Bare-Root Cherry Trees

Congratulations on your new CherryHill cherry tree! Your bare root Lapin tree is self pollinating so will grow sweet cherries in 3 – 4 years. Below are some planting and care instruction to help you get the most out of your new favourite tree!

1. Handling

• When handling your tree ensure you are careful to not knock the buds, and always handle the tree from the pot.
• A bare root tree can only be planted in winter or early spring.

2. Site selection and preparation

• Cherries like full sun and soil that is well drained. A heavy soil which does not drain and stays wet may not be suitable to grow your cherry tree.
• Prepare the soil well where the tree will grow by digging and cultivating to allow the roots to establish when the tree is young.
• You may wish to mound the soil where the cherry tree will grow which will aid drainage.
• Apply lime to raise soil pH if needed and gypsum to break up heavy clay soil
• Do not apply Nitrogen fertiliser within 2 weeks of lime

3. Planting

• Dig a hole twice as big as the space needed for the size of the roots.

• Loosen the soil in the bottom of the hole.
• Trim any damaged roots with clean secateurs.
• Place your tree in the hole and ensure the root ball is covered by around 15cms of soil.
• Backfill the hole around the roots, tamping with your foot lightly as you fill the hole to remove any air gaps
• Apply mulch and compost to your newly transplanted tree.

4. Initial pruning and tree training

• A bare root tree should be pruned after planting before the buds swell.
• Only prune during dry weather.
• We recommend pruning fruiting cherry trees to an open ‘vase’ shape which is free-standing and will produce cherries within 3-4 years. For an open ‘vase’ style tree, prune quite hard to begin.
• Prune each branch to a height approx 20cm from the trunk leaving 4-6 buds from which to grow from.
• If you are trellising or creating ‘espalier’ style trees, you can tie the branch to the wire or training guide and leave unpruned or prune as required

5. Watering and Fertilising

• Water in a newly planted tree.
• Additional watering is usually only required after the initial growth begins in spring.
• Don’t over-water your tree, remember the roots don’t like being wet, apply more water during dry and hot weather.

6. Further Pruning

• After 1 year’s growth, again prune back branches hard, do this in winter. This forces the tree to develop more branches which will produce fruit in future years.
• NB: If you miss this early pruning, the tree will ‘bolt’ upwards without developing enough branches and the tree will be hard to maintain.
• After 2 years, you may prune again or leave some or all the branches to mature and develop fruit buds which will bear fruit.
• NB:  Cherries mostly grow on 2nd year fruiting ‘spurs’, so don’t be discouraged too quickly, , our commercial cherry trees take 4 years to fruit
• Remember to trim any sucker growth from below the graft.

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