Cherry Planting- All You Need To Know

The perfect guide to cherry plantation on your own.

The prettiest sight to behold in the spring is the canopy of cherry trees covered in white and pink blossoms. Cherries are what makes every dessert perfect. Here is how to grow your little cherry garden.

Sweet Cherry-

Sweet cherry varieties are what are found commonly in the market. They have a thick, rich and plump texture growing in hardiness zones of 5-7. The self-sterile and best for orchard growing. You will need two or three trees, to begin with, so that they can pollinate among each other. If you feel space is confined, you can depend on self-cultivating pollinators.

Sour Cherries-

Sour cherries are preferred raw but make perfect varieties to be used as preservatives and for cooking. They are smaller in size and are very fertile to grow in zones between 4 to 6.

Cherry trees start bearing fruits in the fourth year of their growth. The dwarf variety bears fruits a year earlier. The mature and standard size will produce 30-50 quarts of cherries annually.

For the plantation, cherry seeds are best to sow in early spring or late fall in a sunny site with good air circulation. The deep and drained soil helps the mulch and water to seep down and allow the plant to thrive year after year. After the tree flowers in a fruiting year, you will have to drape the tree to ensure the buds are safe from wildlife.

Here Are A Few Guidelines For Planting Cherries-

• Plant them in late fall or early spring.
• If you are looking for sweet cherries, make sure you let the sweet cherry pollinate with the same variety.
• Do not plant them in the shade. Leave ample space between the plantations.
• Keep the soil well-drained and deep dug.
• Set the trees on rootstock with graft union a few inches below the soil.
• The care of both the sweet and sour variety is the same.
• Keep applying mulch to retain moisture.
• Water regularly to avoid dry patches.
• Prune the trees in late winters to allow room for fruits.
• Fertilise the trees till the tree is about to bear fruits.

For pests and diseases, keep a lookout for aphids, beetles, caterpillars, brown rot, black knot, bacterial canker and birds.

Harvest And Storage-

• Pick the fruits only when they are fully ripe.
• Be ready to harvest new saplings within a week.
• If you want to freeze the fruits, pluck them when they are firm.
• Always pick the cherry from the twigs attached to them.
• Cut stalks with scissors only.