Cherry "Compact Stella" is the ultimate dwarf cherry for Home gardens.
It's a naturally compact growing cherry variety grafted on true dwarf Cherry rootstock and will grow to aprox 2.5 - 3m tall in the open garden. But recommended you prune manage to keep around 2m tall.
Keep it even more growth contained by planting into a 30 or 40lit size Evergrow bag first, then plant into the garden (see info below).
Not only does it make it possible to grow a smaller growing fruiting sweet Cherry tree in your garden it also makes it so much easier to bird net the tree when it comes into fruit - a vital task if you want to enjoy your cherries.
Compact Stella has heavy and regular crops of large dark red firm fleshed cherries. Mid season ripening along with Dawson and before Lapins. Self fertile and of low chill requirement (doesnt need a deep south island winter to induce fruiting).
Like many other fruitfully productive trees, Cherries don’t like spots exposed to constant strong cold winds, shade, heavy wet poor draining soils, strong coastal conditions. So ensure you plant in a warm sheltered sunny spot in deep good draining loamy soils.
Sweet Cherry trees absolutely need through bird protection while in fruit (right down to the ground) but the reward is there. This is why you don't want a big growing Cherry tree to have to bird net. Ideally, you erect a temporary frame around the tree (1m away from the tree). You then attach bird netting to the frame, right down to the ground. This makes the netting easy to put on and take off once you have harvested all the cherries.
Cherry trees grow fast and start fruiting early in life, but let it grow and develop branch and root growth for at least a couple of seasons before asking "when will these trees fruit?"
As per pic #3: Grafted dwarf Cherry tree Compact Stella in a 6L pot standing aprox 70/80cm tall from top of pot to top of main leader stem (which I have pruned down to). Very limited stock. Only 12 trees available this season.
Highly recommend you consider growing in a 30 or 40lit Evergrow root restriction bag. The EG bag will keep the tree even more compact growing. See my other listing for more information on NZ made Evergrow bags. If you move, you can take your Cherry tree with you, even if its planted in the garden.
Full cultural growing information provided.
