Planting a fruit tree is an investment that repays intself year after year. No, not monetarily, instead with the sweetest fruit you’ve ever tasted! Today, we’re highlighting some of our favorite cherry varieties you can grow right here in Virginia!

Growing Your Own Cherries

Growing cherry trees is easy, outside of keeping the birds from beating you to your harvest. It can also be difficult to bring in a bowl of cherries from the tree. They usually get eaten before they get to the house! Here’s what you need to know to successfully grow cherries at home:

  • Sour cherries, such as Montmorency and North Star, are self-fruitful and will not pollinate sweet cherries.
  • Sweet cherries, such as Black Tartarian and Bing, need a pollinator to fruit, so be sure to plant two varieties.
  • Cherry trees will bear fruit 3-4 years after planting
  • Plant standard cherries 15 feet apart and plant dwarf trees six feet apart.

To learn more about site selection, proper planting, training, pruning, fertility, and pest control stop in and see the experts at Meadows Farms!

Cherry Varieties Available at Meadows Farms

Remember, the cherries listed below are just a selection of the varieties that Meadows Farms carries. Please call your local Meadows Farms for other varieties or special requests.

EASTERN BING

Black York Cherries are the same large, dark red-black, delicious cherries as Bing, but are more disease resistant and better suited to our local growing conditions. Semi-dwarf variety that must be pollinated by another sweet cherry variety.

MONTMORENCY

The absolute standard of all tart cherries. Montmorency cherries are bright red with yellow flesh that are early and heavy producers. They are best for eating fresh, for baking, canning, or freezing. Semi-dwarf and self-pollinating.

NORTH STAR

A compact-growing fruit tree featuring showy white flowers in spring followed by large dark red sour cherries in mid summer, excellent for pies and jam. North Stars are an ideal size for backyard orchards and are self-pollinating.