Growing Cherries in Scotland: The Complete Guide

Prunus avium (sweet), Prunus cerasus (acid)

Sweet and acid cherries want different sites. Cherries grow particularly well in southern and central England (RHS), so in Scotland a warm, sheltered wall counts for more.

Cherries split into two categories that behave differently, not one crop with two flavours. Sweet cherries want a warm, sunny wall. Acid cherries also grow well in partial shade. The site you have available should decide which one you plant, not the other way round.

Choosing a rootstock

A cherry tree is a graftJoining a chosen fruiting variety onto a separate rootstock, so the tree grows the fruit of one plant on the roots of another. Full definition →: the rootstock controls its eventual size, not the variety or the tree's age. The size gap between the two common cherry rootstocksThe root system and lower stem a fruit tree is grafted onto, chosen to control the tree's eventual size rather than for its own fruit. Full definition → is wide:

• Gisela 5: semi-dwarfingHow much a fruit tree's rootstock limits or allows its eventual size, from extremely dwarfing (smallest) through to very vigorous (largest). Full definition →, 3-4m. The smaller-garden option.
• Colt: semi-vigorous, 6-8m. A large tree, more than double Gisela 5's height.

Buy a tree already grafted onto the rootstock you want; it can't be changed later. For most gardens, Gisela 5 is the practical choice; Colt suits only a garden with real space to fill.

Choosing a site

Sweet cherries want a warm, sunny spot, ideally against a south- or south-west-facing wall. Acid cherries grow well in sun or partial shade and suit a north-facing wall if that's the only spare wall available. Choose a spot that isn't prone to late frosts, since the blossom is susceptible to frost damage. Soil should be deep, fertile and well-drained, ideally slightly acidic at pH 6.5-6.7; shallow or sandy soil does poorly.

Pollination

Acid cherries are self-fertileA plant that can set fruit using its own pollen, without needing a second, different variety nearby to cross-pollinate it. Full definition → as a rule. Among sweet varieties it's mixed: Stella and Lapins are self-fertile, while Kordia and Summer Sun need a pollination partnerA second, different variety of the same fruit planted nearby so the two can cross-pollinate each other, needed by any variety that isn't self-fertile. Full definition →. Check a specific variety before buying rather than assuming either way.

Fruit Tree Pollination Groups Explained → works through flowering groups, triploids and self-fertility across apples, pears, plums and cherries together.

Planting

Choose a warm, sheltered location. If planting into a lawn, clear a circle of grass at least 1m across first. For a fan-trainedA fruit tree or bush trained flat with branches radiating out from a low point, the standard shape for wall-grown stone fruit. Full definition → form, put wires up on the wall or fence first and plant it 25-35cm out from the wall. Plant bare-root trees November to March while dormant; containerised trees any time of year. In a container, use a pot at least 45-50cm wide and deep with loam-based compost.

Care

Water newly planted trees regularly through dry spells for at least their first year. Established trees in open ground shouldn't need watering, and too much water or very wet weather as the fruit ripens can make it split. Mulch in late winter or spring; a well-mulchedA layer of material spread over the soil around plants to suppress weeds, retain moisture, and improve soil structure as it breaks down. Full definition → tree generally needs no extra feeding. Container trees need a steady supply of moisture through the growing season plus a high-potassium liquid feed every fortnight from April to August.

If frost is forecast at flowering, cover small trees overnight with fleeceA lightweight, breathable fabric laid or draped over plants to trap a little warmth and keep off frost, wind and some flying pests. Full definition → or an old bedsheet and uncover them by day so pollinators can reach the flowers, and move potted trees somewhere sheltered. Net the crop before the fruit starts to colour, with the netting kept taut and fastened securely; wall-trained trees are easier to net than free-standing ones.

Pruning and training forms

Cherries are pruned in summer, as plums and damsons are, and not in winter. Prune as soon as harvest finishes, usually late July or August, on a dry day with dry weather forecast for the next two days; light formative pruning of young trees can be done in early spring. A winter cut risks silver leaf disease and bacterial canker.

• Bush: small, open-centredA bush pruned with an open middle and outward-radiating branches, so light and air reach every part rather than a dense, shaded centre. Full definition →, the standard free-standing shape.
• Pyramid: larger, with the central leaderTwo more fruit tree shapes: central leader keeps one dominant upright trunk; half-standard is a free-standing tree on a clear trunk of about 1.2–1.5m. Full definition → kept intact.
• Fan: trained flat against a wall or fence; the form that lets sweet cherries be netted against birds and lets acid cherries make use of a shaded wall.

Espaliers and cordonsA fruit tree or bush trained as a single main stem with short fruiting side-spurs, usually grown at an angle against a wall, fence or wire. Full definition → are not suitable for cherries.

Varieties

Six cherries hold the RHS Award of Garden Merit, a UK-wide award rather than a Scottish one. Morello is the only acid cherry and is self-fertile; the sweet varieties split between self-fertile (Stella, Lapins, Sweetheart) and needing a partner (Kordia, Summer Sun).

Sweetheart is self-fertile and gives large crops of dark red fruit. Kordia has dark fruit that is resistant to splitting but is not self-fertile. Summer Sun has large, dark red fruit of good flavour and is also not self-fertile.

Also worth considering

Best Cherry Varieties for Scotland → compares all named cherry varieties head-to-head, with the practical detail that doesn't fit in a summary card.

Harvesting

Cherries ripen from early summer onwards, depending on variety: Stella crops in late July and Morello from late July to early August. Harvest only fully ripe cherries, since they won't ripen further after picking. Pick in dry weather, and hold the stalk rather than the fruit, which bruises easily.

Not every cherry on a tree ripens at once, so expect to check back over several days rather than stripping the whole crop in one go. Cherries don't keep well, so eat, cook or freeze a picked batch promptly.

Common problems

• Fruit aphids distort new growth and shoots.
• Brown rot and blossom wilt both affect fruit and flowers, spreading fast in damp conditions.
• Birds strip ripening cherries fast; net fan-trained trees before the fruit colours up, or move potted trees somewhere protected.

Common questions

Sources