Why do cherries crack

Gardeners who have planted cherries in their garden usually hope for a plentiful and tasty harvest for many years. It is all the more insulting when a cherry cracks, which seems to be looked after according to all the rules of agronomic science. This problem is typical both for sweet cherry fruits and for its bark, branches and especially the trunk in its various parts, regardless of the region where the fruit crop is grown.

Why the trunk is cracking, as well as the fruits of the sweet cherry, how to deal with these misfortunes and what preventive work should be carried out – you can learn about all this from the article.

Why do cherries burst

The main reason why cherries crack is an excess of moisture in both the soil and the air. In general, all stone fruits can hardly tolerate waterlogging of the soil, and as for sweet cherries, they are especially sensitive to it. That is why cherries are categorically not recommended to be planted in lowlands where water accumulates, or where groundwater is high.

In years with high rainfall, the harvest may be minimal, and if the root system is seriously wetted, cherry trees may even die in the coming winter.

Cracking of the bark of sweet cherry trees can, along with waterlogging, cause large temperature fluctuations in winter and especially in early spring. These are the so-called sunburns and frostbites. The combination of these factors within one year can be especially dangerous.

When small individual cracks appear, the cherry tree itself will take up their treatment and, under favorable conditions during the summer period, will be able to cope with the healing of wounds. Another thing is if the cracks are large and in unfavorable places (in the forks of branches and trunks), especially if various pathogens get into them. In these cases, the trees have little chance of survival.

Problems and diseases of the cherry bark and their treatment

Cracks in the bark on the trunk or branches of sweet cherries are initially only an aesthetic problem. But if left unattended, the consequences can be more than serious.

When the bark and trunk of the cherry crack, infectious diseases can develop:

• bacterial cancer;
• false tinder fungus;
• sulfur yellow fungus.

Non-infectious is gum treatment.

When an infection enters a crack in a cherry tree, diseases of the first group develop, which are very difficult or almost impossible to fight. Therefore, prevention and timely treatment of wounds in cherry trees is very important.

During gum disease, a sticky translucent mass is released in various places on the trunks and branches of cherries – gum, which hardens in the form of vitreous drops.

Symptoms of the disease are especially active:

• on acidic or waterlogged soils;
• after applying high doses of fertilizers, especially nitrogen;
• when sweet cherries are weakened by infectious diseases such as monoliosis, clasterosporiasis;
• after damage to the bark of sweet cherries as a result of frost or sunburn.

In fact, gum disease is the reaction of a tree to any damage or weakening.

Why do the bark and trunk on the cherry crack?

The primary source of all diseases of the bark and trunk of sweet cherries is the appearance of cracks, therefore, first of all, it is necessary to understand in detail the reasons leading to this phenomenon.

• As mentioned earlier, one of the main reasons that the bark of sweet cherries is cracking is excessive soil moisture. As a result, the young bark begins to grow rapidly, and the old, not so elastic, cannot withstand such pressure and cracks.
• An equally common cause is exposure to contrasting temperatures. It is especially dangerous for cherry trees in early spring, when the sun begins to warm very intensely. Scientists measured the temperature on the southern sunny side of the tree trunk in February – March: it reached 15 … 20 ° C. At the same moment, the ambient air temperature in the shade was -15…-18 °C. The sap of trees in the sun liquefies under the influence of heat, and then freezes – as a result, cracks appear on the bark.
• No less dangerous are sunburns, which look like brown or reddish spots on the branches or trunks of sweet cherries. In these places, under the influence of sunlight, the process of photosynthesis begins, although not as active as in the leaves. But the substances formed as a result of its activity have nowhere to go: in winter, there are no growth points, and energy can be spent on the development of all kinds of infections that are dormant in the tree.

  

• Another reason for the appearance of gum disease and, as a result, the formation of cracks on the sweet cherry are mistakes made when pruning a tree (untimely or excessive pruning).
• Incorrect planting of sweet cherries, especially excessive deepening of its root neck, can also lead to the fact that the bark of the tree cracks.
• In addition, all stone fruits, and especially sweet cherries, have a predisposition to the appearance of cracks on the trunk due to the growth characteristics of stem cells.

