For Cherries to thrive they need
ample space, air circulation, and water maintenance. Though, individual climate
needs can vary within cherry varieties, Bing cherries are rated for USDA zones five
through nine, but Black Tartarian cherries are restricted to USDA zones five
through seven, as they require a longer winter to produce fruit. You need to ask
your local garden center about the varieties that are best for your region.
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How to Grow Cherry Tree
Pick the site: Cherry trees actually need
full sun, good air circulation, and space—about thirty to forty feet between
individual trees. Most fruit trees are also available in “dwarf” form;
typically reaching about 6 feet in size, these can also be grown in large
planters with less space between them. “Semi-dwarf” fruit trees grow ten to fifteen
feet tall, while full-size fruit trees (often referred to as “standards”) reach
twenty feet or more.
Prepare the site: Light, sandy soil
types with good depth are actually the best. Heavier soils with a tendency to
become waterlogged put the cherry trees at risk for root and crown rot.
Planting the cherry tree: To plant a
standard-sized cherry tree you need to dig a hole about the size of the
root-ball. Set the rootstock with the graft union, which looks like a raised
scar, a few inches below the soil surface. If the sapling is a bare root tree,
spread the loose roots evenly down into the planting hole. Fill in the hole
with soil and tamp down firmly, leaving a little of the root-ball showing above
ground.
Watering: After planting your cherry
tree, you’ll need to water it every other day for the first week, 2 to 3 times
during the second week, then continue to water the cherry tree on a weekly
basis throughout the rest of its first growing season.
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How to Use Cherry Pits to Grow a
Cherry Tree
You can easily grow cherries at home
using pits from locally grown cherries, but the fruit production will take
longer using this process. Use pits from cherries that are grown locally or
purchased from the farmer’s market. Avoid using the pits from grocery stores as
they may not be compatible with the climate in your area.
Prepare the pits: Save a handful of
pits from locally grown cherries. Soak in a bowl of warm water for a few
minutes to loosen the remaining fruit. Remove, and clean. Set the pits out on
paper towels for about a week, allowing them to dry out completely. Transfer to
an air-tight container and store in the fridge for ten weeks.
Plant indoors: Remove the container
from the fridge, and bring to room temperature before planting two to three
pits in a pot with well-draining soil indoors. You need to water consistently
to keep the soil moist.
Time to transplant: When the seedlings
appear, remove all but the strongest of the group, and when the soil has warmed
in early spring, it can be transplanted into its permanent spot outdoors.
Be patient. Trees planted from cherry
pits take about seven to about ten years to bear fruit.
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How to Care for a Cherry Tree
Water maintenance: Water the cherry
tree consistently, watching for any dry spots. Keep the soil moist, but don’t
overwater.
Remove diseased branches: Any
branches taken over by bacterial cankers (a rough black growth also known as
“black knot”) or brown rot (a light brown fuzz that appears on the skin of
cherries) should be pruned immediately to prevent spores from traveling
further. Wash pruning shears thoroughly after use.
Control weeds: Applying mulch around
the base of the cherry trees helps to control weeds and keep the soil moist.
Practice companion planting:
Companion planting can really attract pollinators and deter pests like aphids.
Prune and fertilize: Prune the cherry
trees in late winter, and fertilize in the spring. Once the cherry trees begin
to bear fruit, shift to a light fertilization post-harvest.
Deter birds: Cover the cherry trees
with a light bird netting to protect the fruit.
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How to Harvest Cherries
Fruit crops and patience actually go
hand-in-hand. Cherry trees take about 3 years to establish and can begin
bearing fruit in the 4th year. Most fruit crops do not produce the
same year you plant it, but once it begins fruiting, it can continue to do so
for years—a mature cherry tree can produce about thirty to fifty quarts of
fruit in a season.
Cherries are ready when they are
deeply colorful—depending on the variety, that can mean dark red, golden
yellow, or almost black—and firm, with a little give. To harvest the fruits,
use pruning shears to clip the fruit by the stems instead of pulling (and potentially
damaging) the fruit.
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