How to Raise Cherry Trees

Cherry trees are widely used in landscapes, both for their fruit and as ornamental plantings. The deciduous trees are native to the areas near the Black and Caspian Seas, and the fruit comes in sweet or tart varieties. The special anthocyanin pigments found in cherry trees have high antioxidant properties that play a therapeutic role in a number of human ailments such as heart disease and strokes, cites the Virginia Cooperative Extension. You can raise your own cherry trees by providing the tree optimal growth conditions and care.

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Instructions

- 1
  Select a slightly elevated site in an area of full sun for planting the tree. Make sure the soil is fertile and well draining, with a preferred soil pH of 6.2 to 6.8. Avoid low-lying areas, because these develop frost pockets that are likely to damage blooms.
- 2
  Obtain a healthy 1-year-old cherry tree from a reliable nursery during spring. Plant the tree as soon as the ground can be worked.
- 3
  Dig a hole that is two or three times the diameter of the rootball of a medium-sized tree. The depth should be the same as the container in which the tree was growing.
- 4
  Remove the tree from the container, and trim any injured or broken roots. Do not crowd the roots into the hole. It is best to either trim the roots or slightly enlarge the hole rather than crowd the roots.
- 5
  Center the tree in the hole, and fill the hole two-thirds with soil. The graft union should be 3 inches above the soil line. Press the soil firmly to remove any air pockets, and water the tree well. Finish filling the hole with soil.
- 6
  Fertilize cherry trees with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer once every year. The recommended time is a month before bloom time. Apply the fertilizer in a broad band around the tree, starting a foot away from the tree trunk.

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