Planting and Growing Cherries in Cold-Climate Gardens

Cherries shine in cool summers. Sour cherries taste bright and tart for pies and jams. Sweet cherries are juicy and rich when fully ripe. Both give vitamin C, fiber, and helpful antioxidants. Many hardy sour types bloom late and handle winter cold. Dwarf and semi-dwarf trees fit small northern gardens and start bearing sooner. With the right rootstock, good pruning, and simple frost protection, you can grow cherries in cold climates and enjoy baskets of fruit in short seasons.

Cherry Varieties Suitable for Cold Climates

  • Evans/Bali. Very hardy sour cherry that fruits young in northern areas.
  • Carmine Jewel. Compact bush cherry with dark, rich flavor and high cold tolerance.
  • Juliet. Bush cherry with larger, sweeter fruit on manageable plants.
  • Romeo. Bush cherry with deep color and good fresh and processing use.
  • Montmorency. Classic sour cherry with reliable crops and late bloom.
  • North Star. Dwarf sour cherry for small spaces with self-fertile bloom.
  • Lapins. Self-fertile sweet cherry for the mildest cold sites on hardy rootstock.
  • Kristin. Cold-tolerant sweet cherry for protected, sunny spots.
  • Rootstocks: Gisela 5/6, Krymsk 5/6, Mazzard. Use hardy, size-controlling stocks for earlier bearing and better cold recovery.

Soil & Site Considerations for Cherries

  • Choose full sun for 6–8 hours a day with shelter from north winds.
  • Use well-drained loam or sandy loam to prevent wet feet and winter injury.
  • Aim for soil pH 6.5–7.2 for strong roots and balanced nutrients.
  • Plant on gentle slopes or raised berms to avoid frost pockets.
  • Mulch 5–8 cm (2–3 in) with wood chips, keeping mulch off the trunk.

Planting and Spacing Cherries in Cold Regions

  • Plant bare-root trees in spring when soil is workable and above 5 °C (41 °F).
  • Set the graft union 5–10 cm (2–4 in) above soil level and water in well.
  • Space bush cherries 1.5–2.0 m (5–6.5 ft) apart in rows 3 m (10 ft) apart.
  • Space dwarf trees 2.5–3.5 m (8–12 ft) apart and semi-dwarf 3.5–4.5 m (12–15 ft) apart.
  • Install a single-wire or two-wire trellis or sturdy stakes for training young trees.
  • Prune lightly at planting to shape an open center or narrow leader for airflow.

Companion Plants for Cherries

  • Grow clover in lanes to add nitrogen and protect soil.
  • Plant thyme, oregano, yarrow, and alyssum to attract pollinators and helpful insects.
  • Edge beds with garlic or chives to use space and diversify scents.
  • Keep tall, thirsty plants away from the dripline to reduce root competition.
  • Avoid planting closely with raspberries and blackberries to reduce disease movement.

Watering & Fertilizing Cherries

  • Give 2.5 cm (1 in) of water per week in dry spells and more during fruit swell.
  • Use drip lines under mulch to keep leaves dry and reduce disease.
  • Feed lightly in spring with compost and a balanced, low-nitrogen fertilizer.
  • Avoid late summer nitrogen that can push soft growth before frost.
  • Test soil every few years and adjust pH and potassium for fruit quality.

Extending the Season for Cherries

  • Cover trees with fleece during bloom on frost nights and remove after sunrise.
  • Wrap trunks with white guards in winter to limit sunscald and vole damage.
  • Use windbreak fabric on exposed sites to reduce bud desiccation.
  • Train trees on low frameworks so you can bend or wrap branches for winter protection.
  • Use simple rain covers near harvest in wet summers to reduce cracking.

Cherry Crop Calendar

  • High-Latitude. Plant in May to early June. Bloom in late June. Harvest bush cherries in August. Protect young trees over winter.
  • Boreal. Plant in May. Bloom in early to mid June. Harvest in late July to August. Prune after harvest in dry weather.
  • Cool-Temperate. Plant in April to May. Bloom in May. Harvest from July to August. Do structural pruning in late winter.

Mistakes to Avoid When Growing Cherries

  • Planting in heavy, wet soil and causing winter root injury.
  • Skipping wind and frost protection during bloom and losing fruit set.
  • Overfeeding nitrogen and getting lush growth with poor fruiting.
  • Letting canopies get dense and increasing leaf disease in cool, damp weather.
  • Ignoring birds and losing the crop; use netting on compact forms.

Sustainability Checklist

  • Choose hardy, self-fertile or cross-matched varieties to improve set.
  • Keep flower strips for bees from spring to late summer.
  • Mulch and use drip to save water and protect soil life.
  • Prune for light and airflow to lower spray needs.
  • Compost prunings that are disease-free and chip for paths.