Del:

There are a few good places in CO to grow sweet cherries but they are few and far between...like a couple acres between Palisade and Grand Junction. But lets say you live somewhere near Denver. That would be worth a try.

The cherries you mention will not pollinate Rainier. Bing is the obvious choice as one that would. They make a pretty good combo for pollination and rate high on quality. Other pollinators would need to bloom at about the same time as Rainier. There are self fertile sweet cherries. Self fertile is pretty appealing but I haven't found any yet that have the eating quality of Bing or Rainier. If you are going to try this might as well try the best.

Dwarfing rootstocks are all the rage amongst home owners for sweet cherries. They haven't worked well for me. I'd recommend you plant on Mazzard rootstock and use summer pruning to control tree size. If you want to try a dwarfing rootstock I'd stay away from Gisela 5 and go with Gisela 6 or 12. You could also try Krymsk 5 from Raintree but that is a real shot in the dark.

I'd suggest getting your trees from Van Well or Brandt's nuresies out of WA state. These are real commercial nurseries that will sell trees to individuals.

Recognize that the birds like cherries as much as you do. Bird netting might be necessary to ever taste one of your beauties.

The Fruitnut

Hi Del,

Do you have access to the Royal Rainier Cherry? It looks like it will do well in Colorado.

We have had the Royal Rainier in the ground about three years now with great crops every year. No pollinator is required and a good tasting cherry.

Pam

Here is a link that might be useful: DW Colorado cherry picks.

Royal Rainier is not self fruitful but it might be a good choice. I have it both outside and in my greenhouse. This is my first crop outdoors, none yet in GH. Still haven't tasted any myself better than Bing. I keep hoping. Haven't tried Utah Giant. Those listed by DW would be worth trying.

The Fruitnut

Appreciate the correction, Fruitnut. Nowhere in the literature does it state self-fruitful. Was told that, verbally, at time of purchase back in 2004. Ran to check the nursery tag, and of course, gone. Colt rootstock label still there.

Until last month, it was the only cherry tree within a 3/4 mile radius. Guess we are lucky, or perhaps it may be self-fruitful if certain (unknown) conditions met.

Pam

I say birds like cherry MORE than we do, espcially when the trees are relatively small.

I too am interested in rainier cherries. Could I just use two rainier's to pollinate each other, or do they have to use two different types?

A Rainier will not pollinate itself and a thousand Rainiers will be no better. Bing is good and blooms at about the same time.

Thank you all for the very helpful answers.
I was waiting to get an email with any replies and was wondering why no one replied :)
Seems like Rainer and Bing are a good combination!
Will try that most likely.
In general though would any sweet cherry get pollinated by any tart cherry?

thanks!
Del

Del:

Don't believe you will have any luck with a tart pollinating a sweet. They most likely will bloom at different times. And even if they bloomed together, the tart won't do the job. Sweet cherries have very stringent pollination requirements.

I would recommend a self fertile sweet cherry if I knew a good one. One self fertile that is widely recommended is Lapins. That is by reputation only, mine hasn't fruited yet. But I don't believe the quality is as good as Bing or Rainier. Lapins doesn't need a pollinator and will pollinate Bing or Rainier. Other self fertile varieties are Sandra Rose, Sonata, Skeena, White Gold, Black Gold, Vanadalay, Tehranivee, and Sweetheart. Many of these are sold by Raintree. Try these at your own risk as to fruit quality. But they should solve your pollination issues. If you had room for Bing, Rainier, and two self fertile, you should have the best of both worlds.

The Fruitnut

will a Utah giant pollinate a rainer? im new and planted 2 bare rootstocks next to eachother,16 feet apart both semi dwarfs rainer/Utah giant

Yes, Utah Giant and Rainer are compatible for cross pollination. Also to clarify some previous information, tart/sour cherries will pollinate sweet cherries - they are often recommended for this purpose - as long as the bloom times coincide.

ooooh,ok! good because in one row,all trees have 16 foot spacing,the order of rees are like this:utah giant,rainer,Utah giant,lapin,bing...and in the 2nd row,i have Utah giant,lapin,bing.black tartarian,bing....so those all should be compatable with the tree next to eachother?

Yes those are all compatible. It doesn't matter which is next to which. As long as you have almost any three varieties in the same planting you will be OK. The bees will spread the pollen around as needed. With all the varieties you have there won't be any issues with compatible pollen.

oh good,ive never done this before,just tried to study what I can before planting,they are all bareroot trees I planted his year,theeven professionally pruned them before I took them and planted them,i live in zone 9 central coast calif

planted them 2 weeks go

See this thread: Cherry Tree cross Pollination

I have Stella cherry living zone 7b. its self fruitful and it was fruiting size when I got them anyway it did not produce at all last summer, so called the nursery and they said i can get another variety I am getting rainier tree this year for cross pollunation.

let us know how it worked out

Can you use a Royal Rainier to pollinate a Rainier?