How to prune sweet cherry 'sunburst'

After harvest in midsummer (July to August). After picking, remove dead and diseased wood, crossing branches, and any growth cluttering the centre. On fan-trained Sunburst, pinch back young sideshoots to five leaves in early summer, then cut them to three leaves post-harvest. Tie in replacement extension shoots. On free-standing trees, lightly thin the canopy to maintain airflow.

Annually after harvest. Sunburst is a self-fertile compact sweet cherry with large fruit. It shares the same pruning principles as other sweet cherries: prune after harvest in summer to reduce silver leaf risk, maintain an open-centre or fan form, and avoid heavy pruning in a single season. Sunburst's moderate vigour makes it more manageable than many older cultivars.

After picking, remove dead and diseased wood, crossing branches, and any growth cluttering the centre. On fan-trained Sunburst, pinch back young sideshoots to five leaves in early summer, then cut them to three leaves post-harvest. Tie in replacement extension shoots. On free-standing trees, lightly thin the canopy to maintain airflow.