Cherry trees

[crazzzymike13]

I'm wanting to plant some cherry trees on my lot. How far apart should I plant them? I want to plan alot of them. Thank you!

Mike

 

[blurose]

I would think that the variety of cherry tree might determine this answer you seek. You gonna use a dwarf cherry tree? I only know for sure that my dad had a bing cherry tree that reached 30 feet in height and I myself have a Rainer cherry tree in the back yard that is easily 20-25 ft. tall and its thickest branches spread out at least 12 feet or maybe even more. I'm sure that someone more knowlegable will come along soon and can answer your question better.

 

[Rosalind]

How diligent can you be about pruning? Most cherries are sold as semi-dwarf or standard, and you're supposed to prune them to keep them smallish. If you don't think you can prune a whole lot or fuss over training them, then plant them, oh, easily 20 feet apart. If you have time to prune them or train them as fans along a wall, then you could probably put them 5 feet apart.

 

[Mossy Rock]

I planted a standard bing cherry dwaft self fertilizing bing and a tartain for pollinating the standard bing, I planted between 10 to 20 feet apart. most ochards I believe are around 10-15 feet apart and they prune heavily.

 

[Mossy Rock]

How diligent can you be about pruning? Most cherries are sold as semi-dwarf or standard, and you're supposed to prune them to keep them smallish. If you don't think you can prune a whole lot or fuss over training them, then plant them, oh, easily 20 feet apart. If you have time to prune them or train them as fans along a wall, then you could probably put them 5 feet apart.

I was under the inpression that you do very little pruning on your apple and cherry trees, on the other hand you prune the plums and peaches back by 2/3's to keep producing fruit, I had made the mistake of cutting my apple tree back and it produce very few apples but when I pruned a little I got a great harvest.

 

[Rosalind]

For cherries (as opposed to peaches/plums/nectarines/apricots), the goal of pruning is to keep the fruit within reach of your standard stepladder. The peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots, apples and pears can all be purchased on semidwarf or dwarfing rootstocks that will keep the tree fairly smallish. Cherries tend to be sold as standard-sized, which means TALL. Unless you really wanted to climb, like, 40 feet in the air to pick cherries, you'll want to prune them heavily.

They will still produce plenty of flowers and fruit. Just be sure to prune in winter, not during growth.

 

[Mossy Rock]

For cherries (as opposed to peaches/plums/nectarines/apricots), the goal of pruning is to keep the fruit within reach of your standard stepladder. The peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots, apples and pears can all be purchased on semidwarf or dwarfing rootstocks that will keep the tree fairly smallish. Cherries tend to be sold as standard-sized, which means TALL. Unless you really wanted to climb, like, 40 feet in the air to pick cherries, you'll want to prune them heavily.

They will still produce plenty of flowers and fruit. Just be sure to prune in winter, not during growth.

Thanks! good post Rosalind makes sense.

 

[Tutter]

For cherries (as opposed to peaches/plums/nectarines/apricots), the goal of pruning is to keep the fruit within reach of your standard stepladder. The peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots, apples and pears can all be purchased on semidwarf or dwarfing rootstocks that will keep the tree fairly smallish. Cherries tend to be sold as standard-sized, which means TALL. Unless you really wanted to climb, like, 40 feet in the air to pick cherries, you'll want to prune them heavily.

That, and to remove dead wood, and to get good air circulation. Also, it helps with pest control.

I have standard apples, dwarf pears etc. and they all get pruned. But, as you say, in the winter.