Thank you very much for the information. Yes these are fruiting sweet cherries and not dwarf ones. Pruning is something I need to learn about. Will do :) Trial and error most likely.

I got the feeling from another thread that you have "fruiting" (eating) cherries. Maybe you could clarify that, one way or other, for more targeted info. If yours are Prunus avium (sweet cherry) or Prunus cerasus (sour cherry), typical growth expectation of standard (non-dwarfed) trees would be around 12" to 20" per year. Both of these are considered medium growth rate trees.

Most fruiting-cherry rootstocks (like 'Mazzard' and 'Mahaleb') are full size (non-dwarfing) or only slightly dwarfing. They are chosen for multiple reasons, but slower growth rate is not usually a consideration. There are semi-dwarfing and even dwarfing rootstocks ('Colt', for instance), but they are not as widely used.

Sorry I can't seem read. I see "Yes these are fruiting sweet cherries and not dwarf ones" as plain as day, now that I pressed enter.

So, typical growth rates of sweet cherries are in the 15" to 20" per year range. In ideal conditions, you might get a little more.

This is my montmorcey cherry tree, planted just under 2 years ago. It was a bit larger than yours in the second photo when I planted it, I think it was in a 3 gallon container.

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This is that exact spot on 6-26-2009 -- Just under 2 years ago. The Cherry was planted in early July. (The lamp Post is hiding behind the cherry tree).

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So they can grow very very fast given ideal conditions.

Jamie

hehe thank you brandon... well obviously these grew quite a bit more than 20" in one year. I don't know what is awkward about the way they are growing though. I will google some images. I like they way they are forming. Nice low branches that I may just have to climb one day to pick some cherries. I will be 55 and climbing trees, never put it past me. I like unique anyway. I released them from the ties today. I only tied them because earlier this Spring, we were getting constant heavy winds and storms from the northwest and they were beginning to all lean toward the southeast. I kind of wanted them to grow nice and straight before I started shaping them.

When I planted them, which is in red sand, I dug a large hole in a low point where a tree was once before. The previous owner of this place removed a lot of trees years and years ago. So I let these spots of low ground be my planting points... back in our woods, my husband pushed up a bunch of brush and decaying matter in a pile... it sat for about 3 years... I added 2 wheelbarrow loads of this semi compost to the red sand. Last year, when I watered, I would just let the hose barely trickle at the base and soak in really deep. I will contribute that to the extremely fast growth. The very tall one was actually just 2 straight stalks. I topped it this year before it sprouted in hopes that it would branch out, in which it did. Awkward or not, I just love the way they are turning out. I will learn about pruning. I always apologize to them when I ever have to cut a plant. When I plant things, I welcome them home and wish them luck. If they make it, wonderful, if not, I plant something else.

Wow Jamie, where did your house go? That is awesome. I think I can know what to expect next year. Thank you for the photos! You got a lot of great looking healthy plants there.