Patio Cherry 'Regina'

Planting Your Cherry Tree
Choose a sunny, sheltered position where the fruit can receive plenty of sunshine as it ripens. Plant at the same depth it was growing in its pot, gently firm the soil around the roots and water thoroughly.

Growing in a Container
If growing your patio cherry in a container, choose a substantial pot with plenty of drainage holes and use a good-quality growing medium. Position it in full sun and somewhere sheltered from cold winds.

Watering
Water regularly while your tree establishes and don't allow container-grown trees to dry out. Pay particular attention during warm, dry weather and while the fruits are developing.

Feeding
Feed in spring as new growth gets underway. Container-grown trees will benefit from regular feeding during the growing season to support healthy growth and fruit development.

Pruning
Prune cherries lightly in summer rather than winter, ideally after fruiting. Remove dead, damaged or crossing growth and keep the canopy open and manageable. Summer pruning also helps reduce the risk of diseases such as silver leaf and bacterial canker.

Top Tip
Cherries dislike sitting in wet soil, so good drainage is particularly important when growing in a container. Raise pots slightly on pot feet if necessary to allow excess water to drain freely.

Not Self-Fertile
‘Regina’ needs another compatible cherry variety flowering at around the same time to pollinate its blossom and produce a good crop.

Choosing a Pollination Partner
Choose a compatible sweet cherry with an overlapping flowering period. A suitable cherry growing in a nearby garden may also provide pollen, so the pollinating tree doesn't necessarily need to be in your own garden.

Spring Blossom
Clusters of white blossom appear in spring, providing an attractive display and drawing pollinating insects to the garden before the fruits begin to develop.

Top Tip
When choosing a pollination partner, don't rely on the flowering group alone. Check that the two varieties are compatible as well as flowering at the same time, as some sweet cherries cannot successfully pollinate one another.

When to Pick
‘Regina’ is a late-season cherry, giving you fruit after many earlier varieties have finished. Leave the cherries on the tree until they have developed their rich, dark colour and full sweetness.

Pick Fully Ripe
Cherries don't continue to ripen once picked, so give them time to develop their best flavour on the tree. Pick during dry weather where possible, holding the stalk rather than squeezing the fruit.

Protect Your Crop
Birds enjoy ripe cherries just as much as we do. If you want to keep the harvest for yourself, protect developing and ripening fruit with suitable netting, making sure it is securely fixed so birds cannot become trapped.

Top Tip
Don't be tempted to pick ‘Regina’ as soon as the cherries turn red. Leave them to deepen in colour on the tree and they'll develop more of their characteristic sweetness and flavour.

Best Picked Ripe
Let ‘Regina’ develop its deep colour on the tree before picking and you'll get firm, juicy cherries with a rich, sweet flavour.

Enjoy Them Fresh
These are classic dessert cherries, made for eating fresh from the tree. Serve them chilled, add them to summer desserts or simply enjoy them by the handful.

Make the Most of Your Harvest
Pick cherries carefully with their stalks attached and handle them gently to avoid bruising. Refrigerate any you're not eating straight away to keep them at their best for longer.

Potted Fruit Trees
You will receive an established young fruit tree in a nursery pot, ready to plant straight into its final position in the garden or a suitable large container.

What to Expect Through the Seasons
Fruit trees are deciduous, so their appearance naturally changes throughout the year. Trees delivered during autumn or winter may have yellowing leaves or no leaves at all as they enter dormancy. Fresh new growth will appear again in spring.

Ready to Plant
Your tree can be planted into its final position on arrival. If growing it in a container, choose a substantial pot with good drainage and keep it regularly watered while it establishes, particularly during warm, dry weather.