Cherry (Semi-Dwarf) Growing Guide

Prunus avium 

Cherry (Semi-Dwarf)

Crop Rotation Group

Miscellaneous ●

Soil

Fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil.

Position

Sunny spot with excellent air circulation. You will need two trees for good fruit set with sweet cherries. Standard tart cherries are often self fertile, and make nice landscape trees.

Frost tolerant

Yes, but it is important to choose varieties known to grow well in your area to reduce risk of losing blooms to spring freezes.

Feeding

Cherries benefit from a mulch of well-rotted organic matter and a feed with a balanced organic fertiliser in spring

Companions

Corridors within the orchard that are planted with clovers and other legumes contribute to soil fertility and attract pollinators.

Spacing

Single Plants: 5.00m (16' 4") each way (minimum)
Rows: 5.00m (16' 4") with 5.00m (16' 4") row gap (minimum)

Sow and Plant

Prepare a large hole by breaking up the soil and adding plenty of well-rotted organic matter. A wide hole is better than a very deep one. Mulch after planting, and encircle the trunk with a wire cage or protective pipe to protect the young tree from animal and insect pests. Young cherry trees are at high risk for damage from insects that bore into the main trunk.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalised calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.

Notes

Many sweet cherries need to be grown with at least one other flowering at a similar time for pollination, but many tart cherries are self-fertile. Prune in late winter to shape trees and removed damaged branches. Healthy cherry trees will bear for twenty years or more.

Harvesting

Pick cherries carefully so as not to damage the delicate fruit.

Troubleshooting

Use netting to prevent bird damage. In humid climates, cherries often develop problems with fungal diseases such as brown rot. However, because cherries ripen early, they have fewer disease problems compared to many other tree fruits. In Australia fruit fly are a pest of cherries, make sure to take appropriate control measures in areas where they are present. It is important to dispose of any infected fruit and fruit has fallen to the ground by placing them in a sealed plastic bag in the sun for at least 7 days to kill the eggs and larvae. Do not compost fruit as this will lead to the fruit fly completing their life cycle and lead to the problem recurring.

Planting and Harvesting Calendar

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Pests which Affect Cherry (Semi-Dwarf)