Gardening without a garden is the new trend. Even if you only have little space available, you don't have to do without the delicious cherries from your own cultivation. The columnar cherries make it possible to grow them in a pot.
Characteristics of columnar cherry trees
Many different and quite robust sweet and sour cherry varieties are now commercially available as columnar trees. These require about one meter of space in width and are ideal for terrace or balcony planting, but of course also for small gardens.
It is also important to ensure that the height is sufficient, as the mature columnar cherries can reach a height of around 2 to 3.5 m, depending on the variety. The varieties offered are self-pollinating. The small columnar cherry trees can be harvested one to two years after planting, but do not have a very long life expectancy.
Planting and caring for cherry trees
The location for the columnar cherry should be sunny and airy. Depending on the variety purchased, you need a sufficiently large pot or bucket filled with loose, nutrient-rich soil. Since the cherry trees do not tolerate permanently wet soil, good drainage should be ensured in the pot. However, the soil in the pot must not dry out completely, regular water supply is important.
The columnar cherries also need an annual pruning in order to maintain and promote the formation of shoots, the willingness to bloom and the rich harvest. This usually takes place after the harvest. As with a large cherry tree, the removed fruit wood shoots are shortened.
The fertilization of the columnar cherry trees should be carried out according to the dealer's specifications. Cherry trees planted in pots only have access to the nutrients that are put in the potting soil. In winter, the columnar cherries may need frost protection. Not only the tree itself, but also the bucket should be covered with a suitable material.