Weeping Cherry Tree Care and Pest Control

The weeping cherry tree, with its pink or white blossoms, will be a showpiece in your landscaped yard or garden. Maintain it and prevent pests and disease with these helpful hints.

Care and Maintenance of the Weeping Cherry Tree

This tree loves sunlight, along with well-watered and drained soil. Plant it near a stream or river's edge if you live near moving water. They can adapt to most soil conditions, but need plenty of moisture for the roots.

Use a combined nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizer via a soil injector every month, and water whenever the soil is dry. Establish a watering routine of a full soak twice a week. Wash the leaves at least once a week with high pressure from your water hose, to keep them clean and free of aphids and spider mites.

Pruning and Trimming

As many weeping cherry trees are grown from grafts, on rare occasions a new main leader branch will emerge at root level. Prune these back immediately to retain nutrients for the foliage, using well-sharpened shears. Make the smallest possible cut into the bark to avoid pest and fungal infestations.  

The foliage boughs will arch, then bend downward all the way to ground level. Trim the tips sparingly, keeping them just a few inches above the ground. Mulch the lawn out to the edge of the tree's shade patch, to prevent weeds and grass from competing for the tree's water supply.

Prune and trim a dwarf weeping cherry tree in the same manner, and apply a thick layer of mulch around its trunk.

Pest and Disease Control

A healthy, fertile weeping cherry tree in well-dampened soil will not attract pests and fungus infections. But aphids, borers and spider mites will attack if the tree begins to suffer the least bit of drought. Examine the leaves for yellow spots to detect the presence of spider mites. Use predator insects like pirate bugs, thrips and lady beetles to control all three of these pests. Avoid sprayed pesticides once you have imported these predator insects to your garden.

When watering, dampen the roots and leaves with a high-pressure stream from your garden hose. Wet down any sand or dirt pathways near the weeping cherry tree, to avoid airborne dust on the leaves. Spider mites cling more effectively to dusty leaves and prefer hot temperatures above 90 degrees F (32 C).

Remove tent caterpillars as soon as you see their first wisps of tent fiber. Prune the branches where their nests are attached. Use an insecticide only if they have achieved a good hold on the tree.

Leaf spot and twig canker are bacteria-based diseases that can damage weeping cherry trees. Check the leaves for black or brown spots, and the newest branches for dull brown spots instead of the usual smooth bronze bark.

Fungal problems include red spot which will hole the leaves, and powdery mildew, evident as a white dusty deposit on the leaves. Early detection and careful pruning of limbs below the infection line will stop the spread of these diseases.