HoneyberryUSA has both Romeo and Juliet for Fall shipping this year.
I wonder if the growth difference is due to the soil. In particular, maybe CP handles moist, organic soil better than CJ? Mine is well drained, as it is on a fairly strong slope, but there is a ton of OM, as before I planted anything, I dug out the whole bed. I removed a bunch of rocks and asphalt driveway chunks (thanks previous owners…) and used leaf mulch in this place. After planting, I put down a thick layer of wood chips. CP seems to like this just fine, but CJ has struggled. The row has gotten good light (almost complete sun) for the last year (massive tree to their NW removed), and OK light the year before (after a bunch of trees to their S were removed). The first two years (when one CJ died) they had iffy sun.
I have another spot in the yard where is is relatively dry and very sunny. I planted a CP there and it died a few months later. I replaced it with a CJ and it seems to be doing OK, after more than a year.
Based on the above, I’d be interested to see if someone in the PNW would see a similar growth pattern (better growth from CP than CJ).
Interesting theory Bob. The Cherries are in a pretty well amended area where I’m growing strawberries so maybe that just works better for the CPs than the CJs. Your CP sure looks good and I have no problem if those do better for me as well given the taste reports. But of course I’d just like them all to do great so I get enough cherries to feed me and the birds.
Carmine Jewell are the toughest little bushes I’ve ever grown. I’ve got no experience with the other varieties mentioned other than knowledge they are all close relatives. I’ve posted these pictures of my row of carmine Jewell before with an extra large cup of coffee in front of them so you can see the size and will post again for this thread.
Once the carmine Jewell turn red don’t eat them they still have a month to go in my area and ripen in July. When people tell you they are not good usually they picked them to soon. They are black cherries and this is what that red stage looks like at this time of the year in late May or early June.
Tony,
They look excellent and I can’t wait to see pictures of the ripe fruit. I’m especially interested in cp since you and I live in similar climates.
Clark
You just made my mouth water! I’m going to have to get some of these. I’m growing the big trees and these look so much easier to grow and pick. Your going to have a lot of cherries! The deer got my Rainier tree last night. It’s only missing a couple branches at least.
My Girlfriend is not convinced bush cherries are the way to go since she grows Montmorency. Montmorency are a little more sour and as you can see a lighter red but they really are an incredible tree for this area.
All of your picture make me want to take the plunge into growing the romance series. They look like you could easily cover the plants for bird protection. Thinking of adding a few this fall. About one more run of these pictures should seal my order. Thanks for posting the pictures. Bill
Nice looking tree she has clark. My own Montmorency seems to be carrying the heaviest fruit load ever this year. This reminds me, I have to order some bird netting before they get red or I’ll get nothing.
Appleseed70,
Thanks she loves that tree. I know how much fruit they produce and can imagine you are preparing for it. Hers produces by the 5 gallon bucket fulls. Hope all is well with you apples. As good as the full sized trees are we know they are hard to spray, prune, net, pick the fruit etc. the Carmine Jewell is wonderful for all the aforementioned reasons. I don’t think my bush cherries are as productive and wondered if anyone happens to have data on peek production, longjevity etc.? They still produce very good just not as good as a full sized tree. here are a couple of more pictures
KlecknerOasis I have a few suckers this year and was wondering how old are your bushes? I also wanted to let everyone know my carmine jewell’s are actually ripening now a month earlier than they have in other years. They certainly made a liar of me saying they ripen in July.
I have two volunteer bushes coming up in my strawberry bed about ten feet from three Carmine Jewels. I wondered if the birds had spread them or if they were just wild cherries coming up there. I didn’t think there had ever been any cherries on my Carmines yet to spread. Now I wonder if it is a sucker. Does anyone know if the wild chokecherries and pin cherries look the same as a Carmine Jewel bush when young. I see no difference between these and my nearby Carmine Jewels. I guess I will let them grow and see what happens.
I get a lot of tip death on my CJs and my nanking cherries here in Maine. I’m assuming it’s an insect…help…what is it and what should I do about it? Thank you in advance.