Didn't want Chills excellent logic to get lost in the drain cycle here. If you get a self-fruitful sweet cherry, you can't lose. It's like type O Blood. A universal donor. It will pollenize whatever you've got planted and itself, too, provided that the bloom times generally overlap. For the east coast, where sweet cherries are challenging anyway because of the summer humidity which causes cracking and other disease issues, there has been the suggestion that Lapins is a good choice (I'm in the high desert, so I'm only repeating what others have said.) For the record, on those occasions when Jellyman has childed me for something or other, my reaction is to feel kind of honored. Few are more knowledgable--not to mention, generous with their expertise--than Don and I am grateful for his participation here, curmudgeonliness (sp?) and all. Don

One crop per year, if you are lucky....;-) You don't need to spray insecticide after harvest unless you see a specific issue. Usually it's just the fruit that needs a set schedule. You should check the insecticide to be sure it's what you need, cleared for fruit, and what the preharvest interval is usually listed in days before harvest. Don't spray closer to harvest than that interval.

wow.. where is this.. it flashed me back to visiting busia in detroit in the 60's ... its a war zone now... i dont know why i ever went back to look ... anyway.. apparently i digress ... no tree really magically stops growing at some preferred height. .. its all about how long to get there.. and how far past ... i would not put a tree next to the garage.. there just isnt space for anything greater than 6 feet ... with a foot to spare on each side .... i would go with a tree dead center in the bigger plot ... and some shrubs down by the garage .... there is a variegated norway maple ... that has remained rather small for me .... but it might not let you garden under it in 20 years .... i know others have many good suggestions.. i just wanted to chime in an thank you for the memory flash ... to simpler times.. take care ken Here is a link that might be useful: link

Generally cherry trees do better with more sun. But if you are right on the borderline in terms of getting the required amount of chill hours, shade during the wintertime can be enough to tip the scale in the right direction. The best place for plants that need full sun but also need to avoid excessive heat in warm climate is against a fence on the south side so it will get morning sun when the temperature is still cool. (at least in the northern hemisphere) Considering that you are in Texas, avoiding excessive heat and drying out is probably a bigger issue than getting enough sun. If I can make a suggestion, perhaps put the tree in a large planter so it can get plenty of sun in its first year, then plant it in a shadier spot once it has become a little more established. (this will also allow you to move it around into the shade during the hot summer) Be sure to provide adequate irrigation so it does not dry out in the hot dry weather, but also be sure the soil does not stay perpetually damp either- this is not good for cherry tree roots. Many plants can deal with high temperatures, as long as they get plenty of continual water for evaporative cooling and to avoid drying out, but I do not think cherry trees could deal with this type of excessive watering, and you do not want to be watering your trees every day, in any case. Finding the right balance of sun and avoiding excessive heat can be difficult. Better to err on the side of avoiding excessive heat. Your cherry may not thrive as well in Texas as it might in some other climates. What many people may not realize is just because it is a generally hot climate does not mean it cannot also get very cold at times.