How to Trim a Bare Root Montmorency Cherry Tree

Dig a hole with a shovel in an area of your garden that receives full sun. The hole should be large enough to accommodate the root system of the cherry tree and should leave that the graft union 2 inches above the soil level.

Fill the hole with water and allow the water to drain. The water should take less than three hours to drain completely out of the hole or the soil does not have sufficient drainage. If the water takes longer than this time to drain, dig a hole in a different full-sun spot and perform the drainage test again.

Remove the packaging around the root system of the cherry tree. Examine the roots carefully. If you find broken roots or mushy roots, trim these off with the pruning shears. If you find long, thin roots circling around the root system, trim these off back to the point where they are part of the root ball.

Fill the bucket with cool water and submerge the roots of the cherry tree in the bucket for about six hours.

Remove the cherry tree from the bucket and transfer it to the prepared hole. Spread the roots out in the hole neatly and add dirt back into the hole over the roots. Hold the tree at the proper height with one hand and jiggle it slightly to help the dirt settle in around the roots. Fill the hole to the top with soil and tamp the soil down firmly with your hands.

Water the soil generously to saturate it completely.

Cut back the tree with pruning shears to leave one single whip without branches, approximately 30 to 34 inches tall.