Has anyone planted cherry trees?

[4wanderingeyes]

I was just going through my tree nurseries inventory and they have a few cherry trees that would survive in my Zone 3. I was just wondering if planting a few cherry trees is of any benefit over just adding a few more crab trees?

 

[roymunson]

I put a couple in at my house, none made it... They despise clay soil. I had too much of that and they all died.

I'd personally stick with crabs unless you are looking to conquer something new

 

[Mortenson]

The poster Northbound (WI) was pretty big on cherries IIRC. He hasn't posted much since he got married this past year. Maybe try sending him a note.

 

[Doublewide]

I planted a couple 5 years ago thinking it would be fun to harvest some cherries and the remaining cherries would attract birds for my viewing. Only one tree had survived the first planting but I've replaced the other one a couple of times and finally it made it so the younger one is now three. Two years ago the older one produced a couple of cherries, last year as a five year old tree the crop was strong so I purchased netting to cover the cherries so I could harvest some. When they finally were just about ripe I was looking forward to come up the following week to harvest a bunch before letting the birds have at it. When I arrived the fruit was completely wiped out, my hopes for a cherry pie were crushed :( This year I will not be doing anything with the fruit other than to see how fast the fruit disappears once they ripen. Moral of story- Plant crab trees.

 

[Chainsaw]

Same experience as Roymunson, planted three, they all died. Apparently cherry trees are like apple trees, one needs to purchase disease resistant ones to start with.

 

[roymunson]

The poster Northbound (WI) was pretty big on cherries IIRC. He hasn't posted much since he got married this past year. Maybe try sending him a note.

Wimmen... Always getting in the way of habitat forum posting...

 

[H20fwler]

I put five in four years ago, down to two now both Raineers. Jap bettle magnets, no fruit yet but they are healthy.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Sounds like more work then it will be worth. I will just order up a few more crab apples.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I planted some in Rusk County Wisconsin that were supposed to be hardy enough to live in northern Wisconsin. The cherry trees did great for a couple years and then a cold winter killed them. I don't think they are worth the effort in cold areas

 

[Telemark]

I have a Montnorency in Zone 4 in Ontario. It's was doing fine, but I didn't get to see it last year because of Corona.

 

[Catscratch]

I have a few on order to plant this spring. Tart/sour cherry variety called Balaton. They are suppose to be better in my zone than sweet cherries. I want a pie!

 

[Native Hunter]

I have planted cherries of an unknown variety at my farm. They have produced fruit. I dug them up as root sprouts at an old home place.

 

[R.E. Gould]

I put five in four years ago, down to two now both Raineers. Jap bettle magnets, no fruit yet but they are healthy.

I planted a Stella a few years ago, and it gets defoliated around the Fourth of July by those buggers.

 

[Telemark]

I have a few on order to plant this spring. Tart/sour cherry variety called Balaton. They are suppose to be better in my zone than sweet cherries. I want a pie!

Probably from Hungary. The Lake Balaton area is a major producer of sour cherries. They are excellent.

 

[H20fwler]

I planted a Stella a few years ago, and it gets defoliated around the Fourth of July by those buggers.

Yep, if I’m on top of it with the Sevin it seems to keep them at bay if not they get stripped.
Within a few weeks trees are all leafed out again but it can’t be good for them to have to go through that.

 

[Catscratch]

Probably from Hungary. The Lake Balaton area is a major producer of sour cherries. They are excellent.

Cool. That's good to hear!

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[chickenlittle]

Sour cherries have been a disappointment for me. I have a from Cummins that I planted in 2015 and 2016. Balaton on Gisele12 and a Surefire on Mahaleb. Neither has grown much. The Mahaleb rootstock looked like it had been regrafted a few times. It was over in 1" thick below the short scion with thick roots. Despite that huge rootstock, it is still less than 5ft tall after 5 years. The Balaton/Gisele looks healthier but it is only about 6ft tall. I had another in 2015, a Sumadinka on Mahaleb, that was the worst tree I ever got from Cummins, especially since I was charged for top grade feathered tree. It was about a 36" tall whip with a couple tiny side roots. It started to leaf out but was dead by July. Maybe if I had potted it and babied it, it would have survived.

 

[rocksnstumps]

I have a Montnorency in Zone 4 in Ontario. It's was doing fine, but I didn't get to see it last year because of Corona.

This variety is also noted to be popular in Door County, Wi which is well known for fruit production but that area is a pretty unique part of the state and probably does not translate well to other colder areas. It has the same hardiness zone as northern Missouri but being much further north has a shorter growing season.

I see other nurseries around here carrying Evan's or Bali cherries which are supposed to be pretty hardy. Naturally a pretty small tree though. Some literature advises against having cherries and plums together, some sort of shared pest problem. I have thought about but never planted any.

 

[White Birch Farm]

Black Tartarian and Ranier doing very well in heavy silt loam in NJ.

 

[BuckSnort]

I have some variety of self-fertile cherry planted that I bought on clearance. It’s growing well but the second they start to get ripe the robins clean the entire tree off. I think I would need to buy netting if I actually wanted to get something off them.