Planting Your New Cherry Tree!

Step 1:

Pick Location

  • Place your cherry tree in a well lit area. Cherry trees like lots of sunlight.

  • Leave 4+ feet clear on all sides of the tree. Expect that a full grown cherry tree can have roots and branches that stretch 8 feet or more from the base of the tree. Place your tree where you will be happy with it when it is at its full size.

Step 2:

Dig Hole

  • Dig a hole several inches wider and deeper than your pot (~12 inches wide by 12 inches deep)

  • Break up any chunks of dirt that were removed from the whole. Keep dirt to the side until needed for planting.

Step 3:

Plant Tree

  • Remove plant from container keeping as much soil in tact as possible.

  • Place tree in the hole. making sure the entire root system is under ground.

  • Add any dirt needed to fill hole completely.

  • Compact dirt around tree with feet to ensure tree is secure in the ground.

Step 4:

Tree Care

  • Water immediately after planting. Water about 4 gallons at the base of the tree to remove any air pockets remaining in the soil. The tree prefers to stay dry above the ground, so only water the soil.

  • Water every 3-5 days for first 2-3 weeks, making sure the ground does not dry out more than 2-4 inches deep. Steadily decrease frequency of watering and increase amount per watering as tree grows. A full grown tree can handle watering every 7-10 days as long as the entire area around the tree is watered thoroughly each time. Do not allow trees to sit in pooled water for more than a couple hours.

  • Fertilize twice a year, once in the spring and once after fruit has been harvested in the summer. The fertilizer in spring will act to boost fruit growth and the fertilizer in the summer will help boost tree growth.

  • Prune yearly in the summer after fruit is harvested. Cherry trees need sunlight and air circulation through the middle of the tree. Consider pruning the tree so that 10-20% of the light hitting the tree passes through the tree and hits the ground.