Where to start....... I love cherries but due to cost I don't eat them very often, every time I find cherry trees at a good price they're ornamental varieties .
So, what is the best way to get the cherry stones (that I've carefully saved) to grow into trees?
I'm assuming that the same basic techniques will work for Medlars ?
I do understand that I'm playing the long game here and that I'm not likely to get a crop for several years (or longer)
Thanks
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It is a hobby of my Father in law's to grow trees from seed. It takes time. Lots of time. He has a superb cherry tree, grown from seed. It produces every year. He started it in 1968.
Go to a nursery, and see what cordon trees they have. Theyare easy to maintain and produce quickly.
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Tbh if you are new to it you'd be better off buying fruit or nut trees. A small one doesn't cost very much, and there is a much higher chance of success. Look at this for example http://bit.ly/1Kao7mI. I dunno if this is cheap/expensive compared to other shops, but £20 for potentially years of fruit doesn't seem unreasonable to me.
If that is beyond your budget, I'd imagine that the skills involved in grafting etc would be best learned in a class or at least demonstrated by someone who is experienced. It would certainly be satisfying to grow your own from seed!
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I too looked at growing a cherry tree from a pip but apparently they do not come true from pip's, so you could end up with a cherry tree that you cannot eat. If you have a friend with a cherry then go and ask them if you could take some cuttings and try growing the cherry from a cutting instead of a pip that way the tree with grow true to form and you will get a nice tasting cherry.
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junmist wrote:I too looked at growing a cherry tree from a pip but apparently they do not come true from pip's, so you could end up with a cherry tree that you cannot eat. If you have a friend with a cherry then go and ask them if you could take some cuttings and try growing the cherry from a cutting instead of a pip that way the tree with grow true to form and you will get a nice tasting cherry.
What junmist says - topfruit is almost always branches from a known tree grafted onto wild rootstock as they don't breed true from pips. Save up for a tree from a nursery.
Cherry trees grow easily from stones. Find a local tree that is growing well then simply place the stone in a pot with soil and leave it outside. There will be lots of stones on the ground near the cherry tree so plant several - you can always gorilla garden some in a roadside hedge or park if you get too many. When the sapling is big enough to withstand your local wildlife, plant it out.
There are lots of cherry trees around the public areas near where I live. I forage them as soon as they become ripe. if you wait the birds will strip the trees within a couple of days. I find a hooked walking stick is useful to gently bring down the branches of taller trees. The branches are very springy but do snap eventually so only pull down until you feel the tree start to resist. If you grow your own cherry trees, you can wrap black cotton thread between the branches to deter the birds.
Another fruit that you might like to try is plums or damsons. They grow very very easily from stones and fruit heavily within a few years. They have good and bad years so in glut years make jam. The only down side is they have a habit of self seeding so you will need keep any unwanted saplings in check or you will end up with a forrest.
Failing that - Adams Apples have various varieties them for £15.
Many in the smallholder world use them - very reliable etc etc
Using a pip may be ok - depends if it is from a heritage variety or an F1 hybrid - of course, you'll have no idea. However, most likely not a great plan from a shop bought cherry. Find a wild one.
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