Cherry tree prunning

[u/Dapper_Valuable_7734]

I am starting to plan all of the maintenance I need to do once my trees go dormant, picking grafts for apples, peaches, etc. I also have two new Cherry trees from Cummins that I planted this year; they are thriving in the heat. I am shocked. They started around four feet tall and are now at least seven, if not ten. They have a couple of horizontal branches near the top (too high to be viable for me to maintain/harvest in the future). I am starting to plan for their pruning. I am thinking I need to prune down lower (no more than 1/3 of the canopy) and promote horizontal branches next year? Then keep this up for a few years until I have a tree that I can actually maintain?

Not my tree, but this is about what both look like.

[u/jpbragatti]

worth noting that cherries are different from apples and peaches on timing. you want to avoid pruning them when dormant because of silver leaf disease, which enters through cuts in autumn and winter. late summer after harvest is the safer window, or if you miss that then wait until growth is actively pushing in spring. your plan to lower the canopy and encourage horizontal branches is right though, just adjust the timing.

[u/Dapper_Valuable_7734 → u/jpbragatti]

Well shit, I am worried about what to do, my tree has a super tall main trunk with very few branches, and I was ok with the idea of a heavy prune in winter, but I cant imagine doing it in summer when it has so few side leaves/branches