Cherries have bad reputation for being short lived. Do they just simply die of old age or it’s lack of care?
I have seen well cared for cherries die after 40 years. They are certainly not one of the very long lived trees.
Not a Yosino, but just for comparison . . . claimed to be over 1900 years old: P. spachiana 'Yamataka Jindai Sakura' on the grounds of the Tempels Jisso-ji, Hokuto, Chubu, Japan
That’s kinda discouraging. I’m looking to plant 6 or 7 of them. They get rather big, removing them won’t be fun down the road.
I hope it's not too discouraging. They are an amazing tree, but nothing lives forever. Also look at the example from Michael F, there are always exceptions. I would never not plant a cherry in my garden, even if it has to be replaced at some time in tne future.
@ceriano, yours will not get to look like that. But in Japan, the climate suits them better, where the rain comes in the warmer season. I have not seen photos there of trees top-grafted onto rootstocks that grow at a different rate, as has been so common here, leaving good niches for disease to set in. Pruning also leaves them susceptible to disease. Choose trees that are supposed to grow to the size and shape that you want, that are low grafted or not grafted (as 'Accolade' and 'Akebono' are often sold here) and particularly are not grafted onto Prunus avium rootstock. 'Akebono' completely replaced 'Somei-yoshino' as the popular yoshino cherry because it was healthier, not as likely to get witches' broom. I have no idea why we're seeing so many new 'Somei-yoshino' around here.
No I already planted two of them in the front corner. I’m looking for something to line up the side yard. Crape myrtle is more disease restraint I may go with that. It’s hard to see the graft on the ones I got, but they are grafted. My other concern with graft is surface roots. I have seen some that are not grafted but almost all akebono around here are grafted.
That sounds like a very good plan and they would look perfect in the location on your photo. Do post photos when they are in position and perhaps you can post photos in the following years.
If I go with Yoshino how far apart do you recommend spacing them? 20ft O.C. Or that’s too tight? Trying to come up with a plan that works with utilities and sprinkles.
20ft may be a touch too tight. I would give them 30ft. But they will take 15 years to fill out that area.
These were planted about 20ft apart. A little dense but not too crowded. Obviously they have been professionally pruned.
No. Egan Davis, on his walk for the VCBF yesterday, pointed out the lovely shape of the unpruned trees, and how beautiful the branches are when you see the unbroken stretch from limb to branch tip. Don't build in a need to ruin the natural gracefulness of these trees. Have a look at this 'Akebono' planting: Dunbar-Southlands.
I went this Yoshino! End up planting them 27ft apart. The soil on side yard is rocky clay. Terrible stuff. Anything I can do to improve it? Does over composting help?
This is quite a hot topic on the forum about amending soil, some do and some don't. The consensus seems to be don't amend. See Linda Chalker Scott books on this. Your trees look very nice @ceriano. I would apply a good mulch around the base, but keep it away from the trunk. Obviously water well for the first two years during dry periods and they will do fine.
I understand the argument against amending the soil in the planting hole but I’m looking to over compost the entire yard. 15 to 20 yards should give me about 0.5 to an inch. Not sure if that’d really help the trees unless I till it in though.
