On Sun, 12 May 2013 12:56:32 +0100, Sacha wrote:



They look very like cherries. Once they get growing they grow like
weeds so you might want to be quite sure you want more than one!

Adding to Sacha's comment - you've got 5 (I think) saplings in very
close proximity to each other.

If they fruit, and that's not guaranteed, any crop is likely to be
poor and nothing like the cherries from which the stones came. The big
unknown is how big they might grow. Commercially grown trees are
grafted onto rootstocks which influence their shape and size.

If you want to keep all the trees, it will be best if you move them
around now while the root systems are still small enough to dig up.
Aim to place them about 20 feet apart and, unless you have friendly
neighbours, 10 feet from the boundary of your garden.

Without pruning, the trees will develop into rather untidy bushes.
Pruning is best done in mid-summer (the usual rule of pruning while
trees are dormant doesn't apply to cherries). This year you should
just remove the lower third of leaves from the main stem and any side
branches that have formed in the bottom two-thirds. Once a good crown
has developed, remove all the leaves on the main stem, together with
any side branches, below it. Over time, as the tree grows higher, you
may be able to raise the crown gradually by removing the bottom
branches from it. Google something like "pruning saplings" for more
info.


--
Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East end of Swansea Bay where it's May
and I'm worried about minus zero temperaturess forecast