HO-9
1977
YARD AND GARDEN
HORTICULTURE DEPARTMENT • COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE • PURDUE UNIVERSITY • WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA 47907
GROWING CHERRIES IN INDIANA
by R. A. Hayden, Extension horticulturist
Site selection
Cherry trees will grow on a wide range of soil types, if the soil is well drained. Avoid soils that are very heavy and remain wet for extended periods. Also, avoid droughty soils that dry out excessively, unless supplemental water is supplied regularly in the early years.
Cherry trees bloom early in the spring. Sweet cherries bloom earlier than sour cherries, so they are more susceptible to early spring frosts. Locate the planting on an elevated site to avoid frost pockets and injury to fruit buds.
Commercial cherry growing in Indiana is limited by the climate. Sour cultivars do not thrive where summers are long and hot, while sweet cherry cultivars will not tolerate as cold winters as sour cherries. Sweet cherries are also susceptible to rapidly fluctuating temperatures. Sour cherries are better adapted to the northern 2/3 of the state, while sweet cherries are adapted only in areas that are protected from extreme cold and from rapid fluctuations in winter temperatures. In most areas of the state, sweet cultivars cannot be regarded as reliable producers of fruit; and trees are difficult to establish and maintain.
Planting trees
Space trees far enough apart to allow for their full size. Plant sour cherry trees 20-24 feet apart and sweet cherries 25-30 feet apart. Cherry trees are slow to come into bearing, requiring 5-8 years to reach reasonable production. To increase early production, extra or "filler" trees can be planted in the row but should be removed before they crowd the permanent trees.
Plant well grown one-year-old nursery trees in the spring as soon as the ground can be prepared. In southern Indiana, trees can be planted in either late fall or early spring, but spring planting is more reliable.
Handle trees carefully before planting to prevent roots from drying out. Keep them moist at all times. A bucket or barrel filled with water will help to keep trees in good condition during the planting operation. If trees must be stored before planting, they should be "heeled in" in a trench located in a cool area. Be sure roots are covered and kept moist.
The planting hole for the tree should be large enough to accommodate the root system without crowding or bending roots. The tree roots should be pruned to remove all injured or broken roots. If roots are too long, prune them back rather than bend them to fit the hole, or, better yet, enlarge the hole.
Set the tree at the same level as it grew in the nursery, filling the hole carefully with topsoil. Settle the soil carefully and firmly around the roots to avoid air pockets. When the hole is 2/3 full, water thoroughly, then finish filling with topsoil. Water as needed during dry periods throughout the first year.
In home plantings, where fill dirt and/or subsoil may form the lower layers of the planting site, extra care should be taken to provide good soil drainage. The soil removed from the hole should be well mixed to provide a good medium throughout the rooting volume.