Used Omlet outdoor rabbit run Width 2.2m Height 2.05m Length 3.1m vgc.

[Cranfield Kate]

anyone know anything about cherry trees? I got one last year and although lots of cherries appeared, they stayed tiny, hard and green and then went brown, dried up and fell off.

 

the same thing seems to be happening this year too. last year my dad thought it was lack of water but i've been trying to water it loads this year but my idea of loads may still be too little.

 

any ideas?

 

thanks!

[sjp]

lack of water is one possiblity but not just this year but last year to

poor pollination is an other it could also be wind burn or that frost we had just after easter

also a tree will only keep the fruit that it can support to maturity ie ripen and produce seed

all fruit trees do it apples have a June drop cherries a bit earlier

[Cranfield Kate]

hmmm. what do you mean by "that it can support"? that it has enough nutrients to raise or that it can physically support (i the fruit is getting to heavy) Is that a stupid question?!

 

thank you!

[beach chick]

we had one which died, but I've noticed that we now have a self-seeded one growing up next to the old one. I cant remember if we ever had fruit, but the only place I've ever seen cherries growing properly was in Spain. I must be wrong though, I'm sure you can grow cherries in England!! maybe up the watering, eg either a full watering can every night or the hose on it for a good 5 mins or so? sorry, that's the only thing I can think of.

[chickencam]

The cherries on our tree are small and turning half red and falling off, I presume it is a reaction to the drought, we are going to lose a lot of apples in the June drop too, but the plum looks ok and is laden with fruit.

[sjp]

hmmm. what do you mean by "that it can support"? that it has enough nutrients to raise or that it can physically support (i the fruit is getting to heavy) Is that a stupid question?!

 

thank you!

a tree needs to produce viable seed but it also needs to live as long as possible so will only feed the fruit it feels it can groww to produce that seed as it gets older it keeps more fruit. it's quite not that simple but it not that easier to explain in writing

The cherries on our tree are small and turning half red and falling off, I presume it is a reaction to the drought, we are going to lose a lot of apples in the June drop too, but the plum looks ok and is laden with fruit.

the drought won't help but if the tree had a good crop last year then it might not have energy stored up for a big crop this year. plums tend to drop a bit later than apples. I used to thin my victoria plum out as it isn't the strongest of trees and I've had branches 2-3 inches thick snap under the weight in the end I grubed it out and replaced it with other varities

[Lesley]

The cherries on our tree are small and turning half red and falling off, I presume it is a reaction to the drought, we are going to lose a lot of apples in the June drop too, but the plum looks ok and is laden with fruit.

 

Exactly the same here, we desperately need more rain.

[chickencam]

I gave all of my fruit trees at home a good soaking with the hosepipe today, there is no decent rain forecast for the next week or so, and I saw some good bunches of cherries under the foliage that I hadn't noticed before.

[mollyripkim]

Same here too, we netted the tree a couple of weeks ago as thought it may be the birds dropping them off but it's still happening. Even the chickens aren't bothering with the dropped fruit as they are hard and green.

[Old Speckled Hen]

Brockley,London is a clue

Clay, no rain for ten weeks.

You might have lost your crop

Next year when it happens again make sure you water well. Hose pipe running slow overnight.

Also prune for maximum yield.....lots of info on the net