Cherry Tree

[Simon05]

planted a cherry tree earlier this year about end of jan, I followed the tips on the label, just wondering if its dead, or isnt it warm enough yet for it to burst into life?

[Simon05]

[moonbells]

Which and where?

I just planted a Stella (sweet) cherry against a south-facing shed which is a sun trap, and the buds are opening already!

moonbells

[Simon05]

its in the middle of the allotment, it gets sun from about 11 each morning, its either stella or sunburst

[Mrs Ava]

I have a cherry in my garden and altho the buds are there, they aren't anywhere near ready to open.  The apples on the other had look close to bursting.  I would say mine (in Essex) still have a couple of weeks to go.  Don't worry....for now.  :-\

[Simon05]

Emma Jane,

thanks for the info. my apple trees have just started to burst

[moonbells]

You'll possibly be a bit behind mine then as it's not going to be as warm. I think mine was drawn by the nursery and then by the heat off the shed. You could wrap it in fleece if you're worried, though I think it's better when you can get them to flower later rather than earlier as that's the bit that's really susceptible to frost damage.  I am already thinking fleece for a week or two's time.

Been reading up a lot of cherries - wanted a fan for the side of my shed and then read that a classic fan is 18 FEET wide - argh! I will be having the world's smallest cherry fan and doing a lot of pruning...

Whichever you've got, at least you don't need a pollinator - both are self-fertile.  :)

moonbells

[jennym]

My cherries too aren't so far advanced as other fruit trees, so don't worry. If you really want to check, scrape a very small amount of the bark away on a stem, if its white/green underneath, it's alive.

[Simon05]

thanks for all the tips,  had a closer look at the tree today, buds are beginning to show signs of life.

when it fruits do you need to protect it from the birds?

[angle shades]

you certainly do, with everything you can get your hands on!!! good luck, i get every type of bird in my cherry tree, i 've not had a punnet full yet!!


regards/ angle shades x

[moonbells]

I am assuming that I will have to create a netting cover for mine that covers the entire shed side.  With supports that stick out a fair way!  I shall have to do it when I do the one for the blueberries, which are blackbird magnets.

The books also say keep them dry when they start to ripen as otherwise water will cause the fruit to crack. So it's a rain hat on top of the hair nets!!!!

moonbells