Cherry tree (sweet)
Fruit · cool season · also called sweet cherry
When to plant
- Set out bare-root trees about 3 weeks before your average last spring frost.
Most need a pollinator partner. Net trees at harvest; birds love cherries.
Frost dates depend on where you live. Enter your ZIP code to get exact dates.
Dates by zone: 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b 10a 10b
Growing basics
Toxic parts. Pits, leaves, and stems are toxic. Do not crush or eat pits.
Harmful to pets. Pits, stems, and leaves are toxic to cats and dogs.
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Spacing
- 15–20 ft
- Soil temperature
- At least 45°F
- Plant family
- Rose family (berries, fruit trees)
- Harvest per plant
- About 30 lb
Companions
Keep apart: Horseradish. Horseradish spreads aggressively. Give it its own spot.
Keep apart: Mint. Mint spreads aggressively into neighbors. Keep it in a pot.
Keep apart: Fennel (bulb). Fennel slows the growth of most garden plants. Grow it on its own.
Keep apart: Sunchoke (Jerusalem artichoke). Sunchokes spread aggressively and shade neighbors.
Pests and problems
Grow it well
Tips
- Net berries before they ripen. Birds know when fruit is ripe a day before you do. Put netting over berries and cherries as soon as the first ones start to color.
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