Research conducted by Dr. Tim Righetti on pears and apples shows that nitrogen from a fall foliar urea spray moves to the buds and is present in this tissue the following year during bud break. Similar research on cherries has not yet been conducted to determine whether the mechanism is the same for cherries or whether there is a direct benefit in fruit quality. However, Righetti believes that growers who apply urea in the fall may be able to reduce the total N applied to their orchard due to the efficiency of this application. Fall is the best time to fumigate. Spring fumigation can also be successful but you need at least one month between fumigation and planting.
Soils are generally very wet and cold in the spring, potentially delaying the planting.
The following two articles are the first in a series of articles that highlight my findings on cherry production from my sabbatical to Europe. Thinning Cherries a Profitable Venture for Spanish Grower Most growers in Spain maintain fruit size solely through the use of heading cuts into bearing wood. However, one large grower, who manages a cherry orchard of several hundred acres, hand thins his cherries for maximum fruit size. Through close observation and experience the owner has estimated the maximum yield potential of each variety. For example, he believes that Newstar can carry a maximum crop load of 18 metric tonnes per hectare before size and firmness is affected.