Its true! I finally got to speak to a Cornell fruit breeder earlier this week about the Pearl series woohoo like 2x espresso laced crack While taste is subjective I asked his personal opinion also any taste panels conclusions. He did specify that there is no such cherry as a "no crack cherry" only that oh so lucky weather to provide it. I guess they are being questioned on that particular point a bit windfall rob his very fave cherry had been the White Gold!! but now is Burgandy Pearl a compex little gem of luscious sweet tart & rich whopper flavor Ebony Pearl is really big & Black is reliable they are ALL improved in every way with regard to taste quality, crack tolerance & disease resistance. Better than the Gold series BUT its a matter of very good & exceptional ... that last sentence is the only one that I did not get from my scribbled notes.

All kinds of sprays exist, and no it won't taint the cherries one bit. If you grow cherries you have to spray for insects and fungus, and net the tree for birds. Otherwise you will never taste the fruit. Especially in your area. I'll let the more expierenced growers tell you what spray to use, I'm still learning and testing many different types.

THANK YOU, Zeedman! Yes, I do have quite a few ladybugs around. Not swarms, mind you, but I figure for every one I see there must be loads more I don't. I hate to admit I've been squashing these poor things, ignorant of who they really are. :( I Googled the Seven Spotted ladybug (the one I usually see) for more photos and yup, there's no question. I've also had the pupae all over my parsley lately. Gosh, I need to leave them alone then, eh. I just wish they'd stop eating my defenseless beans! Here is a link that might be useful: Larger photos of a pupa and larva

Thanks for all the feedback. Here are some of the trees/fruit crops varieties I am considering planting. I'll have to narrow this down, of course. Or will I? muhuhahahaha.... CHERRY (2) - Lapins, Sweetheart (I said I wasn't into cherries, but then I saw some pictures of them and they mad me hungry so I changed my mind) APRICOT (3) - Harglow, Puget Gold, Westley (too late?), Tlor-tsiran??? PEACH (3) - Avalon Pride, Blazingstar, HW 272 sound like the best three. Other choices might include Charlotte, Contender, Harbelle, Harrow Diamond, Juneprince, Mary Jane, Oregon Curl-Free, Q 1-8, Redstar, Reliance, Starfire, Veteran? NECTARINE (2) - Fantasia?, Hardired, Kreibich, Harko? PLUM (3) - sounds like a lot of them do fine here, but my top 3 are probably Beauty, Hollywood, Shiro APPLE (5) - Akane, September Wonder/Jubilee, Chehalis, Honeycrisp, Liberty, Pristine, William's Pride PEAR (4) - Bartlett (have to have a Bartlett), Blake's Price, Moonglow, Orcas, Rescue ASIAN PEAR (3) - (still deciding) Shinseiki for sure. Others.... Nijesseiki, Chojuro, Shinko, Mishirasu, Hamese? RASPBERRIES (and relatives) - Autumn Bliss, Caroline, Summit, Tulameen, Boysenberry, Marionberry, Tayberry, Thornless Loganberry, Willamette BLUEBERRIES (I will plants lots, they do great in Sequim) - Berkeley, Bluecrop, Little Giant, Olympia, Sunshine, Top Hat, Toro KIWIFRUIT - Exbury (sounds like the earliest ripening fuzzy type), Saanichton (will it ripen?), male fuzzy, 74/49, Ken's Red, Ananasnaya, Meader, Geneva, male arguta GRAPES - Agria, Campbell's Early??? (will it ripen?), Canadice, Einset?, Interlaken Seedless, Jupiter?, Lynden Blue (sounds like a winner), Madeline Angevine (wine), Price, Regent, Reliance, Valiant?, Vanessa FIG - Atreano, Desert King, Lattarula, Stella?, Vashon Violet/Brunswick OLIVE - Arbequina, Mission CHESTNUT - I want to plant two or three but they are big trees. Lots to choose from on the Burnt Ridge Nursery web site. PISTACHIO - Uzbek (I'm sure that won't work but I have to try...LOL anyways it's hardy and the flowers are cool) ALMOND - All in one, HallÂs Hardy, Reliable, Dessertiny (Bounty?) PINEAPPLE GUAVA - Nikita (sounds like the earliest ripening one), a pollinator Some other things like mulberries aren't out of the question.... we'll see. I don't want to get too carried away just yet. I also have to be careful of not planting things that need a lot of heat or ripen too late. Apparently I only get about 1400 growing degree days in an average season.