Cherry Trees

[NCPaul]

These are Montmorency cherry trees (sour pie cherries), grown on dwarf rootstock, in bloom. They are beautiful now but I think I will like them better in a few weeks. We will net them because we have had a dispute with the birds as to what consitutes " fair share".



They are four years old. We will get at least two cherry pies from these trees. If the weather treatens freezing, we will cover them with blankets (the worries of farmers ). Their bloom, and the pollen, make me think that Spring is on the way. In the middle is my wife's flower garden (a "room of her own"). I will post pictures of my herb and vegetable beds when they take shape. I hope all of you are having a nice spring day and are thinking about your plants.

[Snags]

Love cherrys unfortunately I don't have the chill factor to grow them.I have substituted tropical and subtropical varietys

http://www.montosogardens.com/eugenia_brasiliensis.htm

http://www.montosogardens.com/eugenia_uniflora.htm

http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/plant/Ace ... Cherry.htm

http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/plant/Che ... Grande.htm

http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/plant/Mag ... ulatum.htm

http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/plant/Jaboticaba.htm

[NCPaul]

I have cherries; I think a pie is in my future.



I also have some of the ones that Snags linked to (I'm not sure which I have ).



The three trees (dwarf) grown in a small space yielded 3.5 Kg (7.75 #) of cherries. The trees cost me $ 20 each. I used no pesticides and side dressed them in the early spring with tree fertilizer. I netted them against the birds (who are quite fond of them). I'll prune them next winter.



Next up will be blueberries; I just bought this bush this year. Right now they are very expensive unless I can keep the bush alive for a few more seasons.

[Snags]

Summer prune is good for shaping, winter prune will give you shoots from the cut, summer usually wont.

[NCPaul]

Thanks Snags! I do need summer pruning since I need to clear out some of the interior branches. Late winter pruning would have made matters worse by encouraging growth.

[Snags]

Very jealous of your haul
I went to Melbourne for Summer to have Xmas with the family and buy boxes of Cherrys from the Victoria Market.
http://www.qvm.com.au/qvm/seasonal_produce.aspx

We get Cherrys up here in Queensland but not the variety or price that they get in Melbourne.Its all mangos up here at Xmas time.
$10 a box.

We have US Cherrys in the supermarkets now, but they are a bit expensive and bruised by the time they get here.I would imagine you get ours in December to Feb in the same state.

I always plant trees where ever I go
My last house in Melbourne had 12 stone fruit trees espaliered over the fences.Apricot, Peaches, Plums,Nectarines,Fig,Apples and Pears.All varieties where chosen for taste and season from early to late.As well as citrus in pots and grape vines.
http://www.flemings.com.au/fruiting.asp
I bought their book their website has tonnes of info.

[Massimo Maddaloni]

Hello Paul,
Cherry trees are better left unpruned unless you have a compelling reason to remove something.
I used to have a Montmorency in my garden when I was living in Italy. When it grw too large to apply netting, I found out that, if you here and there apply some glue used to trap mice right before cherries start ripening, the birds get soiled and scared. They are gone for the year. I did the same thing with red currants (branches) and strawberries (I applied the glue onto wood chips hidden in between the plants) and it worked.
Regards
Massimo

[NCPaul]

Guess what I did yesterday?



We picked 22 # (10 Kg) from just three trees. Today will be the pits. Cherry jam and freeze the rest for cherry pie.

[wheels]

Paul

Those cherries look fantastic - we don't seem to get an all red cherry like those in our shops over here.

I bet they taste as good as they look?

Phil

[NCPaul]

I've tried to get a picture of the inside, which is a light yellow. These are sour tasting but with a very pure cherry flavor.



This type of cherry was first grown in France; aren't they sharing any? Morello should be a similar sour cherry.



The finished jam made with "no sugar needed" fruit pectin.

[Massimo Maddaloni]

Montmorency is an awsome tree. Another thing you can do is lightly dust the cherries in sugar and drawn them in grappa, or 50%/50% alcohol/water. let them soak for 1-3 months.
Also, sour cherries/apricot preserve is something to try.
Last time I came back I smuggled three jars of each.
Regards
Massimo

[Snags]

Have doen the grappa bit
Just cherries in grappa with 4 broken stones (for a bitter almond background taste.)
Then removed the cherries after 3 or so months
great Cherry grapa

Put the cherries under sugar for a few more months
Great sweet cherry liquor and cherrys to serve with ice cream

[DanMcG]

Nice haul Paul ......I'm very jealous

[NCPaul]

After last years bumper crop, I should have expected this:



We had a very mild winter here and the trees had bloomed two weeks early. While the trees were in bloom, we had some cool nights though no frost. It must have been just cold enough to do me out of the bulk of the cherries. I not sure there are even enough to bother netting the trees.



I'll try to remember to show both the good and the bad in my garden. I now have a good reason to visit my favorite orchard in Virigina:

http://www.leveringorchard.com/

[NCPaul]

What a difference a year makes - last year a bust and this year the trees are loaded.



Clusters of cherries that have the branches bent down.