When to plant cherry trees in Oregon and Washington
In Portland: Plant cherry trees Mar 1 – Apr 26. In Bend: Apr 28 – Jun 23. Find your city below.
Difficulty
Tricky here
Sun
Full sun
Spacing
15 to 20 feet apart (8 to 10 feet on dwarf rootstock)
Planting depth
Graft union 2 to 3 inches above the soil
Frost
Hardy perennial; comes back every year
First harvest
First cherries in three to five years
Sweet cherries thrive in the dry summers east of the Cascades. West of the mountains, rain at harvest splits fruit and birds take the rest, so pick crack-resistant, self-fertile varieties or grow sour pie cherries.
Pick a sunny spot with soil that drains well, and mix in an inch or two of compost.
Plant cherry trees on your city's dates, 15 to 20 feet apart (8 to 10 feet on dwarf rootstock). Graft union 2 to 3 inches above the soil.
Choose a dwarfing rootstock like Gisela so you can net the tree. Water deeply through the first two summers, and prune in summer during dry weather to reduce canker.
Harvest: Pick sweet cherries when they're fully colored and taste sweet; they don't ripen after picking. Keep the stems on for longer storage.
Key numbers
3–5Years to fruit
Gisela, 8–10 ft apartDwarf rootstock
Lapins, StellaSelf-fertile picks
Rain cracking, birdsBiggest risk
Growing notes
What makes the difference in Northwest gardens, in plain language.
Choosing a variety and rootstock
Sweet cherries on standard rootstock grow into big trees that are impossible to net, so most backyard growers choose a dwarfing Gisela rootstock. These trees stay small enough to cover with bird netting and fruit sooner. They do need good soil, steady water and usually a stake.
Self-fertile varieties like Lapins and Stella fruit on their own and can also pollinate Rainier, which needs a partner. Sour cherries such as Montmorency are self-fertile, bloom later, resist cracking and make the best pies, which makes them a reliable choice for rainy west-side gardens.
East vs west of the Cascades
Cherries love the dry, sunny summers east of the Cascades, which is why the region's commercial orchards are there. West of the mountains, a rainy spell near harvest lets ripe cherries absorb water through their skins until they split. Crack-resistant varieties like Lapins help, as does a tree small enough to cover with a tarp before rain.
Bacterial canker is also more common on the wet side. It shows up as oozing gum and dying branches in spring. Prune only in dry summer weather, never in winter.
Pests and harvest
Birds are the biggest cherry thief. Net the whole tree just as fruit starts to color, and tuck the netting closed underneath. Cherry fruit fly and spotted wing drosophila lay eggs in ripening fruit; picking promptly and cleaning up fallen fruit both help.
Cherries don't ripen after picking, so taste a few before harvesting. Pick with the stems attached and refrigerate right away: they keep about a week cold, and much less on the counter.
Common questions about growing cherry trees
Why do my cherries split before they're ripe?
Rain on ripening cherries is soaked up through the skin until the fruit bursts. Grow crack-resistant varieties like Lapins, keep the tree small enough to cover before rain, or grow sour cherries, which crack less.
Do I need two cherry trees?
Not if you plant a self-fertile variety like Lapins or Stella. Many other sweet cherries, including Rainier, need a different variety nearby that blooms at the same time.
How do I keep birds off my cherry tree?
Drape bird netting over the whole tree as the fruit begins to color and close it at the bottom. That's why a dwarf rootstock like Gisela is so useful: you can actually reach over the tree.
Rainline Garden
Apple trees
Pear trees
Plum trees
Peach trees
Fig trees
Hazelnut trees