How to Plant Cherry Trees in Maine
Maine's chilly climate makes it perfect for growing many types of cherry trees, including the black cherry, Western sand cherry or early Richmond cherry tree varieties. With their attractive green foliage, fragrant white blossoms and delicious red fruit, cherry trees can make a stunning addition to your Maine home landscape. When properly planted and cared for, you can expect your cherry tree to begin producing fruit in three to five years. Learning how to plant your cherry tree is a simple task that you're sure to enjoy. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Cherry tree sapling
- Shovel
- Spade
- Peat moss
- Perlite
- Rake
- Garden hose or watering can
Instructions
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Wait until the spring to plant your cherry tree in your Maine home landscape. Allow the snow to melt and the soil temperature to warm to at least 60 degrees before planting your cherry tree.
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Choose a planting location for your cherry tree based on its growing requirements. Select a full sun planting location that will provide your cherry tree with six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day. Amend poor, heavy or slow-draining soils by tilling equal parts peat moss and perlite into the top 15 to 18 inches of soil at your chosen location.
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Use a shovel to dig a planting hole for your cherry tree that is large enough to comfortably house its root ball. Scarify the sides of the planting hole with a garden rake to make it easier for the roots of your cherry tree to penetrate the soil.
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Plant your cherry tree in the prepared planting hole at the same level it was planted in its nursery container. Make sure to spread out the roots of your tree in the bottom of the planting hole before backfilling it with the displaced soil.
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Water your cherry tree after planting to moisten the soil and hydrate the roots of the tree. Continue to water your cherry tree regularly, every three to four days, until it is established in its new location. Provide established cherry trees with 1 inch of water per week in the absence of rain.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure to consider the size of a mature cherry tree when selecting your planting location. Black cherry trees can grow to approximately 60 feet tall with a 35-foot spread.
Cherry trees are susceptible to infestation by chewing insects like the fall webworm and tent caterpillar.
Do not attempt to eat the foliage on your cherry tree, as it is poisonous.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit sweet red cherries image by Olga Chernetskaya from Fotolia.com
