There’s nothing better than a basket of fresh cherries
Image: Cherry ‘Morello’ from T&M

Here we’ve brought together experienced cherry growers to help you choose the best variety of cherry tree for your outdoor space. These Instagrammers, YouTubers and bloggers share their wisdom, growing tips, fruit protection ideas and even recipes to help you make the most of your crop.

Ready to order a cherry tree? Browse our online selection of stone fruit trees to find the perfect variety. Choose bare root whips for autumn and winter planting, or potted trees that are already in leaf if it’s spring or summer. Whether you have a small patio, regular garden or an entire orchard, we’ve got you covered.

John – Allotment & Gardens

Cherry ‘Stella’ is a sweet and self-fertile variety
Image: Cherry ‘Stella’ from T&M

“Sweet cherries need to grow in full sun, but the acidic cooking cherries can be cultivated in the shade,” says John at his blog Allotment & Gardens. His top tips when choosing your cherry? Pick a planting spot with the right amount of light and go for a self-fertile variety if you’re only planting one tree. John’s article about ‘How to Grow Cherries’ is packed with excellent advice and well worth a read.

Sue Sanderson – Thompson & Morgan

Patio cherry trees produce the same tasty fruits as larger trees
Image: Fruit tree collection (mini fruit tree) from T&M

Have you ever wondered how patio fruit trees stay small? “Most of these fruit trees are grafted to the roots of a related species with a more compact habit,” explains Sue Sanderson at Thompson & Morgan. This keeps their growth in check and sometimes improves disease resistance and vigour. Read Sue’s article about fruit tree rootstocks to help you get the right cherry for a small space.

Mandy – MandyCanUDigIt

Mandy had some beautiful cherries from her cherry ‘Regina’
Image: MandyCanUDigIt

If you’re looking for beautiful blossom and delicious fruit for your patio, Mandy heartily recommends a cherry ‘Regina’. “She’s very hardy, a sweet German cherry, grown commercially, even in Norway, and has lovely spring blossom,” she says. For the best results, explains Mandy, plant your tree in a large enough pot and prune it properly. Read the full article at MandyCanUDigIt to find out more.

Thompson & Morgan

Fan-trained cherry trees lie flat against a south facing wall
Image: Peter Turner Photography/Shutterstock

Wait until summer to prune your cherry trees, say the experts at Thompson & Morgan. “This greatly reduces their risk of contracting silver leaf disease.” Learn about the different ways to train and prune your trees to improve fruit ripening and save space in your garden in the info-packed article ‘How to Grow Fruit Trees’.

Claire – @thelittlepottingshed1

Sometimes you’ve got to get creative to stop the birds stealing your cherries
Image: @thelittlepottingshed1

Want to protect your cherries from pesky birds and squirrels? Try Instagrammer Claire’s ingenious method. “All I’ve done is purchase some little organza bags and loosely tied them around each of the little fruit clusters,” she says. It does the trick for her dwarf cherry ‘Stella’ tree, preventing the delicious fruit from being pinched. Check out her charming Instagram account: @thelittlepottingshed1.

Holly – @mummybeargrows

Holly’s cherry ‘Stella’ tree is a real beauty in April
Image: @mummybeargrows

Top garden Instagrammer Holly at @mummybeargrows says that her cherry ‘Stella’ is an important part of spring and she loves the way the blossoms burst their buds and light up the garden. Her ‘Stella’ is “self-fertile and a heavy cropper with delicious dark red fruit,” explains Holly. “Is there such a thing as too much blossom?,” she asks as she forfeits the idea of thinning the flowers to ensure better fruit.

Sarah – @pearsconesplot

Cherry blossom is the perfect antidote to a long winter
Image: @pearsconesplot

“I have countless blossoms at the moment and it brings me so much joy especially on these gloomy days,” says Instagrammer Sarah at her page @pearsconesplot. The cherry blossom in April makes it all worth it. She has chosen a dwarf cherry tree which “makes picking the fruits and protecting them from birds really easy as it’s so low down.” Watch this space to see how much fruit she gets on her tree next year.

@littlebucksgarden

Watching cherries ripen is a tantalising game
Image: @littlebucksgarden

Not only does cherry ‘Morello’ give a great harvest of cherries from just one tree in @littlebucksgarden, but it also looks fantastic from spring to autumn, with blossom followed by fruits and then beautiful leaf colours. See how the fruits change from green to red in these great before and after shots.

Paulo – Paulo the Urban Farmer

Paulo can’t resist cherries – his favourite fruit!
Image: Paulo the Urban Farmer 

“Cherries are a very, very classy fruit,” says YouTuber Paulo at his channel Paulo the Urban Farmer. His top tip for plenty of sweet ripe cherries is to give the developing fruit access to full sun. Paulo plants his dwarf cherry trees inside the chicken aviary to keep his sweet crop safe from pigeons as it ripens. Check out his fun video for nuggets of cherry wisdom.

Jonathan – Self-sufficient in Suburbia

Cherries make excellent preserves, if they make it into the kitchen!
Image: Self-sufficient in Suburbia

Are you looking for a new way to use your cherry harvest? For a delicious tipple, try making a cherry vodka following Jonathon’s recipe at Self-sufficient in Suburbia. Or for something really unusual,try his rhubarb, cherry and gooseberry chutney. “This is definitely one to be eaten with cheese or cold meats.” Perfect for a homegrown glut!

Head to our fruit tree hub page for more cherry growing information, alongside other popular fruits like plums, apples and even avocados. Why not share your spring cherry blossom or your delicious crops with us on social media? Tag us using #YourTMGarden.

Thompson & Morgan

The Thompson & Morgan horticultural team produces a wealth of content around gardening and food production. Since the first seed catalogue was published in 1855, Thompson & Morgan has grown to become one of the UK’s largest Mail Order Seed and Plant companies. Through the publication of our catalogues and the operation of our award-winning website, Thompson & Morgan is able to provide home gardeners with the very best quality products money can buy.