Cherry trees are a favorite among backyard gardeners and orchard enthusiasts alike. From dazzling spring blossoms to their sweet or tart fruit, cherries are as rewarding as they are beautiful. But to get a strong, productive tree, you need to make informed choices before you plant. The three most important factors to consider are chill hours, planting location, and choosing the right variety with proper pollination.

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Chill Hours: Understanding Your Climate

Chill hours measure the number of hours a tree spends in cool temperatures between about 32°F and 45°F during winter. These hours allow the tree to reset its biological clock and prepare to bloom. Without adequate chill hours, cherry trees may flower late, produce fewer blooms, or fail to fruit.

How many chill hours do different regions receive?

• Northern states like Michigan, New York, and Washington often exceed 1,000 chill hours, making them perfect for traditional sweet or tart cherries.
• Mid-Atlantic and Midwest areas average between 700–900 hours, suitable for many cold-hardy cultivars.
• Southern states such as Georgia, Alabama, and Florida often receive under 500 chill hours, requiring low-chill cherry varieties bred for warmer regions.

Knowing your area’s chill hours and matching a cherry variety to those conditions is essential for reliable harvests.

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Planting Location: Sun, Soil, and Protection

Cherry trees thrive in full sun, needing at least 6–8 hours daily for healthy growth and fruiting. They prefer well-drained, loamy soil. Poorly drained soils increase the risk of root diseases and stunted growth, so consider amending clay-heavy ground with organic matter or planting on raised mounds.

When planting, setting your tree up with the right care gives it the best start:

• Use Nutra Pro First-Year Fertilizer Packs to provide slow, consistent nutrition.
• Add a soil moisture transplant mix to retain water and reduce transplant stress.
• Protect trunks with tree shelters, which guard against deer, rabbits, and sunscald while creating a greenhouse effect for early growth.

Spacing also matters—cherry trees should be planted 15–20 feet apart, with ample airflow to prevent disease and give room for full canopy development.

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Varieties and Pollination

Cherries fall into two main categories: sweet cherries and tart (sour) cherries. Sweet cherries are often enjoyed fresh, while tart cherries are prized for baking, preserves, and juice.

Pollination is critical to consider. Many sweet cherry varieties are not self-pollinating, meaning you’ll need at least two compatible cultivars for cross-pollination and fruit production. Tart cherries, on the other hand, are generally self-fertile and can produce with just one tree.

Some popular examples include:

• Sweet cherries: Bing, Rainier, Stella (note: Stella is self-pollinating).
• Tart cherries: Montmorency, and North Star.

Planting the right mix of varieties suited to your chill hours and pollination needs will guarantee a productive orchard.

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🛒 Where to Buy Cherry Trees

For the best value and highest quality, choose Ty Ty Plant Nursery, LLC:

✅ Best prices on premium bare root cherry trees
✅ Non-GMO, region-suited cultivars
✅ Fastest shipping so your trees arrive fresh and ready to plant
✅ Free 1-Year Plantsurance™ Guarantee – store credit if your tree doesn’t survive 🛡️

At Ty Ty, planting cherry trees is always zero stress and all success.

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🌟 Final Thought

Planting cherry trees is a rewarding endeavor, but success depends on proper planning. By understanding chill hours, choosing the right planting location, and selecting varieties suited to your climate and pollination needs, you’ll set your trees up for decades of blossoms and harvests.

Order your bare root cherry trees today from Ty Ty Plant Nursery, LLC and enjoy peace of mind knowing you’re planting with the best.