Garden Care Guide

Cherry Plum Care

Prunus cerasifera

A deciduous tree known for its abundant white/pink flowers that open before the leaves in spring. In Turkey its fruit is popularly eaten green ('can eriği'). Ornamental purple-leaved varieties are also common; it likes full sun and well-drained soil.

Hardy · -25 °C / -13 °F

Monthly care calendar

Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.

January
  • Pruning: Main pruning time. Shape pruning is carried out to open up the crown, improve light penetration, and remove branches that have lost productivity.
  • Plant protection: 2% Bordeaux mixture or copper-based preparations; applied against overwintering pest eggs (aphids, scale insects) and disease spores (peach leaf curl, brown rot).
  • General care: Pruning debris and mummified fruit should be removed from the garden.
  • Pests & diseases: Check the trunk and branches for scale insects (Coccoidea) and cankers.
  • Frost risk: The tree is hardy, but flower buds are sensitive.
February
  • Pruning: Finish pruning by the end of the month.
  • Plant protection: Just before the buds swell, repeat the Bordeaux mixture for Peach Leaf Curl (Taphrina deformans) and Brown Rot (Monilinia spp.).
  • General care: Flowering begins.
  • Frost risk: As the buds swell, sensitivity to frost increases.
March
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Fertilizing: Apply a balanced fertilizer or well-rotted organic fertilizer once when it wakes from dormancy. Because yield and fruit quality depend on nutrient balance, having a soil analysis done is especially useful for this plant.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Suitable period for planting and transplanting. Flowering continues.
  • Pests & diseases: During humid and cool periods, monitor the leaves and trunk for signs of mold, spots and rot.
  • Frost risk: Flowers are very sensitive to frost; it is the riskiest month.
April
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Flowering continues.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
May
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Spread a 5-7 cm layer of mulch over the root zone; it retains soil moisture and suppresses weeds. Do not pile mulch against the trunk.
  • Pests & diseases: If you see black spots with yellow halos on the leaves (black spot), collect the diseased leaves and remove them from the garden; the disease overwinters in fallen leaves. Check the fresh shoot tips for aphids (small clusters of green or black insects). If there are few, you can knock them off with a strong spray of water.
June
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. The root zone should be wetted to a depth of 30-40 cm.
  • Pruning: Do shaping and hedge pruning. Summer pruning during the vigorous growth period is preferred; it reduces the risk of silver leaf disease and bacterial canker. Protect large cuts with a wound sealant.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Harvest of ripe fruit.
  • Pests & diseases: If you see black spots with yellow halos on the leaves (black spot), collect the diseased leaves and remove them from the garden; the disease overwinters in fallen leaves. Check the undersides of the leaves for whitefly clusters. A yellow sticky trap is the easiest way to monitor density. Check the fresh shoot tips for aphids (small clusters of green or black insects). If there are few, you can knock them off with a strong spray of water.
July
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. The root zone should be wetted to a depth of 30-40 cm.
  • Pruning: Summer pruning can continue.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Help the tree build up energy for next year.
  • Pests & diseases: Check the undersides of the leaves for whitefly clusters. A yellow sticky trap is the easiest way to monitor density.
August
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. The root zone should be wetted to a depth of 30-40 cm.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • Pests & diseases: Check the undersides of the leaves for whitefly clusters. A yellow sticky trap is the easiest way to monitor density.
September
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
  • Pruning: Do the last formative pruning of the season; do not let it put out new shoots before frost.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Growth slows and the tree prepares for winter.
  • Pests & diseases: If you see black spots with yellow halos on the leaves (black spot), collect the diseased leaves and remove them from the garden; the disease overwinters in fallen leaves.
October
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days. Water newly planted plants more often than established plants during the first year; the root system is still shallow.
  • Fertilizing: As post-harvest fertilizing, a phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) heavy fertilizer can be given.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
  • Pests & diseases: During humid and cool periods, monitor the leaves and trunk for signs of mold, spots and rot.
November
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
  • Pests & diseases: During humid and cool periods, monitor the leaves and trunk for signs of mold, spots and rot.
December
  • Pruning: Once the tree is fully dormant, major pruning can begin toward the end of the month.
  • General care: Evergreen leaves continue to lose water in winter. Water thoroughly once before the soil freezes.

The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.

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