A Detailed Guide to the Latest Key Points for Growing Cherries
Cherries are actually quite similar to sweet cherries, because cherries belong to a type of European cherry, and the name "cherry" is a transliteration of the English word “cherries”. It was mainly named to distinguish it from sweet cherries when it was introduced into our country. The unit price of cherries on the market is very high, making them a premium fruit, reaching as much as 100 yuan/jin at their highest. So many people began to grow them, but what should be paid attention to when growing cherries? Let's take a look below!
1. Temperature
Sweet cherry is a fruit that likes warmth and is not cold-tolerant. It adapts to relatively humid and warm environments and is not very cold-resistant, so it is grown more in the warm regions of the Yangtze River. However, it also depends on the variety. Cherries belong to the European sweet cherry varieties. The growing environment for cherries is relatively suited to dry and cool conditions, so the areas in our country with a relatively wide planting area are North China, Northwest China and other regions. Although cherries like warmth, high-temperature and dry conditions in summer are not conducive to the growth and development of cherries. They are not cold-tolerant, but in winter they can withstand temperatures of minus 20 degrees, though this will seriously affect fruit quality and yield. Too low a temperature will cause longitudinal cracking of large branches and gumming. In addition, flower buds are very susceptible to frost damage, so when growing cherries, it is not suitable to plant them in areas that are excessively cold in winter.
2. Moisture
Cherries are very sensitive to moisture. Cherries are neither drought-resistant nor waterlogging-tolerant. Although they relatively like water, too much accumulated water in the orchard will seriously affect the normal growth and development of cherries. It is fine to grow them in southern regions with abundant rainfall, but if growing them in the north, it is necessary to choose relatively moist areas such as hillsides and valleys for planting. In addition, the cherry-growing regions of various countries all choose areas near rivers and water bodies or coastal zones. Therefore, when growing cherries, try to be close to places with sufficient water sources to ensure the amount of water needed for cherry growth. It should be noted that there should not be accumulated water in the orchard, because accumulated water will cause insufficient oxygen in the soil, affect the respiration of the tree roots, and prevent normal growth and development. In continuous rainy and heavy rain weather, drainage must be carried out in time, otherwise the leaves will wither and cannot recover, or even the entire tree will die.
3. Light
Cherries are also a tree species that very much likes light. Compared with other cherry varieties, they need light the most. With sufficient light, the cherry tree grows faster, develops well and robustly, and its lifespan also increases. It is also beneficial for the plumpness of flower buds, improving the fruit-setting rate, good fruit coloring, and increased sugar content. If the light conditions are insufficient, the branches will easily grow excessively, the branches in the crown will gradually weaken, the fruiting branches cannot grow normally, and the lifespan will be reduced. All growth conditions will be completely opposite to those under strong light. Therefore, when establishing an orchard, choose to build the orchard on a sunny slope or semi-sunny slope. It should not be planted too densely, so as to ensure light conditions and enhance ventilation.
4. Soil
The soil suitable for cherry growth needs to be sandy soil with deep soil layers, loose texture, strong permeability, and effective water retention. When planted in relatively clayey soil, root development is limited and the distribution is relatively shallow. It is neither drought-resistant nor wind-resistant, and it is very sensitive to saline land. The suitable soil pH for cherry growth is around 7, so saline-alkali land is not suitable for growing cherries. Cherries are very prone to root crown gall disease, so when there are pathogens such as root crown gall disease in the soil, it is not suitable to plant cherry trees. If they are infected with root crown gall disease, it will cause more serious root crown gall disease.
The four points above are the areas that need attention when growing cherries. There is also one more point to note when growing cherries: because the roots of cherries are relatively shallow, their wind resistance is relatively weak. Therefore, during the growth process, if relatively strong windstorm or gale weather is encountered, the orchard should be sheltered in time to prevent large-scale lodging of the cherry trees. This affects the yield of cherries and one's own economic interests.