Tree trimming

So, a friend was looking at my cherry tree, and telling me I need to do some trimming. Apparently late summer is the time to trim a cherry tree, so here we are.



He mentioned the "suckers", sticking straight up out of the tree, saying they need to go. I assume he means these:



Any advice? I know how to prune a tree, but aside from cutting out dead stuff on some healthy trees, have only ever worked on shaping walnuts and pines. I'm not really sure where to start on this one, particularly since most of those "suckers" are very hard to get at, without harming something else. They're really buried in the tree.

Start with the dead, next the branches that inter fear with each other(rub or wind around) Then the sucker or branches that are growing back into the tree or down. Then I try to give the tree some shape, if there is a questionable branch I pull it back to get an idea of what it would look like without it.

Is this tree productive (you eat the fruit) or ornamental? That will make a difference on how to prune it. Either way, wait until February.

This is just ornamental, and there's no dead in it. All branches are good / viable.

Thanks, guys!

Only thing I would add that its still in the furit family so open the center up some for more air movement.

+1 on waiting till feb (assuming Philly) This will invigorate the tree and it will grow fast, so you can prune pretty heavy. If you ain't worried about cutting too much, you're probably not pruning enough. Branches that cross others or grow down can get clipped too.

I'll take one Pat's, wit onions and provelone, and a Geno's wiz

Thanks, guys! February it is, then.

Two things you can't buy outside the greater Philly / New York area:

1. Good pizza.
2. A real cheesesteak.

That said, try Tony Luke's. Better than Pat's or Geno's.

Spent a day on south street selling fruit at a farmers market back in college. Gave a gut 20 bucks to juggle cantalopes and other stuff. for 2 hours Sold out early, did the cheesesteak thing, and split. South Street was awesome -loved every minute!

- And that's coming from a Pittsburgh kid