Several years ago, I received a couple of cherry trees at a garden writer's event. I can't remember the event, and I don't know which kind of cherry trees they are. I planted them and hoped that one day I would have enough cherries to make a pie, even though I don't do pies. If I got cherries, I'd make a pie for my husband, because he loves pies.
Oh, who am I kidding? We've had apple trees for nearly 40 years and he's the one who makes the apple pies. If we get cherries, he'll be the one to make the cherry pie.
The cherry trees didn't get a very good start. One winter a few years ago, we forgot to cage the small trees and the rabbits chewed them right down to the ground. I really thought they'd chewed up our cherry pie dreams. But the trees recovered quite quickly and nicely, even though they're now more cherry shrubs than trees. It was amazing, really.
Last year, we got a cherry. Three blossoms - woo hoo! - but just one cherry. I netted that thing because there was no way the birds were going to get our very first cherry. But in my anxiousness to taste it, I might have picked it too soon. Too soon for a sweet cherry, maybe not too soon for a sour one. So I still don't know if we have sweet or sour cherry trees.
A couple of weeks ago, I walked to the back of the property and was taken aback by those little cherry shrubs.
Hundreds of blossoms! Cherry pies! PIES! More than one. Maybe two pies!
I was an amazing thing. I just stood there and stared at them. And then I ran to the house and got the camera. So. Many. Blossoms.
It can take up to eight years for a cherry tree to produce a fruit crop of any size. It depends on the variety and the climate and growing conditions. In general, cherry trees that are slower to produce fruit will produce for a longer period of time and live longer.
Time will tell as to how many cherries we'll get. You can be sure the entire trees will be netted. And I'll be more patient in picking them this year. But I wish I knew which kind of cherries they were. If any of my garden writer friends remember getting these and can tell me which kind they are, I'd be happy to know. (Thanks to Linda Nitchman, they are identified as 'Carmine Jewel' bush cherries.)
I'm so excited about the prospect of so many cherries, I think I will make the first pie with them. Unless Romie really wants to. I wouldn't want to deny him that privilege, you know.
"Bejeweled"
2 comments:
Lovely! I hope you'll get many cherries, Kylee. We had two cherry trees here when we moved in, but they both were at the ends of their lives and passed on within a couple of years. They were beautiful while they lasted, though. The fruit was sour, but made great pies. Either way, I hope your harvest is plentiful! :)
What a sweet gardening story. I hear you about the pies. Jeff loves pie. I cannot make pie. I have tried. I have done it all - iced my granite rolling board, put the rolling pin in the fridge, you name it, I’ve tried it. I can’t do it. I just kill dough. Jeff bakes and has the touch. Your cherry trees look lovely and I can’t wait to hear about the cherries. And it’s ok if Romie bakes the pies - you just sit and enjoy them!
Post a Comment