Jessaka, cherry trees can get brown rot, but since they fruit early in the year they are not as prone to it as are peaches and plums. You do need two varieties for pollination. 50' or less apart. The big problems on cherries are fruit cracking, bird stealing, leaf diseases and pests, and bacterial canker. Cherry fruit fly can also be a problem. For your Bing the main problem is cracking, it is highly prone. Very few people grow Bing in the east and that is probably the main reason. Adams County Nursery, the main commercial nursery on the east coast, doesn't even sell Bing for example. So I would consider removing the Bing and getting two other varieties instead. I made the same mistake as you did, starting off with a Bing. I know how to graft so I topworked it. The real deal-breaker problem on cherries is bacterial canker. It will kill the tree. I have so far been lucky, my trees have gotten cankers several times but I have cut out the cankered limbs and saved the tree every time. For the leaf diseases cherries are not used to heat so the leaves get unhappy. I have my cherries planted in part shade to decrease their heat intake. Overall sweet cherries are somewhat hard to justify growing, they don't taste any better than a good grocery store cherry either (very much unlike peaches and plums which are a million times better tree-ripened in the backyard). Scott

Mrose: What you have described sounds a lot like bacterial disease, which is less common in CA than in most parts of the eastern and midwestern U.S., but is certainly not unknown there. Once underway, bacterial disease cannot be completely cured, but its development can be delayed by regular use of a dormant spray of copper. Progressive branch dieback and spotting of the fruit are classic symptoms of bacterial disease. Affected branches should be pruned from the tree and destroyed as soon as they are identified, and if the disease spreads to the main trunk the tree should be removed. This disease can spread to other nearby stone fruit trees, such as peaches and nectarines. Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

New Mexico Extension says "Both sweet and sour cherry trees are short-lived and perform poorly in hot southern areas. They are recommended only for cooler areas or high altitude areas in the South. However, sweet cherries flower early and may be injured by frosts. âÂÂBingâÂÂ, âÂÂBlack Tartarianâ and âÂÂLambertâ are suggested for trial. âÂÂBingâ and âÂÂLambertâ require cross pollination" Sunset WESTERN GARDEN BOOK has Albuquerque in Sunset 10. 100 miles north of there would either be in Sunset 1A or 2A, depending on the exact direction (have a look at their zone map to see where you fall). Under CHERRY the book says sweet cherries are "best in deep, well-drained soil in Zones 2, 6-9, 14, 15". So, by their reckoning (if you have moved into Zone 2A, as is more likely than the town being in the coldest of the cold, mountainous 1A) you have actually moved into a much better area for sweet cherries. Their discussion also talks about varieties needed for cross-pollination. Here is a link that might be useful: h-310.pdf

wow this is a good one for thought. First I would worn you that the suckers may not be the Bing Cherry that you see. The reason for this is that the tree is probably a graft and the suckers are from the parent root. not the same plant or type usually. This has become already the wrong time of year to do this. I would suggest digging the Suckers, and planting them in October, if you live in southern Alberta if not late September. Here in southeastern Ontario I would say late October early November. Your Idea is a wonderful one for planting, However I would suggest keep the trees away from the road as they do not like the road salt at all. In the spring with the Cherries and Lilacs in bloom you would be the talk of the street for sure. well I ramble on, but enjoy and good luck. Say hi to all in Alberta