To hold water better, form a ridged bowl around the tree with the soil. Then finish filling the hole with soil, tamping gently as you go, and add water again. When the planting hole is half full of soil, add water to settle that soil around the roots. Then, lightly tamp the earth as you fill the hole to eliminate air holes around the roots. ![]() Mix in some compost or minerals if the soil is poor. Begin to fill in the hole, placing the best soil in the bottom. Set the tree in the hole so that the graft (usually a lumpy spot near base) is above ground. Prepare a hole that is a few feet wide and deep and loosen the soil in the bottom of the hole. The best time to plant your cherry tree in Maine is in the spring. Next, let’s focus on when to plant cherry trees. ![]() You should prune the top to one-third of its branches to help the tree get established. Roots are more important than branches, as the tree will spend its first year getting established and growing more roots than branches. If bare-rooted, choose a tree with a well-developed root system and moderate branching. When purchasing a cherry tree, look for a 1 to 2-year-old tree that is 4 to 5 feet tall. During droughts, apply at least 1 inch of water per week. Moisture is needed at flowering and fruiting time. If your soil is soggy, making a raised bed that is rich in compost is recommended. Sour cherries tolerate heavier soils better than sweet cherries. They will not thrive in cold, heavy, wet clay soils. Allow 12 feet for dwarf varieties 8 feet for Nanking cherries, unless you are planning a hedge 20 feet for sour cherries and 25 to 40 feet for sweet varieties.Ĭherries need well-drained soil with a pH between 5.5 and 8.0, ideal being 6.5. Like peaches, sweet cherries need your best protected spot and good air drainage. In the North, they may need all the warmth they can get. Because of sweet cherry’s early bloom, some people plant them on a northern slope. Cherries need full sun and south-facing slopes where possible. When choosing a site, avoid cold pockets or valleys. Now that we know what type of cherries you can grow, it’s time to focus on how to grow cherry trees. The purely ornamental flowering cherries bear no fruit. Nanking cherries (Prunus tomentosa) are 6 to 10-foot spreading bushes that bear beautiful pinkish-white blossoms and good tasting scarlet fruit, best for pies and preserving. Dwarf varieties are available, but inquire about the hardiness and vigor of the rootstock. Sweet cherry trees can get 25 to 30 feet tall, if not pruned. If you can grow peaches, you can probably grow the hardiest of the sweet cherry varieties. They are less hardy (zone 5) and need a select spot in Northern climates if they are to thrive. Sweet cherries (Prunus avium) are sweet, low acid fruits available in the markets. They grown on compact trees, ranging from 10 to 15 feet tall. Sour cherries or pie cherries (Prunus cerasus) are quite hardy (zones 4 to 7) and and can be sweet enough to eat fresh, but they develop that incredible cherry pie taste when cooked. Here’s a breakdown of how to grow cherry trees. Cherries, sweet and sour, are so beautiful their shape their deep wine-brown, shiny bark their clouds of delicate pink blossoms in spring and most of all, their fruit, pendulous red or golden jewels that are among the earliest tree fruit to ripen in the North. ![]() One of the first trees I planted on my farm was a cherry tree, a ‘Bali’ sour cherry. No matter the type, it’s easy to grow cherry trees.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |