sweet cherryPrunus avium

sweet cherry

sweet cherries

1. sweet cherry
2. wild cherry
3. gean
4. bird cherry

1. sweet cherry
2. wild cherry
3. gean
4. bird cherry

1. Prunus avium

1. Angiosperms
2. Eudicots
3. Rosids

Rose family

1. Prunus cerasus
2. Prunus padus

1. fruit (cherry)

1. Taskprune

   Label

   Tree pruning

   Prioritymedium

   Months

   1. 1

   Conditionfrostfrei

   Estimated effort2–3 Stunden pro Baum

   Notes

   Remove dead wood and crossing branches.

1. Taskprune

   Label

   Finish pruning

   Prioritymedium

   Months

   1. 2

   Conditionfrostfrei

   Estimated effort1–2 Stunden pro Baum

   Notes

   Treat wounds with wound sealant if needed.

1. Taskprepare_planting

   Label

   Prepare planting

   Priorityhigh

   Months

   1. 3

   ConditionBoden frostfrei

   Estimated effort1 Stunde pro Baum

   Notes

   Dig planting hole and improve soil with compost.

1. Taskplant

   Label

   Planting

   Priorityhigh

   Months

   1. 4

   ConditionBoden nicht nass

   Estimated effort1–2 Stunden pro Baum

   Notes

   Keep graft union above soil.

1. Taskpest_control

   Label

   Pest control

   Prioritylow

   Months

   1. 5

   ConditionAustrieb sichtbar

   Estimated effort30 Minuten

   Notes

   Watch for aphids and cherry fruit fly.

1. Taskharvest

   Label

   Harvest

   Priorityhigh

   Months

   1. 6

   ConditionFrüchte reif

   Estimated effort1 Stunde pro Baum

   Notes

   Pick fruit with stem attached.

1. Taskharvest

   Label

   Continue harvest

   Priorityhigh

   Months

   1. 7

   ConditionFrüchte reif

   Estimated effort1 Stunde pro Baum

   Notes

   Cover birds or apply netting.

1. Taskharvest

   Label

   Finish harvest

   Priorityhigh

   Months

   1. 8

   ConditionFrüchte reif

   Estimated effort1 Stunde pro Baum

   Notes

   Harvest last fruit and remove fallen fruit.

1. Taskwater

   Label

   Watering

   Prioritylow

   Months

   1. 9

   ConditionTrockenheit

   Estimated effort30 Minuten

   Notes

   Water young trees sufficiently before winter.

1. Taskplant

   Label

   Autumn planting

   Prioritymedium

   Months

   1. 10

   ConditionBoden frostfrei

   Estimated effort1–2 Stunden pro Baum

   Notes

   Planting possible until November.

1. Taskplant

   Label

   Finish autumn planting

   Prioritymedium

   Months

   1. 11

   ConditionBoden frostfrei

   Estimated effort1–2 Stunden pro Baum

   Notes

   Last plantings before frost.

1. Taskprotect

   Label

   Winter protection

   Prioritylow

   Months

   1. 12

   ConditionFrost

   Estimated effort30 Minuten

   Notes

   Protect trunk with jute or white paint.

Full sun

Sheltered

Prefers a warm site protected from late frosts.

Deep, humus-rich, loose

Tolerant of lime but not on heavy, compacted soils. Good drainage required.

1. Fruit set and fruit growth (May–July)

Avoid waterlogging; water during dry spells in fruit development.

Apply compost or organic fertilizer (3–5 l/m²) annually in spring. Potassium important for fruit quality.

Sweet cherries are perennial trees requiring a permanent site. No crop rotation in the classic sense.

Sweet cherries are perennial trees, so no classic crop rotation. Site rotation not possible; avoid monoculture.

1. Insects (cherry fruit fly, aphids, cherry weevil)
2. Birds

1. Fungal diseases (Monilia, shot hole, bacterial canker)
2. Bacterial diseases (bacterial canker)

1. Choose site with good air circulation
2. Regular training pruning
3. Remove fallen fruit and leaves
4. Remove mummified fruit

Regular inspection of leaves and fruit from May onward. Act immediately at first symptoms.

