How to Grow Cherries: A Complete Guide
Cherries are not only a treat for the taste buds but also a beautiful addition to any garden, regardless of size. With their spring blossoms, vibrant fruits, striking bark, and colorful foliage in the fall, they make a wonderful choice for any landscape. Whether you’re interested in sweet or sour cherries, growing them offers both aesthetic and culinary rewards. While cherry trees do require a bit of attention, the pleasure of harvesting fresh cherries makes it all worthwhile.
Table of Contents
How to Grow Cherries
Cherries thrive in moist, well-drained soil, with plenty of sunshine. To ensure healthy growth, plant your cherries in a sheltered spot and mulch annually with well-rotted compost or manure. Pruning in the summer can help maintain the tree’s shape and health, though it’s not always necessary.
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Where to Plant Cherry Trees
Cherries prefer a warm, frost-free location with slightly acidic, well-drained soil. Morello cherries are smaller, more tolerant of shade, and self-fertile, making them ideal for north-facing walls. These can be grown without a companion tree. On the other hand, sweet cherries need lots of sunshine and are better suited for larger spaces. If you’re tight on space, dwarf sweet cherry varieties can be fan-trained along a wall or grown in containers. Keep in mind that some sweet cherry varieties need a partner for pollination, so check the requirements before planting.
If you’re also interested in growing other fruit, check out our guide on growing blueberries and guide on growing raspberries!
Planting Cherry Trees
If you’re buying a cherry tree in a pot, you can plant it at any time of year. However, bare-root trees, which are often more affordable and come in a wider selection of varieties, are best planted in late fall or winter while the trees are dormant. When planting, dig a square hole, remove weeds, and ensure the tree is planted at the same depth as it was in the nursery. After planting, water the tree thoroughly, and stake it if needed for support.
Caring for Cherry Trees
Early-season care is crucial for cherries, as they bloom early. Mulch the base of the tree with well-rotted manure or compost in February, and continue feeding it with a general-purpose fertilizer until the end of March. During this time, water the tree regularly. If frost is expected, protect any early blossoms with horticultural fleece.
In the summer, consider netting your cherries to keep birds away. Alternatively, share some of the fruit with our feathered friends!
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Pruning and Training Cherry Trees
Cherry trees are typically grown as bush-type open trees or fan-trained against walls. Sweet cherries bear fruit on wood from the previous season or earlier, while Morello cherries fruit on one-year-old wood.
Pruning is essential to balance old and new growth, remove dead or diseased branches, and maintain the shape of the tree. However, never prune during winter, as this increases the risk of silver leaf disease and canker. As a rule of thumb, prune young trees in spring when new growth starts. For established trees, pruning should be done in the summer if necessary.
Harvesting Cherries
To harvest cherries, carefully cut bunches with the stems intact to avoid bruising the fruit. Be gentle to ensure you don’t damage the cherries.
Storing Cherries
Sweet cherries are best eaten fresh, but they can be stored in the fridge for about a week. Sour cherries, like Morello, are perfect for making preserves, cakes, or tarts.
Need recipe ideas? Our friends at Olive have curated some delicious cherry recipes, including a tempting black forest gateau cheesecake!
Troubleshooting Cherry Trees
Cherries can sometimes face issues with pests like cherry blackfly, fruit flies, and caterpillars. Encouraging natural predators, like blue tits, can help keep these pests in check. Once the fruit starts forming, birds can become a problem, so you may need to net your cherries.
Diseases to watch for include canker, blossom wilt, brown rot, and silver leaf disease. You can manage silver leaf disease by pruning in spring or summer.
Five Cherry Varieties to Try
- Prunus avium – This wild cherry species has stunning white flowers in spring and small, red-purple cherries in summer, which can be a bit bitter. It’s highly ornamental, with chestnut-colored bark that turns silvery as it ages. This tree is suited for large gardens, as it can grow over 20 meters tall.
- Prunus ‘Sweetheart’ – A sweet, dark red cherry with excellent flavor, this variety continues cropping into September.
- Prunus ‘Morello’ – A self-fertile sour cherry that is perfect for preserves, cakes, and tarts. It has attractive blossoms and heavy fruiting in July and August.
- Prunus ‘Sunburst’ – A self-fertile, sweet cherry with dark black fruit that ripens in midsummer.
- Prunus ‘Sylvia’ – This compact cherry variety is grafted onto dwarf rootstock, making it perfect for containers or growing against walls. It produces pale pink blossoms in spring and sweet cherries in summer. It’s also self-fertile.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I stop ants from climbing my cherry tree?
Ants often “farm” aphids, which feed on the tree’s sap and secrete a sugary solution that ants love. To prevent ants from climbing your tree, apply tree grease around the trunk as a barrier. You can also use alternatives like black molasses or treacle. Just be sure to replace it regularly, as rain can wash it away.
What if the roots of my cherry tree are growing into my lawn?
Cherry tree roots are shallow, so they may spread into your lawn. Rather than digging up the roots, which can harm the tree, you can raise the height of the lawn or plant drought-tolerant ground covers around the tree to help disguise the roots.
Can I move a 2-meter cherry tree?
Moving a cherry tree is possible but best done when the tree is still young. If you need to move a 2-meter tree, make sure to dig up as much of the root ball as possible and prepare the new planting site beforehand. Perform the move during the dormant season (November to March), and water the tree regularly for at least six months after replanting.
Growing cherries may take some time and care, but with a little effort, you’ll be rewarded with delicious, fresh fruit and a beautiful tree to admire!
