A TreeTime.ca Guide to Sour Cherries

While Sweet Cherries can be a popular choice for many gardeners, Sour Cherries deserve a spotlight—especially those in colder climates like the Canadian Prairies. These cold-hardy plants thrive where Sweet Cherries might struggle, making them an excellent option for your garden or orchard. If you’re ready to take on a new project or expand your fruit collection, it’s time to explore the flavorful and versatile world of Dwarf Sour Cherries!

Sour Cherry Basics

  • Appearance: 
    • Fruit: Sour Cherries can range in colour from bright red to a deep, dark burgundy. This is dependent on variety.
    • Flowers: Planting Sour Cherries will do more than just provide fruit. In the spring they will produce white blossoms, making the shrub look like a ball of white flowers. 
  • Taste: Sour cherries are called sour cherries for a reason, with their high acidity they taste tart or sour. But they do have a range in overall taste, with some tasting sweeter than others.
    • But even the ones listed as sweeter are still sour cherries. Everyone has different taste preferences so some prefer sour cherries that are more sour where whereas others like those that are sweeter. Taste is also heavily influenced by harvest time, the longer they are on the plant and the darker they get the sweeter they will be. 
  • Varieties: There are many varieties of Sour Cherries to choose from. Some of the most popular varieties come from the University of Saskatchewan Fruit Breeding Program. Their Sour Cherries are known for being sweeter and less acidic compared to other Sour Cherry varieties.
  • Some of their most popular varieties are a part of their Romance Series.
  • You can find more information in our Sour Cherry Fruit Guide

Planting & Care

  • Self-Compatible: Sour Cherries are considered self-compatible, meaning they do not require additional varieties to be planted for cross-pollination. 
  • Growth Form: The University of Saskatchewan recommends growing Sour Cherries in a shrub form rather than a tree form:
    • Older stems are more likely to die off during harsher winters. However, shrubs typically have a mix of young and intermediate-aged stems, making them more resilient and better able to recover after a severe winter. 
    • In contrast, trees grow with a single main trunk, and damage or loss to this central structure makes recovery significantly more challenging. In such cases, suckers often need to be nurtured to establish a new base.
  • Suckering: Sour Cherries naturally produce suckers, which people can often view as troublesome. However, with Sour Cherries, suckers can often be advantageous as the more a shrub spreads the more fruit it will produce. 
  • Mulching: Applying mulch is highly beneficial for trees and shrubs, including Sour Cherries. The general consensus is that any mulch is better than no mulch for plant growth and success.
  • Bird Protection: Many bird species are attracted to the bright red color and juicy flesh of Sour Cherries, making them a popular food source. To protect your Sour Cherries, consider using methods such as:
    • Bird netting: Cover shrubs with netting to prevent bird access.
    • Diversion Planting: Grow other, more attractive food sources nearby to divert birds.
    • Visual Deterrents: Hang shiny, reflective objects in the surrounding area
    • Predator Decoys: Use fake owls, hawks, or even snakes to scare away birds
    • Sound Devices: Use motion-activated sound devices that play predator calls.
    • Enclosures: Plant Haskaps within an enclosed structure like a frame with chicken wire.

Sour Cherry Harvest

  • Yields: Dwarf Sour Cherries can start bearing fruit after 3 years and tend to produce respectable crops after 5 years.
    • The more a bush can spread, the more fruit it will produce. Multiple varieties can also increase yields while adding diversity to your harvest.
  • When to Pick:
    • Ripeness: It’s tempting to pick when cherries are bright red, but wait until they turn a deep, dark color for peak sweetness and flavor. Fully ripe cherries stay on the branches unless harsh weather causes them to drop.
      • While tasting the fruit is an easy way to determine whether or not they are ready for harvest, the University of Saskatchewan has also created Sour Cherry Ripeness Cards to help you assess the color. (Found below)
  • Timing: Fully ripe cherries can stay on the branches unless harsh weather causes them to drop. This can give you up to a two-week window to harvest them while they are at their peak.
    • Different varieties can ripen at different times. So planting multiple varieties can extend the harvest season. 
    • Harvest times range from mid-July to late August, and are dependent on the variety. More information can be found in our Sour Cherry Fruit Guide
      • Harvest periods and ripening times are highly dependent on the local climate and a growing season’s weather. Warmer areas and warmer years can expect earlier ripening times whereas colder areas and colder years can expect later ripening times. 
  • Harvest Methods: There are three main methods used for harvesting Sour Cherries.
    • Hand-picking: This is the most common harvesting method. It allows for only the ripe cherries to be harvested and is the gentlest approach, minimizing damage to the cherries.
      • For best results, pick cherries during the cooler parts of the day, such as in the morning or evening. To preserve their freshness, refrigerate the cherries as soon as possible after harvesting. 
    • Shaking: To harvest by shaking, place a tarp or small plastic kiddie pool around the shrub and gently shake it. This method helps release the cherries from the branches, but it may also result in some unripe cherries and debris being collected as well as some cherries getting damaged.
    • Mechanical Harvesting: Sour cherries can withstand mechanical harvesting. Mechanical harvesting ability is influenced by how the plant grows and the type of harvester used.
  • Storage and Uses: 
    • Short-Term: Store fresh cherries in the refrigerator for up to a week.
    • Long-Term: Preserve them by freezing, drying, fermenting, or canning.
    • Culinary Uses: Enjoy sour cherries in a variety of recipes, such as:
      • Juices, jams, jellies, and compotes.
      • Baking in muffins, pies, and crisps.
      • Making liqueurs, wines, and fruit leather.

Sour cherries are a rewarding addition to any garden or orchard, offering stunning white blossoms in the spring and vibrant red fruit in the summer. Whether you’re savoring fresh-picked cherries, baking delicious treats, or growing for commercial purposes, these cold-hardy plants bring beauty and versatility to your landscape. Ready to start your sour cherry journey? Planting one (or a few!) today could bring years of beauty and flavor to your life. If you have tips or strategies that have worked well for you, we’d love to hear from you—let’s share the knowledge and grow together.

If you want more information or looking to purchase Sour Cherry seedlings, visit our Cherries page on TreeTime.ca, or feel free to contact us at 1-844-873-3700 or [email protected].

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