The most popular cherry grown by commercial farmers is also available for growing in home gardens. In this article, gardening expert Wendy Moulton shares how to care for fantastic ‘Bing’ cherry trees! The sweet fragrance of white cherry blossoms in spring will burst into rich, large fruits in summer with their tasty, sweet flesh. In autumn, the green serrated leaves turn golden – truly a tree for all seasons. It is, however, the cherries that they are known for. ‘Bing’ cherry trees produce deep red heart-shaped fruits with a sweet, delicious taste and small seeds, giving you more cherry for your pie. These vigorous growers are perfect for temperate climates and will produce up to 50 pounds of fruit per year for many years to come. The prolific fruit on this tree, the large size of the cherries, and the deep red color all make this the variety to plant. It requires a pollinator tree planted nearby, which adds to the variation in cherries you can grow in a home garden. Here, I’ll share the requirements ‘Bing’ cherries need to perform at their best. What Is It? Prunus avium ‘Bing’ is America’s most produced variety of cherry in the commercial market. Its origins have a colorful history, starting in the mid-1800s when the Lewelling family traveled west across the country from Iowa to Oregon, bringing with them 700 fruit trees. They started the first nursery on the West Coast and planted orchards of prunes, apples, and cherries, which is believed was the beginning of Oregon’s fruit-growing industry. The ‘Bing’ cherry tree was named for Chinese horticulturalist and foreman at the Lewelling orchards, Ah Bing. His legacy lives on in this award-winning cherry cultivar. For the nearly 150 years that the ‘Bing’ cherry has been in production, it has set the standard by which other cultivars are judged. Native Area Originally from Germany, these trees are descendants of the ‘Napoleon Bigarreau’ variety. The ‘Bing’ cherry was bred in Milwaukie, Oregon, from original trees brought from Iowa by the Henderson Luelling. Characteristics ‘Bing’ is a tall tree with a rounded canopy that can grow up to 35 feet and 25 feet wide. Dwarf varieties are more compact, with a mature height of around 15 feet and 12 feet wide. The leaves are long, serrated, dark green for most of the year, and turn golden yellow in the fall. The tree will be full of pretty, fragrant spring blossoms that form the sought-after large fruits, a deep red when ripe in the summer. This tree is a vigorous grower and a prolific producer of quality, firm cherries. ‘Bing’ requires another pollinator cherry close by to set fruit; it is not self-pollinating. The best-recommended varieties to plant as pollinators are ‘Sam’, ‘Van’, ‘Rainier’, and ‘Stella’. Planting Find a position in full sun and with enough space for the mature size of a ‘Bing’ cherry—at least 25 feet—and a pollinator cherry. Locate it away from other plants and buildings in a spot with plenty of sunlight. Dig a hole at least twice the width and height of the root ball so that the roots have a chance to expand and sit in the ground well to hold the weight of the tree. A stake is necessary, particularly in windy areas. Add the tree and backfill the soil, pressing it down as you go to remove any air pockets in the soil and prevent any bacterial infections from getting to the roots. Create a basin around the tree’s base to help direct water toward the roots. After planting, water the plant well and add a layer of mulch, making sure that the mulch does not touch the tree’s bark.

