Sour Cherry Ripeness

General Fruit Growing
#21

IMNTBMFHO

In My Never To Be Mistaken For Humble Opinion

the fluffy one

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#22

yeah…I thought so.

lol

#23

Well you folks are well ahead of me, sour cherries don’t ripen here (zone 3) until early August. I have 4 bush cherries (Carmine Jewel, Cupid, Juliet, Romeo). Last year I picked most of the cherries soon after they turned purple/black in early August, but left some of each variety on the bushes to see if they sweetened over time. I have no Brix tester, but to my tastebuds there was no change for the first few weeks, but in early September all of the bush cherries got noticably sweeter. That’s a month after they turned purple. That’s a long time to leave them given risks of hail, insects, birds, cracking, disease, etc., so it’s a gamble, but they definitely do sweeten if you leave them long enough.

#24

I Googled “IMNTBMFHO” and this thread is the top hit :smile:

I’m with fluff on letting sour cherries hang, for me its Montmorency but they get more sweet and more flavorful. This year it has been raining like crazy and I lost a fourth or so to rot which is way more than usual.

One rule I use is don’t even begin to pick until all the cherries are red. Even then its too early but it keeps me from even checking them before then. This is with Montmorency.

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#25

Folks, we use bird netting extensively, netting the whole tree, The trick to netting is to use 10’ sections of 1 1/4 or 1 1/2" PVC water pipe with a 90 degree elbow to handle the nets, the nets won;t snag on this (if there are any mold points file them off). We use 34’ X34’ pieces of netting, fold it in half with the fold towards the tree, using the PVC pipe pick the netting up at the fold and pull it over until the fold is 1/2 way across the tree (you have to do this from both sides), then unfold the net over the rest of the tree and secure it with clothes pins. 2 people can net a 10’ tree is 10 min, one person in 15 or 20 min, You and actually net pretty large trees as long as your pole can lift the net over it. If the trees are to big we use a skirt of netting around the bottom. If you don’t leave it on to long there is little leaf pulling. Don’t wear any buttons, wear smooth soled shoes, and try to keep your fingers out of the net. Years ago we bought a 5000’ roll of 17’ netting and sew 2 pieces together using poly bailing twine to get 34’, now you can buy wide netting. We move the nets from tree to tree as they ripen, and unless you rip the net they last several years (small holes can be fixed with clothes pins). Its a pain, but it can save almost 100% of your crop

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#26

We have used a single chopstick to take the pit out of the cherry, as well as the actual device, which we bought at Bed Bath and Beyond. Do you want to buy the $8 one or the $97 one? $8 one, thanks.

I find that when you pick a pie cherry and the pit stays, they aren’t yet ripe. When the pit comes, they’re ripe.

I have netted before. It sucks, but you do get all the cherries. I might try to set up the poles for the net. I’ve seen that before and I think that makes sense.
John S
PDX OR

#27

Hi,

I know this is late. I was wondering about CP. I have had that plant for five years now. It is over ten feet. But it hasn’t bloom in the five years I have had it. I got Juilet this year. And it bloom for me. Is there something that I can do to get CP to bloom next year?

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#28

Many will disagree but if it were me I would sprinkle a 1/2 pint of steamed bone meal around the cherry, aged cow manure and several inches of wood chips. Carmine Jewell responded well to adding nutrients and I suspect any of those Canadian cherries like that type of nutrient feeding.

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#29

I will try that. I can’t see that hurting. Thank you.

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#30

Same problem, this year I got 1 blossom on my 2 CP’s that are both over 7’ tall… Ive never gotten a single fruit betwen them. Heres my solution!

1808×2419 2.28 MB

Graft on Juliet! I should have left one branch on this Ive realized, the roots are going to hate me, hopefully it survives…
1808×2419 2.09 MB

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#31

I just checked my North Star cherry for ripeness: 15 Brix. Looks as though they’ll be ripe before the Bing across the street. That’s a first! Color is lighter than the two previous years. It’s a young tree.

Definitely want to beat the birds and fruit flies to 'em, so will pick as soon as this thunderstorm rolls by.

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#32

Bob, how has your cp been for fruiting. I think you might be the only one talking about it’s cherries. Are you doing anything special that would help it set fruit?

#33

Oh, I would like to see what that tree/bush looks like now!

#34

The grafts didnt take but the original bush grew back rapidly, Ill try to snap a picture once the snow melts…

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