Cultivation Young trees, not exceeding five years old, transplant best. Planting can be carried out at any time from mid October to mid-March, whenever the soil is sufficiently friable to be worked between the roots. Plant firmly and stake securely. In the spring, mulch the soil surface over the root area with composted vegetable refuse or decayed straw. Do not let weeds encroach for the first few years.
Sweet cherries fruit chiefly on the spurs formed freely on the older wood.
Pruning consists in maintaining the tree to an open habit with an evenly balanced head, together with the removal of dead, crossing and rubbing branches. This minimal pruning should be confined to the spring and early summer when infection from silver leaf disease is least likely. Sour cherries fruit on shoots formed the previous season. After the basic fan of branches has been built up by shortening the leaders annually as for sweet cherries, annually replaced side growths are tied in parallel to the permanent branches. After the cherries have been gathered, the fruited shoots are pruned back at their junction with the selected replacement shoots.