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A cherry tree should not be missing in any garden, both because of the delicious fruits and the beautiful cherry blossoms. You can buy ready-made plants or grow them yourself from seeds. How to plant cherry stones
In a nutshell
- Growing cherry trees from seeds is quite possible
- Trees grown in this way do not exhibit the same characteristics as the mother plant
- Cherry pit is not the actual seed, it protects the seed inside
- not every seed will germinate after planting
Prepare cores
The seeds required for planting are best taken from your own cherries that you have harvested yourself. Those from the trade are only suitable for growing a cherry tree to a limited extent, they usually only have a lower germination capacity. Before you can plant the seeds, you free them from the pulp. Any remaining residue can be removed under running water. Then let them dry on kitchen paper.
Sprout cherry stones
In order to promote germination or to enable it at all, the nuclei must be stratified. This can be done by simulating a cold period as well as by heat or opening the hard shell.
Under the influence of cold
In order to encourage the cherry stones to germinate and to trick them into thinking they are going through a cold period, they are planted in the ground in late autumn and left there to practically hibernate. It is also possible to put them in a flower pot with soil and leave it outside.
- Cores now require constant cold and moisture
- for about three to five months
- Temperatures not below minus 30 degrees
- alternatively place the cores in moist sand
- store in a cool but frost-free place
- Fridge very suitable for stratification
- Temperatures up to five degrees are ideal
- Keep cores cool for about 90 days
- possibly longer
- some take up to five months to germinate
Tip: If you want to plant the cherry stones later, you should check them once a week during the germination process to prevent them from drying out or even becoming mouldy. Consequently, standing water should always be removed.
With warmth
So-called warm stratification can also help improve the germination rate of most cherries. In addition to the seeds, you need fresh, ground and sterile peat moss from a specialist shop. This moss has the advantage that it doesn't mold easily, because mould, especially in this early phase, is the biggest enemy.
- first put the moss in a container
- Add water at about 20 degrees
- wait for the moss to absorb the water
- takes about eight hours
- then pour off or squeeze out excess water
- Add cherry stones
- Cover container with translucent film
- Poke small holes in the foil
- keep in a constantly warm place for about two weeks
notice: Here, too, you should check on the first two days whether water has accumulated again. If that's the case, it needs to be drained. Now it's time again to check the cores weekly for mold growth and, if there are any, to remove moldy cores immediately.
Open hard shell
If all this takes too long, you can encourage germination by opening the seeds. This can be done by gently hitting it with a hammer or using a standard screw press. If that doesn't work, you can sand them down with sandpaper. The seeds inside should definitely remain intact. The seeds released in this way are then placed in a small bowl of water for a few days to germinate and the whole thing then placed in the refrigerator. Since not every core germinates, it is advisable to always use several. Some of the first seeds germinate after a week and can be planted. In the spring they can then go into the garden.
Plant cherry stones
The right location
The cherry tree loves sunny and well-ventilated locations, which is not unimportant when it comes to care. It thrives particularly well in fertile, sandy soil with good drainage and pH values in the neutral or slightly acidic range. Since the cherry forms taproots, the soil should also be well drained. Planting in pots or tubs is therefore only recommended to a limited extent.
Pay attention to the planting depth
When planting, pay attention to the correct planting depth and the correct planting distance.
Pre-germinated cherry stones can usually be planted in spring and dry ones in late summer or autumn. You make small holes in the ground with your finger or a piece of wood and place the cores maximum 2.5 cm deep one. Several cores can be planted at a distance of about 30 cm and the strongest isolated from a certain size. Or you can put them about 600 cm apart and save yourself the hassle. When planting in autumn, it is advisable to cover the planting site with a layer of sand about 2.5 cm thick. This protects against a frozen crust on the soil surface, which can prevent the shoots from budding. Don't forget to water after planting.
care afterwards
- Keep soil slightly moist
- water lightly after the last frost in spring
- only when the soil is dry to a depth of seven centimetres
- do not overwater young trees
- don't let it dry for too long
- do not fertilize at first
- also pruning small trees
- Avoid pruning in late fall
- Cherry stone trees could freeze to death
- Lime painting advisable on the south-facing side
- serves as frost and sun protection
- best time early December
- Renew paint annually
frequently asked Questions
Why Stratify Cherry Pits?As already mentioned, this promotes germination. Without this step, in most cases it would not happen or it would be extremely tedious. Stratification, no matter what kind, ensures that when growing seeds, the hard shell of the seed softens and the seed inside can germinate.
When would the cherry tree bear fruit for the first time?It can take seven to eight years for a cherry tree grown from pits to bear fruit for the first time.
What distinguishes cherry trees grown from pits from those from the nursery?Those from the tree nursery are usually of the same variety. A cherry tree that has been grown from seeds can have completely different characteristics than the two parent plants. Both the variety and the susceptibility to disease or fungal attack, fruit quality and frost hardiness are uncertain. Often they also differ in growth form.