Very interesting reading. Thought I'd chime in on cherries now that spring is starting to arrive. I have a Black Gold cherry which appears to have now survived 2 winters. The buds were starting to swell this last weekend when I looked at it, same as the pie cherries. Sunday night the weekend before, the temp. reading overnight was 4. The year before last when I planted it, I finally realized I wasn't giving it enough water until Aug. and when I increased the water, it started to grow instead of having just the leaves that emerged in the spring with no growth. That fall, it didn't go dormant until cold temps in Nov. finally froze the leaves down. We only got down to about -20 that winter. I was worried last spring that it hadn't made it, and the new growth in Aug. didn't, but buds came out all over the stem and grew well last year (much more water all summer). In mid Sept. I stopped all water so it would dry down and the leaves turned colors and dropped in Mid. Oct. along with the pie cherries. This winter we got down to about -25, but we also didn't have warm spells like we have had so often the last few years. In fact, this spring it seems like spring still hasn't arrived. One nice day, then back to the 40's and 50's lately (75 today, supposed to be 50 tomorrow, maybe back close to 60 by next week). I get almost no natural rainfall, so controlling soil moisture is easy as long as I have a way water it. Also, the only protection it gets otherwise is a snow fence wrapped around it to try to discourage the deer.

It should work like it did before, assuming the suckers are from above any possible graft union. The disease (bacterial canker) must have girdled the trunk but the good news is that the roots never get affected by this disease. But choose your pruning battles wisely because according to the experts this cool temperature and moisture loving beast finds it easy to move into the plant after fresh cuts or injury. Prune on dry days where rain is not expected. When removing branches leave a 10" stub if possible so that the branch, as it gradually dies, also can gradually react to new infections and wall them off before reaching and reacting with the main trunk.

Hi there! Kwanzan flowering cherries are quite spectacular in full bloom! If I may recommend something rather drastic: You might have to re-plant the tree to another location--preferably one that is facing east. Should you decide to do this, it would be a good idea to inoculate the exposed roots with mycorrhizal fungi. The mycorrhizal fungi provide beneficial bacteria that increase the uptake of essential nutrients for the strengthening of the root system and the tree as a whole. I would first dip the exposed roots in the liquid form of the fungi and then just before covering the roots, rest at least four packets of the solid form of the fungi upon them. Garden Gro http://www.thegreengro.com/ sells the liquid form and Xtreme Gardening http://www.ebay.com/itm/Xtreme-Gardening-Mykos-10-gram-Root-Paks-20-ct-/150964902917?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0amp;hash=item2326359c05 sells the solid form of the fungi. Then again you might be placing too much stress on the tree by transplanting it. In that case, i recommend using the powdered or liquid form of the mycorrhizal fungi by green gro and inoculate the tree's roots simply by adding it to the top soil. Also, you might want to think about purchasing another variety of cherry blossom that is better suited to thrive in your climate zone. "Pink cloud" is a type of cherry blossom whose flowers are similar to that of the Kwanzan and seems to tolerate heat and humidity better than most flowering cherries. http://www.lecooke.com/cms/component/content/article/88-ask-the-grower/367-pink-cloud-flowering-cherries.html I truly hope this info helps. Cheers! Best.

Cherries vary one kind to another on resistance. In our area research at Mt Vernon WA has listed recommended ones more well suited. I went for that which is why I had long ago went with Surefire and the sweet cherry Early Burlat. Over the years my Burlat had been as disease free as the Japanese types of flowering cherries (shirofugen, prunus osima zakura etc.) And superior to others in my neighborhood. One main problem is the flowers bloom to early on the hill heights area in Vancouver WA (above Portland) and even though the bloom is rain resistant the bees are not pollinating during poor conditions and thus little fruit. I must hand pollinate. Other than the above remedy of selecting the right ones and about later bee friendly blooming ones you could try the idea of hand pollinating. I always set fruit on Burlat from Van cherry from my little greenhouse. In your case a Burlat flower from one you could graft to CJ tree could be dried indoors, possibly store it in fridge for a few days, and applied to CJ flowers. Even though nothing that I know of can be found to spray on to prevent infections you can still "wait and see". By that I mean to get your tree to over about 5 years of age because age 2-4 is the most prone years according to tests done West of the Cascades in Oregon.