First time tree planter looking for general tips

[Tommyj]

Hi guys,

Got some questions for the community about a Prunus (cherry blossom) Tree I am looking to plant in my garden. I am a completely newcomer to gardening, this is actually the first tree I will have ever planted so wanted some tips. see questions below and i've also attached a pic of the tree for reference.

Question 1) Space required / pruning

As you can see from the picture the tree is already growing outwardly quite far, I have put a piece of wiring around the middle three shoots in an attempt to try and encourage them to grow upward but would it be a good idea to prune the other branches which are growing outward ? Also any advice on how big this is likely to grow would be great as currently finding it hard to figure out where to plant it.

Questions 2) Growing vessel

The area where I am looking to plant it is currently covered in pebble rock and is a hotspot for weeds, I am wondering if this is going to be a problem or if the area will be suitable for the tree roots to thrive ?

Also any general advice would be greatly appreciated !

Cheers,

 

[oneeye]

Thats a pretty cherry tree friend. It should be ok to plant your cherry tree in well-drained soil. Ensure the growing area gets at least 6 to 8 hrs of full Sun. Remove any rocks and weeds and dig deep enough to loosen the soil well before planting. Don't plant it too deep keep it level with the ground. Keep us posted.

 

[Tommyj]

Thats a pretty cherry tree friend. It should be ok to plant your cherry tree in well-drained soil. Ensure the growing area gets at least 6 to 8 hrs of full Sun. Remove any rocks and weeds and dig deep enough to loosen the soil well before planting. Don't plant it too deep keep it level with the ground. Keep us posted.

Thanks for the advice ! much appreciated

 

[cpp gardener]

If you want it to be a single-trunked tree, you will need to remove all but one of those side branches. Wait until it's done blooming, though.