Maybe we need to throw more fertilizer on the CP. They are slower growing according to the official docs. I have one that I recently planted, I will try to remember to hit it hard with the fertilizer. I probably should have gotten CJ instead but I also have Romeo and Juliet so I’ll get plenty of fruit in the end.
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Yes, I’ve got two decent sized bushes (6-7’ tall and wide). Last year I didn’t get much and had insect and brown rot. But the year before I got a decent amount from it- they just didn’t taste that good. They were 11 brix, similar to North Star. Danube was better (13 brix?), but I only got a handful off a good sized tree (that is the one to call Crappy Production). It’s possible I jumped the gun, but I doubt the birds would have left any if I waited.
The docs say they are slower growing, but for me they grew much faster than the Carmine Jewel next to them.
I’ve got a Romeo which flowered this year as well, so that should give me something to compare them too. There is also a Korean bush cherry between the CP’s and CJ, which was promising 2 years ago (decent brix and taste on a handful of berries off a tiny bush) and frozen out last spring. It flowers very early, but looks good this year.
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Thanks for chiming in with your thoughts Bob. I’ve also noticed that my CPs grow as well or better than my CJ bushes, which was counter to my excpectations. They were smaller to start with, since I had paid more for larger CJ bushes from HoneyberryUSA, but they’ve just about caught up. But part of that might just be that the larger CJ bushes had a bit more trouble getting re-established since they were transplanted as larger bushes. Both are growing well this year.
I might try tying some of the CP branches down to horizontal this year and see if that does anything. I do wish Juliet was available when I got them. I purchased 2 Juliet last year and while they haven’t flowered yet, they sound like they will be better in the long run. Unfortunately, they don’t get as much sun as the CP bushes and although I guess I could switch them this fall when everything is dormant, I hate to do that and set them all back a year.
One quick question about fruit set on CJ bushes. This is the first real year with many flowers, but I noticed only about 20% actually set fruit. Is that what others average or am I maybe having pollination or other issues. I’m hoping it is just an anomaly due to their age.
I’m in 7a, so certainly a bit more south than they were designed for and I don’t know if we have enough data on how well they will do in warmer areas yet.
They flower very heavily so if all those flowers got pollinated the bush would be laying flat. 20% pollination is I think very good pollination, don’t be surprised if some of those fruit get dropped before maturity. In some early years for my bushes they would flower quite heavily but not set more than a handful of fruit, even though I could see the bees working the bushes.
I had a CJ in a pot, the roots went into the ground. so in the fall I managed to get it out of the pot. I had to cut those roots as they were massive and would not fit threw the drain holes. So I mounded it up fairly high, not wanting to dig a huge hole, It’s flowering like crazy. Moving didn’t seem to set it back. Here is is
Many fruits just forming. It fruited very well in the container last year too.
I’m not having fruit set problems, it is just loaded, hopefully some do drop off.
That stake is in the photo to keep me from dragging my hose into the trunk and such. I caught myself doing it one day! I had to “fix” the mound. My dog’s paw prints are harder to control, also seen in the photo. One of his favorite watering spots (argh!)
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My Crimson Passion is poorly sited (it’s 4-5 feet from a much larger northstar cherry. It bloomed last year, set a dozen or so fruit and I never got to sample a single one. It bloomed more heavily this year ( way more than the Evans/Bali on the other side of the northstar)
Now it’s just got to keep its fruit through these cold nights…and I’ve got to net it (which will be tough) so I can sample the fruit.
Scott
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@MrClint developed a wire screen pouch, that may be easier to use. Basically fold an aluminum screen over the fruit and staple it shut! You can make it fairly big, or small.
I have seen your tree, and yeah netting is going to be hard. I use a 15x15 net, it barely fits my trees.
I’ve got Bella Gold…speaking of it…i should look tomorrow and see if it has fruit. I bet it doesn’t 
Anyone else have problems with bacterial canker on these cherries? I lost some branches on my Romeo to canker last year, and this spring it killed the rest of the main branch that was infected last year. This spring I see at least 6 infections on my CJ, though it hasn’t killed any branches yet. Haven’t had problems yet on my Cupid or Juliet, maybe they are more resistant? Not a huge deal, since these bushes grow quickly and produce lots of branches to replace ones that are lost, but I’d rather not have the infections. I do no pruning to open up the canopy, so maybe that raises the risk of canker taking hold?
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When do you prune? Maybe a copper spray program? Since I have peach and sweet cherries, i spray copper, and I hit the bush cherries as I often have leftover.
How old are your cherry bushes? They are looking good!
I prune out dead wood when I see it in the spring, which usually means a week or two before the tree blooms. So far I have never sprayed the bushes with anything, maybe I should look into the copper sprays.
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I’m not sure if it would help or not? I spray sweet cherry after pruning as they are so prone to canker. MSU pointed out that copper helps prevent, but once there does nothing. It appears somewhat related to cold injury too. Trees that suffer injury tend to get more canker. Try to prune when dry.
These 2 were planted 5/13, ordered from Henry Fields. Pretty small when they were planted if I remember correctly. I trimmed out a good amount of inside growth earlier this spring, maybe 1/4 of the total branches on each.
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I found a bird nest inside my CJ tree…ugh. Looks like a chipping sparrow.
If you hurry you might be able to make a little omelet!
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Lots of plum curculio hits on CJ this afternoon…they are sizing up quickly. Only the biggest fruits have marks. I’ll probably thin all those out…
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Rob,
Have you spray them yet with once and done?
Tony