1. Slugmonilia-laxa

   Severityhigh

   Conditions

   1. Cool, wet weather during bloom

   Affected parts

   1. Blossoms
   2. Shoots
   3. Fruit

   Prevention

   1. Choose resistant varieties
   2. Pruning measures
   3. Sulfur spray at bloom

   Organic control

   1. Immediate pruning of infected shoots
   2. Remove mummified fruit
2. Slugblumeriella-jaapii

   Severitymedium

   Conditions

   1. Prolonged wetness in spring

   Affected parts

   1. Leaves

   Prevention

   1. Remove leaves in autumn
   2. Cover during rain

   Organic control

   1. Lime sulfur
   2. Nettle tea as strengthener

1. Symptom

   Wilted blossoms

   Possible causes

   1. monilia-laxa
   2. frost_schaden

   First checks

   1. Check weather during bloom
   2. Examine affected areas for spore clusters
2. Symptom

   Holes in leaves

   Possible causes

   1. blumeriella-jaapii
   2. insektenfrass

   First checks

   1. Check leaf undersides for pests
   2. Observe spots before hole formation

1. 1. Check overall appearance: growth, leaf color, fruit set.
2. 2. Inspect leaves for spots, holes, or curling.
3. 3. Check fruit for rot, maggot infestation, or cracks.
4. 4. Inspect bark for cracks, gummosis, or cankers.
5. 5. Detect pests with yellow sticky traps or tapping.

Wilted blossoms + dead shoots → Monilia. Leaves with holes → Shot hole disease. Maggots in fruit → Cherry fruit fly.

1. Bloom: April–May
2. Fruit set: May–June
3. Harvest: June–August
4. Leaf fall: October–November

Bloom usually starts mid-April; late frosts can damage blossoms.

April–May

White, five-petalled

Single

Day-blooming

Mildly sweet

Flowers appear before leaves and are rich in nectar.

June–August

Hand-pick (with stem attached)

Fully ripe: fruit is deeply colored, firm, and separates easily from the stem.

Cherries are harvested in multiple passes as they do not ripen all at once.

Every 2–4 days during peak harvest

1. Fruit color deepens
2. Flesh yields slightly
3. Stem detaches easily from branch
4. Birds begin feeding

Cool fruit immediately after picking; do not wash. Remove stems only just before eating or processing.

Refrigerator at 0–2 °C with high humidity

Shallow containers with cover, not airtight

Fruit is pressure-sensitive and should be consumed or processed as soon as possible.

Short-term storage (1–2 weeks)

1–2 weeks in refrigerator; freeze for up to 12 months

1. Canning/ preserving
2. Juicing
3. Freezing
4. Drying
5. Liqueur/ wine

1. Canning (whole fruit or as compote)
2. Juicing
3. Drying (dehydrating)
4. Freezing
5. Soaking in alcohol

For freezing, pit and optionally mix with sugar. Dry at a maximum of 60 °C.

1. Fresh eating
2. Cakes and tarts
3. Compote
4. Juice
5. Jam
6. Ice cream
7. Liqueur

Sweet cherries pair well with almonds, vanilla, cinnamon, and chocolate.

1. Flesh (red to dark red)

1. Pits (contain amygdalin and are toxic in large quantities)
2. Stems
3. Leaves

Pits contain cyanogenic glycosides; accidental ingestion of a few pits is harmless, but large amounts should be avoided.

Yes, the fruit is edible raw.

Remove pits, clean, stratify (cold treatment at 3–5 °C for 90–150 days), and sow in spring.

Pits remain viable for 1–2 years when stored cool and dry.

Trees grown from pits are not true-to-type; grafting preserves cultivar characteristics.

Since sweet cherries are cross-pollinated, seedlings are genetically variable. Cultivars are propagated by grafting.

Stratify in moist sand at 1–5 °C for 3–5 months. Soak pits in water for a few days before sowing in spring.

Collect seeds when fully ripe (July–August), clean immediately after harvest.

Germination rate is often low; scarifying pits before stratification can improve it.

1. pyramid
2. bush
3. spindle
4. espalier

Sweet cherries are usually trained as half-standard or bush trees with a pyramidal crown. Spindle or espalier forms are possible but less common. The choice of rootstock strongly affects vigour and stability.

Provides nectar and pollen for bees and bumblebees in spring. Fruits are an important food source for birds. The tree itself offers habitat and nesting opportunities.