears on the bark of cherries, making the wood soft. Weakened trees crack and can break even from a small physical impact.
The surface of the tinder fungus is covered with small cracks
- Gommoz. A crack in the bark of a cherry that releases gum may indicate uncontrolled use of fertilizers. Cherries growing on acidic or very wet soils are also susceptible to gum disease.
The release of gum is accompanied by cracking of the cherry
vermin
Another reason that the bark on the cherry cracked may be insects.
The most dangerous pests include:
- Wrinkled sapwood. Eating out the inner layers of the bark, small black bugs leave behind passages through which tree sap begins to ooze. Irrigation of cherries with 3% Bordeaux liquid will help get rid of insects.
The bark and shoots located above the damaged areas die off completely.
- Bark beetle gnaws through many passages in the cherry trunk, as a result of which a large surface area cracks and dies. Cherries should be treated with chemicals – Metaphos, Chlorophos.
The bark bursts at the point where the bark beetle enters the trunk.
- The beetles lay their eggs in the folds of the trunk. The offspring eat leaves, shoots and bark, causing it to crack. The larvae of the borer can be washed with a jet of water.
Aggressive stem pests of cherries, borers, come in many different species and colors and are often the culprit for cracked bark on cherries.
- Khrushchev (May beetle) displays larvae in the near-stem circle. The offspring eats the lower layers of the bark and part of the roots, which leads to the drying of the trees. Loss of nutrients can cause the stem to crack in cherries.
To protect cherries from the invasion of May beetles, the soil is sprayed with a product prepared from 200 g of Bordeaux mixture and 10 liters of water.
So that the bark does not crack on the cherry, pest control should be a combination of agrotechnical and chemical methods. Digging near-stem circles and spraying plantings with special preparations will protect the culture from the destructive activity of insects.
Rodents
During the summer, cherry trees are exposed to various diseases and insects. In the cold season, plantings may suffer from rodent activity. Mice-voles, rats and beavers gnaw at the lower part of the bark, roots and branches. From the damage received, young seedlings dry out and die.
The greatest harm to the fruit crop is caused by hares, forced to feed on the underground part of the trunks. This is often the reason why the bark on the cherry cracked in winter. Moles and shrews, although they dig up the roots of plants, feed on insects and worms and do not pose a danger to cherries.
What to do if the bark on the cherry burst
If the bark of the cherry tree is cracked, the wounds found must be decontaminated. The choice of means depends on what caused the cracking.
Areas that burst as a result of sunburn or severe frosts are lubricated with a weakly concentrated solution of potassium permanganate. Processing is carried out in the morning and in the evening. To avoid infection, damaged areas are treated with a mixture prepared from 200 g of copper and 10 liters of water.
The place of cracking becomes a source of infection and active activity of insect pests.
A broken trunk in most cases can be restored. To do this, the cracked area is carefully cleaned, pulled together with wire and plentifully covered with garden pitch. If everything is done correctly, the crack should heal in 2-3 months.
Prevention of the appearance of cracks in the bark
So that the bark does not crack on the cherry, it is necessary to take a number of preventive measures. It is best to do this in autumn or spring, when plantings are prepared for the onset of cold weather or flowering.
Preventive measures:
- To protect the trunks in winter from frost, they are tied with paper or burlap to keep warm. Mulching the soil with sawdust will retain moisture and protect the roots from freezing.
- Gardeners should monitor the load on the cherry branches so that the bark does not crack on them. In winter, it is necessary to control the amount of sticking snow and remove its excess. In summer, berries should be harvested in a timely manner, and during their ripening period, props for branches should be installed.
- So that the activity of rodents does not lead to the fact that the bark on the cherry cracked, the trees are wrapped with roofing material, coated with a mixture of clay and manure. The branches are sprayed with carbolic acid.
- Experienced gardeners recommend furrowing to provoke a thickening of the trunks. To do this, at the beginning of summer, with a sharp knife, cut the bark to its entire depth from the ground itself to the skeletal branches, trying not to damage the wood. Such a procedure will speed up the healing of wounds and not only prevent the bark from cracking on the cherry, but also make the culture stronger and more durable. Furrowing is carried out on trees that have reached the age of three, with an interval of 1 time in 4 years.
- Autumn whitewashing will prevent the appearance of cracks and protect the cherry from possible wintering of insects in the bark.
Conclusion
If the bark on the cherry cracked, it is necessary to find out the cause of this condition as soon as possible. The appearance of cracks makes fruit crops defenseless against the effects of insects and various diseases. To prevent cracking, you should properly care for the trees and regularly implement preventive measures aimed at protecting cherry crops from pests and infections.
