Sour cherries and bush cherries

17 years ago

I posted a question in the Fruit forum but haven't gotten much response.

I have a sour cherry tree on order and I'm clueless where I'm going to put it. lol

I'm wondering if it would benefit from any afternoon shade or if they do ok in full sun all day long.

I ordered Balaton, not a tried and true variety for the Ozarks since it's new, but I was told it would do ok and it's supposed to be one of the sweetest for fresh eating.

There are also some newer varieties of bush cherries available now that are supposed to be very sweet and good for fresh eating but they seem to be more common up north. I can't find any info one way or the other on how well they tolerate summer heat. This one is tempting me: If my Balaton is a failure, I might give bush cherries a try.

Here is a link that might be useful: Carmine Jewel bush cherry

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

mulberryknob
17 years ago
My montmorency pie cherry (that the ice storm destroyed at 26 years of age, sob) was situated in full sun. The cherries on the south and west sides that didn't get shaded by other trees or its own other branches, consistently produced the earliest, sweetest, reddest cherries. That makes me think that they don't need afternoon shade. I too bought a Balaton. Hope it does well for both of us. I also bought another Montmorency to replace the old one.

Don't know anything about bush cherries. Maybe someone else does.
gldno1
17 years ago
christie, my sour cherry tree (from Stark many years ago) gets full sun. The only no no is never plant any stone fruit in a low spot where the water stands (ask me how I know....)

My sis used to have quite a grove of bush cherries (some old variety) that she picked for pies. I have no experience with them. I think they were Nanking. Gurneys variety sounds perfect.

I tried a Stella from Stark a long time ago and it died...I want a sweet cherry but all I read says they don't do well here....may give it a try anyway.
Related Professionals
Brunswick Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Laconia Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Missoula Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Rock Hill Landscape Contractors · Corpus Christi Landscape Contractors · Potsdam Landscape Contractors · Merced Landscape Contractors · San Diego Landscape Contractors · Mesquite Landscape Contractors · Ocala Home Additions · Huntington Home Additions · Grand Rapids Home Additions · Bennington Home Additions · Green Bay Home Additions · Modesto Home Additions
christie_sw_mo
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks for your replies.

I got my order Monday afternoon. I was out in the yard and was going to get started planting potatoes when the UPS truck pulled in my driveway with my Stark Brother's order. You'd think, since I ordered a month ago that I would have a spot in mind to actually PLANT my new cherry tree and other stuff but I didn't. So I circled my yard a few times, shovel in hand, turning in cirles and staring up at the trees, walking back and forth counting paces a few times. If I carry a shovel, that makes me look less crazy to the neighbors right?

The plants they sent me were bigger than I expected them to be. I spent a good part of the day yesterday digging holes for the Balaton Cherry and for a Jupiter grape. Sure seemed hard to dig. I think my arms are weak from lack of use over winter. I was exhausted yesterday evening.

I read that Balaton has a tendency to form narrow crotch angles will need some training and pruning of course. I've been reading about different methods to help the branches spread out to wider angles but I think I won't have to do that until next year.

Will I need to spray it this year for anything or should I just wait to see what happens?