Cherry Growing Guide
Cherry is a great next step in your growing journey. Follow this guide from planting to harvest and you'll do great.
At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Tree Fruit
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -29°C
Plant Family
Rosaceae
Growing Season
Cool Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
Also grows well as
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Plant a bare-root grafted tree while dormant; choose a self-fertile variety or a matched pair, and a dwarfing rootstock so you can net it. Stake for the first years.
Two types: SOUR/pie cherries are self-fertile and easy; many SWEET cherries need a compatible pollination partner (or buy a self-fertile sweet variety). Modern dwarfing rootstocks keep them small enough to net — essential, because birds will strip a cherry tree overnight. Prune in summer (like plums) to avoid silver leaf.
When To Start
First Chance to Plant
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Last Chance to Plant
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When should you plant Cherry?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Cherry Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
The Journey Ahead
Cherry's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
400 cm
Plant Spacing
500 cm
Row Spacing
Vertical Growing
Yes – Fan.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Cherries want full sun and good drainage.
- 2Keep them dwarf so you can net the whole tree — bird protection is the single biggest factor in actually getting cherries.
- 3Prune in summer to avoid silver leaf, and avoid wetting ripening fruit, which causes splitting.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
500 cm
Mature Height
400 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
14 days
When to Pick
Pick when fully coloured, sweet and easily pulled, with stems on
How to Harvest
- 1Pick when fully coloured (dark red to near-black for most sweet types) and tasting sweet — they don't ripen further off the tree.
- 2Pick with the stems attached to help them keep, and get to them fast before the birds do.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
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