Therefore, it is very important not to overdo it with the application of nitrogen-containing mineral and organic fertilizers, which affect the growth and development of plants.

What to do if the bark on the cherry has burst

First, you should optimize the irrigation regime, try not to overmoisten the soil in which the cherry grows.

Unfortunately, to deal with constant heavy rains is beyond human power. Therefore, the question arises: what to do when the cherry trunk has already burst.

1. Whatever the size of the damage to the bark on the trunk, it must be cleaned with a sharp tool to a living tissue and slightly dried.
2. After that, treat with any 1–3% solution containing copper sulphate (Hom, Oksikhom, Bordeaux mixture). To do this, dilute 100-300 ml of the solution in 10 liters of water. It is necessary to spray so that the mixture does not drain from the bark, but settles in a crack.

It is good if the edges of the wound on the bark have a light shade: this means that the damage to the trunk is caused by purely physiological causes and the infection has not yet been introduced.

If the edges of the bark are brown or it is completely impossible to clean the wound (for example, due to its inconvenient location), then more intensive treatment will be required. In this case, you can use a solution of nitrofen. This is a rather serious fungicide that can destroy all the infection on dead wood, while it practically does not penetrate into living tissue. But in working with it, special precautions must be observed.

After treatment with fungicides, the crack in the tree should be closed with one of the suitable putties. The easiest way is to use a garden var. But not every var promotes good healing of wounds on a tree. Before using (purchasing), you need to study the composition of this tool.

Compositions based on natural beeswax, resin of coniferous trees, vegetable oils, and protective phytoncides have a good effect on cracks in cherry trees.

Garden var is easy to prepare with your own hands.

You need to cook:

• 2 parts spruce or pine resin;
• 1,5 parts of linseed oil;
• 1 part turpentine;
• 1 part beeswax.

Melt all the ingredients in a water bath and mix well.

If, as a result of exposure to a garden pitch, a crack in a cherry tree still does not heal for a long time, you can try periodically lubricating the wound with putty made from greasy clay and horse or cow manure.

A natural recipe is effective for wound healing, according to which trees were treated several centuries ago:

• manure – 16 parts;
• chalk or dry lime – 8 parts;
• wood ash – 8 parts;
• river sand – 1 part.

The disadvantage of putties is that they are quickly washed off by rain. But on the other hand, they do not interfere with the natural overgrowth of wounds and give a protective and healing effect.

How to deal with cracks in the trunk of a cherry: prevention

• The most common reasons for the appearance of cracks on the trunk of sweet cherries are weather conditions: frosts and heavy rainfall. Therefore, one of the main preventive means of control is the selection and planting of cherry varieties that are suitable according to the requirements for the climatic conditions of the area.
• Also, when planting a tree, it is necessary to choose an elevated place with a deep level of standing groundwater.
• Planting should be carried out in accordance with all the rules, in no case deepening the root neck or the grafting site of the cherry seedling. It is better if they rise above the ground by a few centimeters.
• The soil for planting should not be too acidic (pH in the range of 5,5–6,5), otherwise lime or at least wood ash must be added.
• Do not allow excessive moisture, especially if it is rainy weather. It is best to grow cherries using drip irrigation.
• Regular staining of trunks and lower branches with garden whitewash in the autumn and repeating the procedure in early spring, if necessary, helps well against frost and sunburn. You can also additionally protect tree trunks by tying them with spruce branches, straw or spunbond.

• As a preventive measure for the appearance of cracks on the sweet cherry, the trunk is treated annually with an ash-soap solution. 10-2 kg of ash and 3 g of soap are dissolved in 50 liters of hot water, and then the branches and trunk are abundantly lubricated with a rag soaked in the solution. This procedure can be carried out even twice a year: in spring and autumn, since it not only disinfects the bark, but is also a good top dressing.

The bark leaves the cherry: causes and treatment

There can be several reasons for peeling the bark of a sweet cherry from the trunk.

