Cherry

Category: fruit-trees

Growing

  • 📍 Zone: 5-9 (sweet), 4-9 (sour)
  • 🌞 Sun: Full sun
  • 💧 Water: Average
  • 🌱 Soil: Well-draining, slightly acidic; hilltop or slope ideal

Planting

  • 📏 Height: 15-30 feet
  • 📏 Spacing: 20 feet
  • 📅 When To Plant: Plant rootstock during winter
  • 🌱 Propagation: Grafting
  • ⬇️ Depth: Deep planting
  • 🤝 Companion:
    • 0: Other cherry varieties for cross-pollination (especially for sweet cherries)
  • 🚫 Avoid Planting Near:

    Care & Maintenance

    • ✂️ Pruning:
      • 0: Prune during winter (similar to apple and peach)
      • 1: Remove weak, diseased, or injured branches
      • 2: Remove water sprouts and suckers
      • 3: Remove inward, crossing, or upright branches
      • 4: Limit the number of branches to maintain airflow and structure

    Harvesting & Usage

    • ⏰ When To Harvest: When cherries reach deep color and can be easily plucked from the tree
    • ✋ How To Harvest: Gently pull or twist to release from the stem

    Ecological Info

    • 🐝 Pollinators:
      • 0: Sweet cherries require cross-pollination (bees and other pollinators)
      • 1: Sour cherries typically self-fertile
    • 🦌 Wildlife Resistance: Birds are attracted to the fruit; nets are recommended for protection