The cherry tree is a deciduous fruit tree that is widely cultivated, especially for, of course, its fruits: cherries. These can be consumed freshly picked from the plant, or as an ingredient in a dessert. But in addition, it has a very high ornamental value, since in spring its branches are covered with numerous white flowers, and in autumn the leaves turn from green to reddish-orange.
All in all, it is one of the typical garden plants that will also serve to decorate your garden. That's why we want you to know what are the care of the cherry tree.
What does the cherry tree need?
To get into the matter, we are going to tell you what the basic needs of the cerezo and then we will talk more about each of them so that your tree can enjoy good health:
- Direct sunOtherwise it won't grow well.
- Fertile, well-drained soil. In those heavy, compact and poor soils it has many difficulties to take root.
- Between 800 and 1800 hours of cold; that is, it needs to spend that time in temperatures that are between 0 and 9 degrees Celsius.
- If in the area some 1000-1200mm of precipitation per year, distributed throughout the seasons, it will not be necessary to water it.
- It is sensitive to late frosts, so if there are any in your area, it may be necessary to protect it a little with an anti-frost cloth if it has already started to bear fruit.
And now it is time to know how to care for the cherry tree, a tree that can pleasantly surprise us throughout the year.
Cherry tree care guide
Image - Wikimedia / H. Zell
Know the climate of your area
It is a tree that lives very well in a wide variety of climates as long as they are temperate and have cold winters. Thus, for example, in my area - the south of the island of Mallorca - it is a bit difficult for it to produce numerous fruits, since we do not have the cold hours it needs, but in the north of the peninsula it does not have so many problems.
Therefore, The first and most important thing to know before you even want to buy one is what climate we have., know the maximum and minimum temperatures, when it rains and how many liters fall, and if the wind usually blows strongly or not.
Prepare the ground
The cherry tree is a fruit tree that it needs fertile land, and that is also capable of absorbing water quickly. If this is not the case with the one you have, it is interesting to install a water drainage system, or, when planting it, fill the hole with a mixture of perlite and universal substrate (for sale here) in equal parts.
It can grow in alkaline or clayey soils, as well as those with a slightly acidic pH., so we don't have to worry about this. But if it is a soil that has a tendency to erosion, it is highly recommended to make a large planting hole, 1 x 1 meter, and mix the soil with organic fertilizer, such as guano or dry chicken manure (you should not use one that is fresh, because it would burn the roots as it is very concentrated).
plant it in the ground in spring
Image - Wikimedia / Uoaei1
The ideal time to plant it in the orchard or in the garden is in spring, but can also be done in late winter if frost has passed. And the fact is that if it were planted, for example, in February and shortly after a significant snowfall falls, it will suffer damage and it will surely take longer to sprout.
Find a place where it will grow well, at ease, and put it one meter away from walls or walls. It has no invasive roots.
cherry tree watering
Our protagonist is one of the fruit trees that needs less water per year. If they fall about 1000mm/year, irrigation will not be necessary. But if it rains less or several months pass without rain, we will have to water it about 3 times a week in summer and less the rest of the year.
It is important to prevent the soil from cracking, but it would not be good if it remained waterlogged, so do not hesitate to pour water whenever you consider it necessary.
Fertilize it during the spring and summer
It is important to fertilize the cherry tree so that it blooms and produces its cherries. That's why, We recommend fertilizing it with natural, ecological fertilizers., such as guano, which is very rich in nutrients, or the manure of herbivorous animals. Also, if you want, you can also fertilize with specific fertilizers for fruit trees such as No products found.. But no matter which one you use, you should follow the directions on the package.
Cherry tree pruning
Pruning will be held in the fallwhen the leaves have already fallen. At that time, it should be used to clean the top of the tree, that is, remove broken branches and those that look bad. In addition, those that are growing too much should be trimmed in order to maintain a more or less rounded and tidy crown.
Rusticity
The cherry bears frosts of up to -20ºC.
Hope it has fit.