Can I Transplant a Two Year Old Cherry Tree in April?

Transplanting Time

• Two-year-old cherry trees can be transplanted easily, as one- to two-year-old trees are commonly sold in their dormant state for transplanting. The trees are about 4 to 5 feet tall and are best planted in early spring, anywhere between March and April, according to Barbara Damrosch in "The Garden Primer" and the Virginia Cooperative Extension. This is before dormant trees have started growing, indicated by bud swelling. The timing of the bud swelling stage in dormant cherry trees differs with location, occurring later in colder climates. A general rule is to plant as soon as the ground can be worked.

Soil

• It's just as important to plant trees properly and in the right soil and site as it is to get the timing right. Cherry trees thrive in a variety of well-drained, fertile soil types with a preferred pH of 6.2 to 6.8. It is best to perform a soil test and amend soil with lime or fertilizer as needed. Avoid planting in wet or poorly drained sites as cherry tree roots are prone to root rot caused by fungi. If the site doesn't drain well, plant the tree on a raised bed.

Site

• Cherry trees flower and fruit best in full sun areas, such as south-facing slopes. Do not plant trees in low-lying areas as these tend to develop cold pockets that make the early blooms susceptible to spring frost damage. If planting more than one tree, space them adequately to allow fruit to ripen properly. Recommended spacing is about 12 feet for dwarf varieties, 20 to 25 feet for sour cherry varieties and between 25 to 40 feet for sweet cherry varieties.

Planting Suggestions

• Make sure that the soil at the bottom and several feet around the planting hole is loose at the time of planting as this allows the roots to develop well. Amend the planting site with moist peat moss or compost prior to planting. Plant the cherry tree only as deep as it was growing in the container. Cut back the one or two-year-old tree to about a third of its size after planting. This cutting of newly planted trees is called heading. Heading is done by shortening the tree height to 1.5 to 2 feet from the ground and removing all the smaller side branches. Cut back any larger side branches to 3-inch-long stubs containing a few buds. Heading helps the tree to develop a stronger trunk and produce lower branches. If you don't want lower-growing branches, head tree height to 3 feet from the ground.