Sweet cherry or sour cherry? For sour cherries the plastic owls, snakes, hanging CDs and even a stuffed Woodstock (from the Peanuts) have been somewhat effective. What was more hassle than it was worth was cassette tape strung through the tree. I didn't have sweet cherries for long or many of them but it seemed the birds really wanted them. They ate all mine when they were hard and green long before I considered protecting them. They would probably require netting.

Frank: What cherry are you growing that is coloring already? I have grown North Star for many years. Not colored yet but soon. As far as netting, at the first sign of pink I spray one application of Malathion (short residual) in the hope of controlling cherry fruit fly. Then I net the tree. No spraying after netting even if I do get powdery mildew sometimes. As far as netting, I use a post pounder and put in 4-8' stakes suitable for staking up a tomato plant in each corner around the tree. Since these are too short, I attach another 4' stake that is perhaps 1/2" diameter to the top of the post with a large automotive hose clamp. ON top of the smaller stake, I put on an upside down gallon milk jug. This is to prevent the stake from tearing the netting. Then I slide the top stake thru the loose hose clamp as high as I need to go and tighten the clamp. This system makes it easy to adjust for height as the tree gets taller. The netting is a large plastic netting thaI I stretch out behind the tree. We use two garden rakes to lift the netting and carefully get it over the tree (short stepladder on each side of the tree is helpful). This is not easy unless you have the whole family out then everyone pitches in. Once the net is over the tree, I staple the netting on the top sides of the 4 stakes. The bottom 1/2 is not stapled but drapes down. The netting touches the ground so I put a long wood stake horizontal along the ground to hold each side down in the wind and prevent birds from going underneath. This system allows me to lift up the netting on the sides and put my 6' stepladder inside to pick the fruit. Usually I make several pickings as the fruit in the center of tree ripens last. Fortunately my North Star is pruned to 8' height as too tall makes it hard to net. Last year I got 28 quarts of cherries (after pitting)! This year the crop is lighter but still a crop. Since my apples/pears/plums frosted out this year, at least I have some cherries to pick once ripe. Out of 3 tart cherry trees, this one made it thru the spring frosts due to location. Yes it is work, but if I don't net at the first sign of pink on the fruit, the birds will clean me out in just a few days.

I have to disagree with some of the posts above. I have two sour cherry trees, a North Star and a Montmorency. I got a good crop off the Montmorency this year. The tree was not sprayed (save for dormant oil+lime-sulphur), and was netted with the cheap netting sold in garden stores. This netting rested on the tree. I did not have much problem getting it on and off the tree using long poles. I did not see substantial bird damage even to fruit near the nets -- I suspect the birds are very wary about getting their feet tangled in the netting. The North Star was a different story this year. After spraying my apples and other larger fruits with Surround, the plum curculio decided to attack the North Star (perhaps its setting fruit earlier than the Montmorency played a role, but perhaps also they preferred this variety). I lost a lot of fruit this way, much of it dropped by the tree before it ripened (this could be your problem Keepitlow). I netted the tree closer to ripening time, but lost the whole crop to splitting after heavy rain. Possibly then you are suffering aborted fruit due to insect damage. Also, if you net, make sure that the net is closed all the way around the base of the tree. Otherwise birds can get in under the tree.

My friend built his pond under a 40 foot Black cherry tree and hasnt lost any fish in the 4 years he's had it . I made the mistake of planting a dwarf Plum tree near my pond . It is now as high as the roof of my house and drops tons of plums into the water . The rotting fruit make the fish drunk . They do eat some of it but what a pain trying to scoop out all the plums and seeds . Its to big to net the pond or the tree . Also in the spring the top of the water is white with flower pedals and then the leaves in the fall . Plant something else . Rick