Are you looking for a tree that produces intense flowers and delicious fruit? Look no further than productive and easy-to-grow ‘Rainier’ cherry trees. In this article, plant expert Matt Dursum covers how to plant, grow, and care for these wonderful cherries. It’s hard to beat cherry trees for your edible landscape. They’re easy to grow and thrive in a variety of climates. Plus, they put on a show of soft blooms in the spring. ‘Rainer’ varieties produce tons of golden-red fruits and big, beautiful blooms. Their fruit is juicy, sweet, and perfect for eating raw, right off the tree. If you live in a colder climate, these cherry trees will thrive. Let’s dive into how to grow and maintain these highly productive and stunning stone fruits. What Is It? The US produces two types of cherries: sour and sweet. While sour cherries are great in canning, pies, sauces, and infusions, sweet cherries are delicious when eaten fresh. There are around 900 varieties of sweet cherries on the market, including our beloved ‘Rainiers.’ ‘Rainier’ cherries are varieties bred for their sweet, golden to soft red fruit. They have a mild, very cherry-like flavor that’s juicy and nutritious. They are vigorous fruit producers and stay relatively short in stature, which makes them easy to harvest! Besides their fruit, they explode in gorgeous blossoms in the spring. The white flowers put on a light, floral scent that’s hard not to adore. Plant them in entryways, landscapes, or home orchards, and you’ll quickly fall in love with them. Characteristics These small cherry trees grow up to 30 feet tall and produce dense clusters of beautiful white flowers in the mid-spring. They mature and bear fruit in around 4 to 5 years after planting. When they fruit, they form dense clusters of cherries that are easy to harvest. As they grow, they form an easy-to-maintain pyramidal shape. Besides their flowers and delicious stone fruits, they’re fantastic at attracting pollinators. Birds also love them as food sources and nesting grounds. They make great additions to a pollinator-friendly garden outside their invasive range. Native Area Cherry trees are native to Europe and Asia, where they’ve been cultivated for centuries. There are hundreds of species in the Prunus genus. Many, like Japanese Sakura, are grown for their ornamental blooms. Botanist Harold Fogle bred ‘Rainier’ cherries for the first time in 1952 at Washington State University. Fogle crossbred ‘Bing’ varieties and ‘Van’ varieties to get a new variety of Bings that would last for longer in the season. ‘Rainiers’ arrived in nurseries in 1960 and continued to accompany ‘Bing’ cherries in orchards. People propagated them as pollinators for the more common ‘Bing’ varieties. In the 1980s, that all began to change when growers and customers realized ‘Rainiers’ had such amazing fruit. The parent species of this tree, Prunus avium is invasive to areas of North America. Make a note of these areas before planting, as sweet cherries escape cultivation in these regions, crowding out native species. Planting Plant these wonderful cherry trees in the spring, just before they break out of dormancy. They’ll thrive in well-drained soil in an area that’s elevated for better drainage. Make sure the area gets full sun. If you’re growing a transplant or bare root sapling, moisten the root ball before planting. Dig a large hole, about twice the size of the root ball, and gently place your young tree inside. The area where the roots connect to the trunk should be barely visible. If you’re planting a grafted tree, ensure the graft is above the soil line. Add loamy soil around the newly planted tree, covering the roots. Give your transplant a good amount of water so the soil stays moist. Try adding a layer of moss or mulch around the base of your tree. ‘Rainier’ cherries are not self-fertile. Therefore, plant yours with another cherry variety for cross-pollination. ‘Bing’ or ‘Stella’ varieties are recommended companions.

The interspecific pluot tree is a hybrid of plums and apricots that produces juicy, delicious fruit. Floyd Zaiger developed this fruit tree in the US. Sarah Jay will share our tips on growing pluots at home. If you love the taste of plums and apricots, you may be thrilled to know there is such a thing as a pluot tree. Pluots are a hybrid of plums and apricot fruit trees that were developed by Floyd Zaiger, a renowned botanist. By crossing other hybrids and hand pollinating various fruit trees, Floyd brought the pluot into existence. Thanks to Floyd, you can practice gardening pluots in their gardens. Many people eagerly await pluot season to enjoy ‘Flavor King’, ‘Flavor Supreme’, ‘Flavor Queen’, or semi-dwarf ‘Dapple Dandy’ pluot. Most commonly, pluots are grown in areas that have distinct winters, but you will probably find the fruit of pluots in stores while they’re in season. If