I just got word from my aunt in Iowa, zone 5, that the Early Richmond I planted last year is in bloom. I hope you meant your tree is 7' tall and not 7"! The fact that your tree is, I hope, 7' tall makes it sound like it is not having graft problems. If it is 7" tall, you'd better call for a replacement. A picture would really help.

We transplanted a number of Early Richmond cherries close to 50 years ago from a neighbor's orchard and have enjoyed them ever since. These trees are on their own roots and normally get about 10-12 feet tall, although we have one or two that have grown taller--depends on how much else is growing around/over them and how high they have to grow to get light. The trees often produce loads of fruit, but depends on whether we get a bad frost during bloom around the first of May. They blossom profusely every year. The cherries are nice sized, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch and ripen in late June in this area (Wyo, 4,500'). The cherries have a yellowish meat, clear juice, and bright red skin. Biggest problem is that the birds love them and start in as soon as they begin to show color. End up picking them when red with yellow still on the undersides and usually don't get any except in bumper years as they disappear to the birds before they get that far. The cherries are tart, but when totally ripe (netted one year), they have a lot of sugar. People have no trouble getting stuck in the cherry trees eating for some time, even when not dead ripe, including the kids. We lost all the cherry trees in the winter of 77-78, but they came up again from the roots and have been good since then. Probably 70-80% or more of the fruit trees in the area were lost that winter, so generally it has no problems with surviving our winters. In comparison, currently I also have an Evans cherry that is bearing. I find the Evans has a bitter undertone that stays around until the cherries are dead ripe while the Early Richmond doesn't have this bitterness. Richmonds are just sour when green, and sweeten as the sugar levels increase with ripeness. Fruit size is similar.

It's the right place, so you should get plenty of advice. Two things: 1) many trees need to be a certain age or size before they flower, which may be the situation with your magnolia; 2) since you don't say where in the USA you are located, it's hard to know if the cold weather this winter/spring affected the flower buds on your magnolia or not. Please add your location to your member page, as well as letting us know now where you are. I have had several trees, including various magnolias, wait for up to 4 years after I planted them before they finally flowered for me. It's just one of the things trees do, and one reason why, sometimes, bigger trees are better. Some trees will flower at an early age, and some wait for 7-10 years.

Thank you everyone for your sweet compliments. Plantmaven- The day it snowed was kind of strange, it was a fair amount above freezing with snow. The children loved it. Today on the other hand is perfect, 20c clear blue Sky and no bugs. My gardening heaven. Schoolhouse- Right now the cottage is being rented out to GI Joe and Polly Pocket but I will be sure to put your name on the waiting list. :c) Sweetannie- The neighbor who gave me the tiny irises told me that while she was on vacation she saw a house with a sea of these instead of grass. (I wish I had seen it) And the home owner gave her a clump of each colour when she stop to investigate. Such a treat! Do they multiply quickly for you? Ianna- I know you are right. But it was all the beautiful wild flowers that Mother Nature had plant here that inspired me to start gardening. And they are what keep me inspired (along with all of you of course). I love it when things pop up in unexpected places. For the most part, if they can find a home they are welcome to it. GGG- Yes they are pink and blue Forget-Me-Not (perennial) another one Mother Nature planted for me. I love them! Kay- Yes I am proud :0). I pour my heart and soul in to my family and my garden. And like anything in life, you get out, what you are willing to put in. CMK- I grew the English Daisies from seed. Actually they were the first thing I grew from seed. I just through them at the ground in early spring. And they have been coming back ever since. They bloom twelve months a year for me in my zone 5 garden. I am constantly brush the snow off of them to show people. They have done well and bloomed in every condition I have thrown at them, sun, shade, wet, dry it just doesn't seem to matter. If you are the type of gardener that likes everything in it's place you might not care for them though. They are a really good seeder. You would have to be pretty vigilant with deadheading if you did not want them to spread a bit. I would be more then happy to send you lots of seeds if you would like. A few more shots from today. Carrie B.