Overly trimmed cherry tree in winter

[Ramprat]

Hi

 

I came across this site looking for advice, I have a medium well established cherry tree in my front garden that has been a go producer of fruit but since we moved in a few years ago we hadn't trimmed it partly due to other expensive job's being required and partly due to the fear of killing it as my neighbours lost both of theirs to disease.

 

Unfortunately it had become to overgrown and was impacting on a public path so we knew we had to get it sorted soon and being caught of guard this afternoon by a gentleman who knocked on the door to ask if we wanted it done at a reduced cost as he was doing another tree nearby I agreed.

 

Dispite asking him if it was ok to cut it in winter and him saying it was ok to do ive since read that you shouldn't cut fruit, especially cherry trees, when I'm damp or wet weather is likely, I.e winter!!

 

If just had another look at the work done and again Dispite asking for just a light trim as I know you shouldn't remove more than 10-20% it appears he's removed much more than that, possibly up to 50 or 60%!!

 

Is there anything I can do to help and protect the tree? In the past I know people used to apply limb sealers etc but I believe in recent times this has been shown to cause more harm, is that correct, I also saw elsewhere something about burning the wounds to seal and protect them and something else about using a insecticide or antifungal wash but again no real firm advice, any help or information anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated id hate to think I've killed this tree due to a stupid split second mistake and an idiot who clearly shouldn't be trimming trees.

 

I've attached a picture for reference of before and after

[Steve Bullman]

Sorry to say but you've been well and truly had by cowboys on this occassion. All you can do is leave it and hope for the best

[maybelateron]

Sorry to say it, but this is the classic example of why not to fall for the knocking on doors brigade. If they were doing the job properly in the first place they would have enough work on, via good reputation, such that they don't need to knock on doors.

[jfc]

Oh dear, hope you didn't pay more than £100 for that butchery! I fear you probably paid a lot more.

[Stubby]

All brash to be left on site I see....

[Stere]

Habitat pile 🙂

 

Can't see from pic why it needed trimming at all as how was top blocking path?

[Rich Rule]

Oh well.  At least you won’t fall for a door knocker again.

 

Classic trick.

 

Not a lot you can do I’m afraid.

[Lowestoft Firewood]

Doubt you will kill it but it will sprout and look proper naff for a good few years and probably not produce any fruit for a while. 

 

Prune the bottom branch off and most of the other smaller ones remaining and it should resprout in spring. 

 

Oh and learn your lesson to not be had by pikeys

[Mark armstrong]

You could of dun a better job yourself terrible that is a would be making him pay me for that mess 

[Will C]

Words escape me, personally I wood fell and replant, the ongoing care will cost as much longer term to get a decent tree back, and a new tree will look far better and last longer. 

as to the mess left behind 🤦‍♂️
 

bloody pikeys are a major problem to the standards and way the industry is viewed by the public 🤬

[Ramprat]

Thanks for all the replies

 

3 hours ago, maybelateron said:

Sorry to say it, but this is the classic example of why not to fall for the knocking on doors brigade. If they were doing the job properly in the first place they would have enough work on, via good reputation, such that they don't need to knock on doors.

Yeah I'm usually very good and never use door step trade but I was having a bad day health wise and was caught of guard and another company had be working on the trees on the communal park opposite earlier in the week and I incorrectly thought it was the same people as they said they were only offering there services as they were doing work nearby sadly i was wrong.

 

3 hours ago, Stubby said:

All brash to be left on site I see....

Actually that's the only good outcome 😆 they wanted to take it but I made them leave it as we have a log burner so ill chop and season it for next year, there's some nice bits in there so I guess they were thinking they could either use it or sell it, now that I think about it its probably the reason they chopped so much off 🤬🤬

 

3 hours ago, Stere said:

Habitat pile 🙂

 

Can't see from pic why it needed trimming at all as how was top blocking path?

Ha, yeah the hedgehogs will love it.

 

The top was fine they were only ment to be thinning the top out as there was lots of small growth blocking light the rest of the tree lower down, the main issue was lower down on the side opposite the view in the photo as there were lots of smaller lower branches that were hanging over the path but it only needed cutting back and thinning.

 

In the past i would have done it myself, i did our trees in the back garden when we moved in and they are going strong but my health has got very bad over the last 2 years and so lots of stuff i used to attempt myself im now having to get people in and on this occasion I f***** up guess i'll just have to keep my fingers crossed and see if I get any growth come spring otherwise I might have to consider what Will C suggested and replace it, it will just be a shame as it was a fantastic producer and we used to be able to collect enough for the neighbours and have plenty left over to make jams and other things, ive got two big jars of cherries from spring sat flavouring vodka for Christmas under my stairs 😁

 

Appreciate the Frank advice, if anyone does think of anything else I could do to give it a fighting chance or what signs i should watch out for that might show its picked up a disease then please let me know.

 

Thanks