What are the requirements for growing cherries? Must-read before planting for beginners

SummaryCherry trees should be planted in a warm and humid place, requiring loose soil with good aeration and drainage, and sufficient light. Moisture should be kept at an appropriate level, neither too dry nor too wet, so as not to affect the growth of the cherry tree. When winter temperatures are low, a lime solution can be applied to the trunk to help the cherry tree overwinter. During the planting process, it is necessary to prevent the cherry tree from getting diseases. In areas with strong winds, it is best to build a windbreak forest to ensure that the cherry tree can grow and develop normally.

At present, the cherry varieties grown in China are mainly European and American varieties. European cherry varieties need to grow for 900-1400 hours in a low-temperature environment below 7.2°C to complete the winter dormancy necessary for growth, so they are mostly grown in the northern regions of China. In the southern regions of China, Chinese cherries are mainly grown. Apart from Black Pearl, there are few excellent varieties of Chinese cherry, and the cherries produced are generally small and low in sweetness, with fruit cracking and fruit dropping occurring before harvest.

1. Regions for growing cherries

Cherries have high temperature requirements but are not cold-tolerant. They are deciduous fruit trees. The Chinese cherry, native to the Yangtze River Basin of China, needs to live in a warm and humid environment and has poor resistance to cold, so it is mostly grown in the Yangtze River Basin and in areas of northern China with a mild microclimate and warmer conditions.

In North China, Northwest China and the southern part of Northeast China, it is relatively easy to grow sweet cherries and sour cherries. Dry high-temperature weather in summer is not conducive to cherry growth. The minimum winter temperature should be above minus 20°C, so as to avoid excessive cold causing a large number of cherry tree branches to split vertically and gum. Flower buds are relatively fragile. When the cherry tree blooms, as long as the temperature of the growing environment is below minus 3°C, the flower buds will suffer cold damage, so when growing cherries, try not to choose areas with lower temperatures.

2. Light requirements

Good light will promote robust growth of the cherry tree, prolong the life of the fruiting branches, make the flower buds develop fully, increase the fruit-setting rate of the cherry tree, accelerate fruit ripening, and also improve fruit quality, with good coloring and high sugar content;

If the light is insufficient, cherry fruit trees will grow excessively, the inner branches of the canopy will weaken, the life of the fruiting branches will be shortened, and the development of flower buds and the fruit-setting rate will be affected, resulting in poor fruit quality. When planting, the density must not be too high. Make sure the branches can spread out as much as possible, and also ensure the light conditions inside the canopy, so as to ensure sufficient light and ventilation.

3. Soil selection

The soil for growing cherries should be deep and fertile, with a loose texture and good aeration and drainage. Cherry trees are relatively sensitive to the salinity and alkalinity in the soil. When planting, avoid choosing saline-alkali land. The pH value of the soil is best controlled between 5.6-7. If the salinity and alkalinity in the soil are too high, it will reduce the survival rate of the old trees and is not conducive to management.

4. Moisture requirements

Cherries have high moisture requirements. They are neither drought-tolerant nor waterlogging-tolerant. Apart from some southern provinces in China with relatively sufficient rainfall, growers in the northern regions of China mostly choose to grow cherries in hillside gullies and places with a relatively humid microclimate.

Whether growing cherries in China or overseas, people generally choose to grow them in coastal areas. These places have suitable temperatures, sufficient light and convenient irrigation, which are conducive to cherry growth and development and will also increase cherry yield and quality.

Although cherries like a humid growing environment, if there is too much water, it will lead to insufficient oxygen in the soil, affect the normal respiration of the root system, affect the growth and development of the cherry tree, and also cause root rot and gum, and may even lead to the death of the cherry tree.

5. Overwintering of cherry trees

Although cherry trees are relatively easy to grow, the branches of cherry saplings are not very cold-resistant. If the winter temperature is too low, young cherry trees will show dehydration, shrinkage and drying up. Generally, in winter, young cherry trees will show branch shriveling. In milder cases, the shape of the cherry tree will become disordered, and early fruiting will also be affected.

In winter, to help the cherry tree overwinter smoothly, quicklime can be mixed with water to make a lime slurry, and then some salt can be added to it. Apply it evenly to whiten the trunk. This can reflect sunlight to a certain extent and prevent damage to the tree caused by too large a temperature difference between day and night. In winter, the secondary shoots on the tree with relatively high transpiration can also be pruned off, and petroleum jelly should be applied to the cut surfaces to reduce water loss.

6. Disease prevention

Cherry trees are very easily infected by root crown gall bacteria and nematodes in the soil and suffer from crown gall disease. In the soil of old orchards where cherries have been grown, there are many crown gall bacteria, so it is not suitable to grow cherries again, nor is it suitable to develop a cherry nursery, so as to avoid cherry trees being infected with crown gall disease and causing losses.

The root system of cherries is shallowly distributed and has poor resistance to wind. In winter and early spring, branch shriveling is likely to occur, and flower buds will be frostbitten. If the wind is strong when flowering, it will blow away the sticky liquid on the stigma, making it impossible for insects to pollinate. Typhoons in summer and autumn will cause branches to fall over, and the losses will be even greater. If the place where cherry trees are grown often has strong winds, a windbreak forest should be created to ensure the growth and development of the cherry trees.