Care of Cherry Trees

Cherry trees are some of the first plants to bloom in the spring.

Cherry trees are large, long-lived and hardy fruit trees, and can provide their gardeners with up to 50 lbs of fruit every year, but need the right care to do so. As stone fruit trees, cherries are lower-maintenance than the more sensitive tropical fruit trees. Keep your cherry trees healthy with the right schedule of care to enjoy a full fruit harvest in the spring and summer.

Things You'll Need

• Garden fork
• Compost
• Quick-draining loam
• Fertilizer
• Pruning shears

Instructions

1. Keep cherry trees in sites where they get full sun for eight hours every day. If you have your cherry trees planted in outdoor sites, make sure that they get good drainage, and have at least 20 feet of space around them for growing.

2. Grow cherry trees in loose soil that drains freely. Although cherry trees don't need overly nutritious soil, they will die in standing water or tight, root-binding soil. Use quick-draining loam and organic compost to loosen a cherry tree's soil at planting, and then throughout its life.

3. Water cherry trees with 2 to 3 inches of water every week, and watch for soil drying during the dry season. Lack of water will cause lack of growth in young trees and lack of fruit in older trees.

4. Prune cherry trees in late winter, before they bloom for spring. Cut back any dead or dying wood and branches that grow only in the center of the tree or across the center of the tree. Follow cherry-training practices based on your personal experience and preference.

5. Give cherry trees both compost and fertilizer in spring to start their growing season right. Mix 2 to 3 inches of organic compost into the top 2 to 3 inches of soil around the base of the tree to add moisture retention and long-term nutrition to the soil, and sprinkle 10-10-10 or 5-10-10 fertilizer, or actual nitrogen, in a circle around the base of the tree. Follow manufacturer directions for fertilizer application.

6. Weed each cherry tree's plot once a month to keep the trees from dealing with competition, which will steal their water and nutrition.

References

• Purdue University Department of Horticulture; Growing Cherries in Indiana; Peter M. Hirst and Richard A. Hayden
• Virginia Cooperative Extension; Growing Cherries in Virginia; Richard P. Marini
• Flower Pot Heaven: Cherry Trees -- Hints on How to Plant and Grow Them
• Binghamton University: Urban Forestry -- Edible Horticulture: Fruit Trees