you want to have the incredible sweetness of pluots in the early summer, keep reading! Pluots are exceptional, but require the same care as a plum tree. If you have experience with different types of plum trees, you know you can tackle caring for pluot trees. Even with no experience, it’s possible to grow one to fruition. What is The Pluot Tree? Pluots grow much like plums, on small trees that reach 16 to 36 feet tall and spread up to 10 feet wide without pruning. They are perennials with shallow roots. Characteristics Pluots have oblong green leaves with a pointed tip, while some varieties have purple leaves. In the spring season, clusters of flower buds sprout from tree branches. Then, attractive pink to white four-petaled flowers bloom. In three to four months, trees set fruit in the fall season. Most pluots don’t produce until the third or fourth year of growth, so those who choose to grow them in their garden should know they are in for the long haul. Pluots do not self-pollinate, and most varieties need a second tree to produce fruit in late summer. Choose trees that have a pollination match for what you want to produce. For instance, a ‘Flavor Grenade’ pollinates with another ‘Flavor Grenade’. Alternately, grow a ‘Flavor Grenade’ with its direct ancestor, ‘Inca Plum’, because it is successful in cross-pollination with the “child” variety. ‘Santa Rosa’ plum plants cross-pollinate with certain pluots as well. With these, you’ll need to grow two trees at once or grow a multi-grafted tree of four varieties that will automatically self-pollinate. Today, pluots in season are popular at farmer’s markets and grocery stores. The fruit is about the size of a large apricot fruit, plum-like, and has smooth skin. Depending on the variety, the flesh of the fruit is red to yellow. The skin is dark purple, red, or yellow. There are many variations. The taste and flavor of the fruits are intensely sweet and somewhat tangy. People enjoy them fresh, in jams and jellies, and in cobblers and pies during their season. Interspecific Fruit The pluot tree is a member of the Prunus genus, hybridized from two other Prunus species. Other fun hybrids include plumcots, apriums, and apriplums. Floyd Zaiger, a famous botanist who specialized in hand-pollinating and hybridizing stone fruit, crossed a plumcot with a Japanese plum. And voila! We have the delectable pluot with its apricot-tinged, plumlike flesh, and sweet taste. Varieties include ‘Flavor King’, ‘Flavor Queen’, and ‘Flavor Supreme’ which are all remarkable. We also owe our appreciation to him for the semi-dwarf ‘Dapple Dandy’ pluots, which are immensely popular. Other varieties, such as ‘Splash’ pluots, feature yellow skin and a delightful flavor. Many people specifically seek out ‘Splash’ pluots for their use in desserts. Pluots are just one of many interspecific fruits or hybrids of different fruit tree species. In this case, we’re talking about the stone fruit type, or cherries, peaches, nectarines, plums, and apricots. Plumcots are a direct mix of an apricot tree and a Japanese plum tree. Japanese plum is often used as the rootstock for grafts of pluot branches as a result, as it’s a well-established species and is resilient to a lot of problems plums and pluots often suffer. Pluots are more plum-dominant than plumcots. Some pluerries are a hybrid of ‘Burgundy’ plum or ‘Santa Rosa’ plums and cherry trees, as ‘Santa Rosa’ plum trees are known for their sweet and slightly tart flavor. There are many other blends, such as nectaplums, peachcots, and so on. In fact, there are trees that have branches grafted from many different hybridized species to create self-fruitful “fruit cocktail” style trees! The key to hybridizing is to include both grafting and hand-pollination, techniques that enabled Floyd Zaiger to create the pluot varieties we know and love today. And, going forward, new varieties will continue to appear! Planting Once you’ve located and acquired bare root fruit trees from a nursery, select a site that is in full sun with well-draining soil. Set your trees in the late winter season or early spring season during dormancy. Ensure the space is out of high winds. Space trees at least 18 feet apart. Soak the root zone of the trees in water for one to two hours before planting. Dig a hole 18 inches deep and wide, breaking up any compacted soil in the process. Prune the trees back to 30 inches tall at planting, focusing on cutting side branches back to three to four buds. Place the tree in the hole so the root zone sits naturally with the bud union two inches above the soil. Fill the soil back into the hole, tamping it down as you go to remove any air pockets. Water in the newly planted trees, and ensure the bud union is still two inches above the ground. Mound the soil around the base and add a few inches of mulch, with space between it and the trunk.