1. Large temperature difference in early spring, when the crust swells and expands during a sunny day, and contracts on a frosty night, but it can no longer stand in its original place. There is a peeling of the bark from the tree trunk. Most often, this process can be observed from the south and south-west sides. As a prophylaxis and treatment, it is necessary to protect the trunks in the fall with the help of whitewashing or mechanically, tying them with covering material or spruce branches.
2. Bacterial stone cancer – a disease that is practically untreatable. In this case, the bark can die from any part of the world.

If cracks have already appeared, then furrowing will be a wonderful remedy against their increase. This method can also be used for prevention starting from the 4–5th year of the life of the sweet cherry. The best period for the procedure is April – May.

With a sharp and clean knife, furrows about 15 cm long are carefully cut on the bark. Then, after making a gap of several centimeters, the next furrow is cut; this can be done along the entire length of the trunk.

It is important that the depth of the furrow is no more than 3 mm, the knife should not cut through the wood, but only the bark.

Stepping back 7-9 cm, you can cut through the next furrows.

Cambium begins to grow intensively in the region of the furrows – the wounds heal quickly, and at the same time, excess tension of the cortex is removed. Cracks, if they appear, are also quickly healed. As a result, the thickness of the trunks of trees increases rapidly, they grow better and bear fruit more abundantly.

The bark on the cherry tree has peeled off: causes and methods of treatment

 Exfoliation of the bark on the sweet cherry and a decrease in the number of fruits suggests that the tree lacks three trace elements that are responsible for cell plasticity:

• sulfur;
• molybdenum;
• magnesium.

Foliar feeding can help cherries. Such spraying with the above preparations must be carried out immediately after flowering and a second time after harvesting.

In addition, the bark must be lightly peeled and thoroughly whitewashed with chalk.

Why do cherry fruits crack on a tree

The main causes of fruit cracking on cherries are a lack or excess of moisture.

Possible reasons

Cherry fruits crack when moisture accumulates on the surface of their skin in unlimited quantities. This may be due to adverse weather conditions and too abundant watering.

Another reason for the cracking of the fruit of the sweet cherry is the oversaturation of the roots of the tree with moisture. Moreover, this can also happen during prolonged rains – in this case, the upper part of the berries most often suffers. And if the watering was uneven or after a long drought a heavy downpour hit, the berries appear cracks mainly on the sides.

With the receipt of abundant moisture by the tree, the berry begins to rapidly increase in size, and the skin does not keep up with it and breaks. Berries can be eaten, juices and compotes can be made from them, but cherries are no longer suitable for sale.

How to prevent cracking of cherries

To prevent the appearance of cracks on the fruits of sweet cherries, it is necessary to provide uniform moisture to the trees. The easiest way to do this is with a drip irrigation device.

You can also use the following tips:

• In the spring, be more careful with watering and start abundant moisture only from May, when the leaf mass is growing, but only in dry weather.
• Regular moisturizing is especially important for sweet cherries with the beginning of flowering and after, during the growth of fruits. When the berries begin to ripen, watering can be slightly reduced.
• In the second half of summer, the amount of moisture is not so significant, but it is important to carry out abundant watering of cherry trees before winter when the first autumn frosts occur.

  

• Selecting and properly planting the right sweet cherry variety will also help to cope with this problem.
• The fruits of varieties such as Summit, Lapens, Yaroslavna, Valeria have a denser pulp, thick skin and are not so prone to cracking.

What are the drugs for cracking cherries

There are a number of drugs, the use of which can reduce the cracking of cherries. They cover the fruits with a transparent film, which increases the elasticity of the skin and prevents moisture loss.

The simplest remedy is to spray the trees with a solution of calcium chloride. Its disadvantage lies only in the fact that the fruits must be washed with water before use or sale to remove salt deposits.

Exceptionally natural origin is the preparation “Vodosbor” (from coniferous resin).

For protective purposes, the following drugs are used:

• 30-D;
• Kalbit C;
• Frutasol;
• Platinum;
• Fertilizer.

Many of the listed remedies not only protect sweet cherries from cracking, but also reduce the ripening time, and increase the size of the fruits and their sugar content.

Conclusion

Of course, cherries also crack as a result of circumstances beyond human control, but following some simple care rules can help, if not completely cope with the situation, then make life easier for both trees and gardeners.

A variety of drugs can come to the rescue, some of which you can do yourself.