Advice
RHS Help & Advice
Sweet Cherry
Common name: Sweet cherry
Latin name: Prunus avium
Group: Fruiting tree
Cultivation
Cherries on their own roots will naturally grow into large trees making them unsuitable for smaller gardens. The most commonly used rootstock is the semi-vigorous ‘Colt’ that will restrict the growth to about 6-8m (20-27ft). Semi-dwarfing rootstocks ‘Gisela 5’ and ‘Tabel’ will restrict the size to about 3-4m (10-13ft) making them suitable for growing as dwarf bush trees or possibly in a container.
Pollination of sweet cherries is complex. If you only have space for one, select a self-fertile cultivar such as ‘Stella’, ‘Lapins’ or ‘Sunburst’. Otherwise be sure to seek advise from the nursery on suitable cultivars to achieve cross pollination.
Cherries prefer deep, fertile soils with pH of 6.5 – 6.7. They will not thrive on shallow or badly drained sites. As cherries flower early in the year, choose a warm sheltered site or grow against a south- or south-west facing wall or fence. When frost is forecast protect the blossom with fleece, but uncover during the day to allow access to pollinating insects. Cherries tend to do best in southern England.
Plant any time during the dormant season from November to February as long as the soil is not frozen or water logged.
Pruning and training
Sweet cherries fruit on one-year-old and older wood. Sweet cherries are usually grown as small trees (open centred bush or pyramid) or fan trained (where the tree is trained against a wall/fence).
Stone fruit including cherries should not be pruned during winter to minimise the risk of infection by silver leaf or bacterial canker. Light formative pruning can be carried out in spring as the leaves start to develop. Prune established trees in summer.
In the first year on a feathered maiden tree choose three or four well-spaced wider angle side shoots (laterals) about 75cm from ground level to be the main branches and shorten these by two-thirds. Cut the central leader back to just above the uppermost lateral. Remove shoots below the selected laterals.
By the second year the main laterals should have produced their own sideshoots, the strongest of which need shortening by half, ideally pruning to a well-placed bud to develop a balanced crown. Remove any weak or badly placed shoots.
In the following spring continue developing a well spaced framework. Prune established bushes in early summer. Rub out any buds developing on the lower trunk and carefully pull off suckers arising from the rootstock. Pruning is mostly limited to removing crossing, weak, diseased material and strong vertical growth. If the branches are still crowded then further thinning can be done.
Propagation
The technique of grafting is used to attach the top (the variety) to a rootstock that controls the vigour of the tree. This is a complex skill and is usually carried out by nurseries. However, there’s no reason why gardeners can’t have a go.
Problems
Cherries are relatively problem free, but birds can eat the fruit. Here are some other problems to watch out for.
Bacterial canker
Blossom wilt
Brown rot
Cherry blackfly
Immature fruit drop/Run off
Silver leaf
Winter moth caterpillars
Cultivar selection
Many cultivars can be found in nurseries, however these are recommended:
‘Lapins’ (SF)
‘Merchant’ AGM
‘Stella’ AGM (SF)
‘Sunburst’ (SF)
(SF) Self fertile
Check the label to see which rootstock the cherry is grafted on to. Choose ‘Gisela 5’ for a semi-vigorous tree.
Click here for other recommended AGM varieities