We live in Southern Spain. Our cherry trees have had buds on them for months now, but the buds just do not open. Additionally, there are now leaves sprouting from the trunks - these trees are young, maybe 4 years old.
What´s happening, and what should I do about the new growth on the trunks?
Hi Norman
How tall are the cherry trees? Are they standards? If they are small and standards then they will probably be grafted. Check the area where the branches come from the trunk. Is it bulbous and is there wax or a join mark of somekind? If so then strip any growth on the trunk as this will mean it is reverting to the rootstock which will not be the same as the top. This could also be a sign of stress on your tree as the buds are not yet open. The root stock will be a stronger plant than the top. Give it a good feed and make sure there are no weeds in competition with it around the base. Also check if it needs watering. If so give it lots (at least a watering can full)in one go and then leave it and see what happens.
If it is not grafted then check if the top branches are dying back. If so then this is also a sign of stress usually lack of water and nutrients. If you leave the lower branches to grow you will lose some of the top growth. It is reducing its size to stay alive. We have seen a lot of this happen in Britain as there has been so little rain this spring.
How tall are the cherry trees? Are they standards? If they are small and standards then they will probably be grafted. Check the area where the branches come from the trunk. Is it bulbous and is there wax or a join mark of somekind? If so then strip any growth on the trunk as this will mean it is reverting to the rootstock which will not be the same as the top. This could also be a sign of stress on your tree as the buds are not yet open. The root stock will be a stronger plant than the top. Give it a good feed and make sure there are no weeds in competition with it around the base. Also check if it needs watering. If so give it lots (at least a watering can full)in one go and then leave it and see what happens.
If it is not grafted then check if the top branches are dying back. If so then this is also a sign of stress usually lack of water and nutrients. If you leave the lower branches to grow you will lose some of the top growth. It is reducing its size to stay alive. We have seen a lot of this happen in Britain as there has been so little rain this spring.