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| Sweet cherry growing in North Las Vegas Nevada |
Q. I have a two-year-old pie cherry tree that needs so
many days of cold weather to set fruit next year. Should I cover it with burlap
for the winter? And if I do, then should I also cover the trunk or just the
branches?
many days of cold weather to set fruit next year. Should I cover it with burlap
for the winter? And if I do, then should I also cover the trunk or just the
branches?
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| English Morello sour cherry in North Las Vegas Nevada |
A. How much protection you
give it during the winter depends on where you live and your lowest
temperatures during winter. Cherries are divided into two categories; sweet
cherries and sour cherries. Sweet cherries are for eating fresh, out of hand.
Sour cherries are considered “pie cherries” and used fresh or canned.
give it during the winter depends on where you live and your lowest
temperatures during winter. Cherries are divided into two categories; sweet
cherries and sour cherries. Sweet cherries are for eating fresh, out of hand.
Sour cherries are considered “pie cherries” and used fresh or canned.
Sour cherries grow as far north as Michigan so I don’t
think low temperatures are going to be a problem unless you live in northern
climates. If you don’t live that far north, you don’t need to protect them
through the winter.
think low temperatures are going to be a problem unless you live in northern
climates. If you don’t live that far north, you don’t need to protect them
through the winter.
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| Bing cherry produced on sweet cherry tree in North Las Vegas Nevada. Don’t get excited. Twenty-five sweet cherry trees of six varieties produced twelve cherries in twelve years. Backyards in other locations in the Valley, sweet cherries were plentiful. |
Chilling hours is the number of hours needed below 45°F
to recognize winter is finished. When the number of chilling hours have been
met, the plant waits for warm temperatures of spring so that it can begin
flowering again.
to recognize winter is finished. When the number of chilling hours have been
met, the plant waits for warm temperatures of spring so that it can begin
flowering again.
Chilling hours are important but I think they are
sometimes overestimated by growers and scientists. In the Las Vegas Valley, our
chilling hours are estimated to be somewhere between 300 to 400 hours depending
on winter temperatures.
sometimes overestimated by growers and scientists. In the Las Vegas Valley, our
chilling hours are estimated to be somewhere between 300 to 400 hours depending
on winter temperatures.
I have grown five sour cherries in the Las Vegas climate
and have had no problems with flowering even though many of them are rated
between 400 to 500 hours. I have had problems getting fruit from the flowers. A
lack of chilling does not appear to be a problem for sweet and sour cherries
grown in Las Vegas.
and have had no problems with flowering even though many of them are rated
between 400 to 500 hours. I have had problems getting fruit from the flowers. A
lack of chilling does not appear to be a problem for sweet and sour cherries
grown in Las Vegas.
I think the problem of setting fruit in the desert is
more likely a humidity problem. Trees growing in backyard residences with pools
or lawns set fruit each year in the Mojave Desert. Low humidity and failure to
set fruit is a common problem with many tropical trees, with 30% relative
humidity seeming to be the lower limit for successful fruit set.
more likely a humidity problem. Trees growing in backyard residences with pools
or lawns set fruit each year in the Mojave Desert. Low humidity and failure to
set fruit is a common problem with many tropical trees, with 30% relative
humidity seeming to be the lower limit for successful fruit set.