Home >> Home & Garden >> Planting Cherry Trees

Planting Cherry Trees

Many home gardeners will find,after due consideration, that they do not wish togrow cherries, for 2 reasons. Birds can, andfrequently do, eat a major part of the crop-Also, cherries have a tendency to split if aperiod of heavy rains coincide with ripening. Itis practically impossible for the gardener tocontrol either one of these hazards. Birds likeblueberries, but these can be covered withnetting. However, covering entire trees withnetting just is not practical.

Cherries are of 3 general types—sour cherries(varieties of Prunus. cerasus) which are mostlyself-fertile; Sweet Cherries (varieties of P.avium) which are not self-fertile, but need othervarieties for cross-pollination; and the Dukecherries, supposed to be crosses between thesour and the sweet, which also need othercherries for cross-pollination. Since the homegardener frequently considers planting theSweet Cherry, he must also surmount the hurdleof needing several trees of different varieties toinsure having a crop. Often this is a greaterundertaking than the cherries are worth.

The main sweet cherry-growing areas of theU.S. arc the Pacific Coast states, chiefly Calif.,Ore. and Wash., western N.Y. and westernMich. The chief sour cherry-growing areas arenorthern Ohio, western N.Y. and the HudsonValley, western Mich., Wise. and Colo.

All cherries bloom early in the spring, beforethe leaves appear, and hence the flowers aresusceptible to killing by late frosts. The SweetCherry is about as hardy as the Peach; theSour Cherry is slightly more hardy. All cherriesarc susceptible to various virus diseases, and oneshould be certain that, in purchasing trees,virus-free plants are purchased, the understockas well as the tops.

Propagation is by budding on either P.avium, the Mazzard Cherry, or P. mahaleb, theMahaleb Cherry. The latter is cheap and easy towork, but the Mazzard Cherry is the superiorunderstock, and trees on this stock should beobtained if possible, for they make much bettertrees.

Sweet cherries should be planted 3o ft. apart,sour cherries about 25 ft. apart and `Morello'cherries about 18 ft. apart.

As for pruning, sweet cherries are pruned theleast. These trees usually grow taller than thoseof the sour cherries and they just do not seemto demand the careful pruning required bymany other kinds of fruit trees. Little pruning isnecessary on sour cherries, especially if crossedbranches and weak branches are removed asthey appear.

Cross-Pollination

One should be as careful with cherries as withplums in the cross-pollination requirements. Allsweet cherries require cross-pollination and thechances are that it is these which would beselected for the home garden. Varieties whichhave proved good pollinizers for other sweetcherry varieties are `Black Tatarian', 'Grant',`Seneca' and 'Lyons'. It should be remembered,too, that varieties like `Bing', 'Lambert',`Napoleon' and 'Emperor Francis' are all inter-sterile, one with the other.

The Duke cherries. 'Reine Hortense' and`Royal Duke', are self-sterile and either sour orsweet cherries can be used as pollinizers forthese. The sour cherries are mostly self-fertile.

Fertilizers

Fertilizers might be applied in the early springat about the time the buds burst. A 3-4-year-old tree in a cultivated orchard might be given. If it is over to years oldit might be given 5-to lbs. Trees growing in sod,which receive more and sweeter cherries becausethey grow into larger trees, would also receiveheavier applications. might be used. Tent caterpillarsinfest cherry in the spring, and other cater-pillars are occasionally troublesome.

Diseases

Brown rot (see 1,Eacit) causes lesion ontwigs and rot on ripening fruit. Bacterial leafspot in which the spots often drop out, causinga shot-hole effect. Attacks both sweet and sourcherries and defoliates the trees. Spraying withfungicide #0 when petals fall and afterharvest is helpful. A fungus leaf spot or yellowleaf is controlled by fungicide # W in early andlate applications. Black knot develops on sourcherries. See PLUM. Virus diseases discourage thegrowing of cherries in some areas. Destroyinginfected trees and controlling insects are theonly remedies.

Other Gardening Articles:

| Cow Raising | Duck Raising | Geese Raising | Goat Raising | Guinea Fowl Raising | How to Build a Rooftop Garden | How to Make a Greenhouse | How to Make a Rock Garden | Hydroponic Gardening | Bees | Mushroom Growing | Ornamental Grass | Pigeon Raising | Pig Raising | Planting a Coconut | Planting a Lime Tree | Planting Aloe Seeds | Planting Apple Trees | Planting Apricot | Planting Artichokes | Planting Asparagus | Planting Avocado Trees | Planting Bamboo | Planting Banana Trees | Planting Beans | Planting Blackberries | Planting Blueberries | Planting Bonsai Trees | Planting Broccoli | Planting Brussel Sprouts | Planting Cabbage | Planting Cactus | Planting Carrots | Planting Cauliflowers | Planting Celery | Planting Cherry Trees | Planting Chestnut | Planting Chrysanthemum Seeds | Planting Clematis | Planting Corn | Planting Cranberries | Planting Cucumbers | Planting Currants | Planting Dates | Planting Eggplants | Planting Elder Berries | Planting Endives | Planting Fig Trees | Planting Ginger | Planting Ginseng • Planting Goose Berries | Planting Gourds | Planting Grapes | Planting Grass Seeds | Planting Hickory Nut Trees | Planting Hyacinth | Planting Hydrangea | Planting Jerusalem Artichokes | Planting Lemon Trees | Planting Mango Seeds | Planting Mustard | Planting Nectarine | Planting Okra | Planting Olives | Planting Onions | Planting Orange Trees | Planting Orchids | Papaya Planting | Planting Paprika | Planting Parsleys | Planting Parsnips | Planting Peach Trees | Planting Peanuts | Planting Pear Trees | Planting Peas | Planting Pineapples | Planting Pomegranate Trees | Planting Raspberries | Planting Rhubarbs | Planting Spinach | Planting Strawberries | Planting Sunflower Seeds | Planting Sweet Potatoes | Planting Tomatoes | Planting Tulips | Planting Yams | Planting Yuccas | Raising Turkey Chicks | Root Pruning | Rat Control | Raising Sheep | Tips on Growing Melons | Tree Grafting | Beekeeping | Bird Watching | Build Your Own Water Garden | Chicken Raising