How to Germinate Weeping Cherry Seeds Home Guides/Garden/Gardening By: Bridget Kelly The weeping cherry tree (Prunus subhirtella) also known as the weeping Higan cherry, does best when grown in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 8b. All Prunus seeds have what is known as embryo-dormancy – dormancy that is not the result of a hard outer seed coat. For this reason, the seed requires a period of cold stratification to break dormancy. Begin the weeping cherry seed germination period at any time of year. It may take up to one year to germinate. 1 Pour enough warm water into a bowl or bucket to cover the weeping cherry seeds. Drop the seeds into the water and allow them to soak overnight. 2 Moisten enough peat moss to completely envelope the cherry seeds. Wring the excess water from the peat moss until it holds the moisture content of a damp sponge. 3 Push the weeping cherry seeds into the peat moss and place the bundle in a plastic bag or box. Seal the bag or box and place it in the refrigerator. Allow the seeds to remain in the refrigerator for three months. 4 Fill planting pots with sterile seed germination mix, moisten it and allow the excess water to drain completely before planting the weeping cherry seeds. 5 Remove the seed container from the refrigerator and pluck the seeds from the peat moss. Lay one seed on the surface of the soil of each pot. Sprinkle a one-eighth-inch layer of sand over the seed and moisten it by spraying it with water from a misting bottle. 6 Place a heat mat in an area that receives bright indirect sunlight or 12 inches below grow lights. Set the heat mat’s thermostat to 71 degrees Fahrenheit and set the pots on the mat. 7 Allow the lights, if using them, to run for 14 hours a day until germination. The weeping cherry tree seeds will germinate within four months to one year.

It was said "Stop pruning it. ... they bloom on old wood" Well, sort of "old" wood. They bloom on last year's wood. So, the key to a full crown of bloom each year -- ignoring possible nasty weather events -- is to prune every year right after the bloom is gone. If you wait until later in the year, you will remove the buds that set beginnng in July/August. The new wood that grows this year will support next year's flowers. Don't give it a "bowl cut" which removes only the ends of the branches. But go all the way into the crown. It's likely you can find instructions & images with an online search.

"It should be unnecessary to point out that a weeping cherry is not technically a "fruit tree" despite the common name :-)" Well, yes, because it doesn't produce edible fruit. I should've been more specific. Since it is a prunus (likely a cultivar of prunus x subhirtella) it is a cherry/stone fruit, meaning it is in the rosaceae family. Most plants in the rosaceae family are disease and pest-prone (some more than others). This family includes fruit trees (even ornamentals) including cherries (prunus), plums, peaches, pears (pyrus), apples (malus), roses (rosa), and I believe there are a number of other ornamental and fruiting plants that I did not list. In other words, do not plant another rosaceae tree in place of this one, because there could be pathogens in the soil, and some left in the area from plant debris (leaves, twigs, etc.).

In my area, this is probably the most common issue with weeping flowering cherries - ==>>> in my area ... the biggest problem is that they are planted too close to the corner of the house.. with no real concept of the future... often resulting in the back quarter of the tree being removed.. to keep them off the house ... i think you ought to move it .... lol .. not ... i mention all this.. so in the future.. when you replace it.. you dont make the same planting mistake ... i would also pull back the mulch until i find the root flare ... these types of trees have enough problems.. without rotting the bark off by burying it.. in a mulch volcano ... in my MI ... cherry trees lose the wintered over buds due to a bad winter.. how bad was yours ...??? .. sometimes its even half the tree .. perhaps the side winter winds hit ... or other times.. the sun side ... look at these images ... and see if you can tell the difference between the mentioned haircut as compared to proper pruning https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Weeping+cherry+tree+on+a+standard+corner+of+house&t=ffcm&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images i would probably let it leaf out ... get a 6 pack [for some reason.. adult beverages make pruning easier ... lol]... and go in there.. remove all dead stuff ... following sanitary protocol if recommended .... then i would remove ... all crossing or damaged branches .... and then after that ... i would step beck.. and try to balance the tree out ... as you will end up with holes in the canopy ... .. if all the brown stuff is dead ... and to be sure.. lack of flower might not mean a dead branch ... you have to see what leafs out ... then ... i would crawl in to the house.. and probably go to bed.. as the nurturing beverage would probably be used up ... then.. the next day.. presumably a sunday.. i would torture myself bending over and cleaning up the mess with a severe hangover ... i agree they are short lived trees .... youve done well to get 18 years .;.. imo.. youve beaten the odds ... and you should be happy about that ... rather than worrying that it is.. or will be in decline .... good luck ken ps: be careful with pruning tools when drunk .... i dont recommend power tools when in an altered state ...