How to Plant Sour Montmorency Cherries

Sour cherries (Prunus cerasus) are also referred to as tart cherries. The Montmorency cherry tree is a sour cherry. The Arbor Day Foundation says that for pies and for preserves, the Montmorency cherry is the most popular cherry in America. The Montmorency cherry tree is hardy and can grow to between 8 and 15 feet tall. Plant Montmorency cherry trees in full sun and provide sandy, loamy, well-draining soil.

Things You'll Need

• Montmorency cherry tree
• Shovel
• Compost, or similar organic matter
• Mulch

Instructions

Planting a Container Grown Montmorency Cherry Tree

1. Cultivate the soil in the planting area to a depth of 12 to 18 inches. Mix into the soil about 4 to 6 inches of rotted manure, compost, leaf mold or other similar organic matter.

2. Dig a hole for your Montmorency tree twice the width in diameter of its growing container. If planting more than one tree, space each hole approximately 10 to 12 feet apart

3. Lay the pot containing the cherry tree on its side, on the ground. Strike downward on the rim of its container to remove the tree from its pot.

4. Check the root system for any matted or encircled roots. If there are any encircled roots, cut through them with a pair of gardening snips. Loosen matted roots with your fingers.

5. Place the tree into the hole. The graft union (an enlarged section at the very base of the trunk) needs to be sitting about 1 to 2 inches above the level of the surrounding garden soil.

6. Scoop in a few shovels of soil around the tree. Check to ensure the tree is sitting level and straight in the hole. Fill the hole slowly with soil, tamping it down as you go.

7. Water the tree slowly and thoroughly. The University of Illinois recommends mulching cherry trees. Spread a 3- to 4-inch layer of mulch around the trunk of tree. Use sawdust, wood chips, grass clippings or other similar organic material.

Planting a Bare Root Montmorency Tree

1. Amend and cultivate the soil as directed in Step 1.

2. Dig a hole for your bare root Montmorency cherry tree that is twice the diameter of the root system, but 3 to 4 inches deeper. If planting more than one bare root Montmorency cherry tree, keep each of the holes 10 to 12 feet apart.

3. Create a 3- to 4-inch high mound of soil in the center of the hole. Set the bare root tree into the hole. Spread out its roots gently across the mound of soil. Be sure to keep the tree sitting high in the hole. The graft union should be about 1 to 2 inches above the level of the surrounding garden soil.

4. Fill the hole slowly with soil, and pat it down gently as you go. Once the hole is filled with soil, water and spread mulch for your Montmorency cherry tree as directed in Step 7.

Tips & Warnings

• The National Gardening Association recommends planting cherry trees in the spring.

References

• The University of Illinois: Growing Cherry Trees
• The National Gardening Assocation: Planting Cherry Trees
• Arbor Day Foundation: Montmorency Cherry (Prunus cerasus)

Resources

• The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map