When do cherry trees bloom and produce fruit?
Cherry trees are one of the first fruit trees of the season to flower. Blossom dates are mid April to early May, filling the air with fragrance. When possible, Vancouver hosts a cherry blossom festival in April featuring cherry blossom themed festivities. Check their schedule for information if you want to attend next year. Depending on seasonal weather patterns, cherries are harvested from early July to August.
What type of cherry trees can I grow in Southwest BC?
Our weather conditions allow a large variety of cherry trees to be grown and harvested, especially in the dry, hot, Okanagan Valley. In fact, about 80 percent of cherries grown globally come from varieties developed in BC. Some of the most popular varieties for DIY cherry fruit enthusiasts and commercial growers include Rainier, Stella, Van, Skeena and our locally famous Bing. Bing cherries supply the largest choice in variety, and are favoured for their amazing taste, eaten fresh, or used in baked goods and juice. Cherries are divided into sweet varieties and sour varieties. Sweet cherries are the type you can pick, rinse, and eat off the tree, and bought at local fruit stands and farm markets. Sour varieties like Morella and Northstar are grown for canning, baking, preserves and making maraschinos.
Can you give me some growing tips before I buy my new cherry tree?
Cherry trees require full sun, or 8 hours of direct sunlight each day. They need moist, but good drainage, so avoid planting in an area on your property where they will sit in pooled water. Apply a fruit tree fertilizer in early spring, and bonemeal under new plantings. Prune in late winter or very early spring before new growth begins. Prune dead, damaged and disease limbs, and branches growing too low to the ground. Apply lime sulphur spray in winter to kill insects and reduce disease. Birds can be a problem for cherry gardeners, and garden netting is a great way to protect your fruit while keeping the berries organic.
If planting, spraying, pruning and troubleshooting your cherry trees is too daunting, call us for assessments and maintenance suggestions to keep your trees in good health. Cherry and other fruit trees are a nutritious food source, and while our local growing zones allow for a broad range of choice for planting, they still need maintenance to keep them healthy and looking the best they can, which is always gorgeous when trees are in good health. Our teams work throughout Kamloops, Sechelt, Gibsons, the Fraser Valley and everywhere in between. If you’re looking for a way to create a backyard paradise, Twin Rivers Tree Service and Landscaping has you covered. If you’re too shy to call, that’s okay, just fill out the quick form on our contact page and we’ll call you to discuss your options and answer your questions.
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