Cherry 'Stella'

Where to Plant
Choose a sunny, sheltered position where the developing cherries can enjoy plenty of sun and warmth. Plant in moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil and avoid sites that become waterlogged. A sheltered position also helps protect the spring blossom from cold, drying winds.

Planting Your Bare-Root Tree
Plant while the tree is dormant, avoiding periods when the ground is frozen or waterlogged. Unpack promptly and soak the roots in a bucket of water for around 30 minutes before planting. Dig a hole wide enough for the roots to spread naturally without bending or crowding them.

Position the tree at the same depth it was previously growing, keeping the graft union above soil level. Spread the roots naturally, backfill with soil, gently firm and water thoroughly. Stake the tree if needed to keep it secure while the roots establish.

Watering & Feeding
Water regularly during the first growing season and during prolonged dry spells. Consistent moisture is particularly important while the cherries are developing, but avoid waterlogged conditions. Feed in spring with a suitable fruit tree fertiliser and mulch around the base with well-rotted compost or organic matter, keeping the mulch clear of the trunk.

Pruning
Prune cherries in summer, during dry weather, rather than during the dormant winter period. Remove dead, damaged, crossing or badly positioned branches and aim to maintain an open, well-balanced framework. Summer pruning helps reduce the risk of diseases such as silver leaf and bacterial canker.

Do I Need Another Cherry Tree?
No. 'Stella' is self-fertile, so a single tree can produce a good crop without another cherry variety nearby. This makes it particularly useful if you only want to grow one cherry tree.

Pollination Group 4
'Stella' belongs to Pollination Group 4. Although it doesn't need a pollination partner itself, its blossom can help pollinate other compatible cherry varieties that flower at around the same time.

Spring Blossom
White flowers cover the branches in spring before the cherries begin to develop. The blossom provides nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinating insects, which in turn help with fruit set.

Developing Fruit
The fruits develop through early summer before ripening to a deep red. 'Stella' is known for producing large cherries and heavy, regular crops, although cherries can be prone to splitting if there's a lot of rain around ripening time.

Top Tip:
Birds enjoy ripe cherries every bit as much as we do. Protect developing crops with suitable fruit netting if birds are likely to be a problem in your garden, making sure it is securely fitted so wildlife can't become trapped.

When to Harvest
'Stella' is generally ready to harvest in late July, although the exact timing will vary with the season and where you garden.

How to Tell When Cherries Are Ready
Wait until the fruits have developed their characteristic deep red colour and are fully ripe before picking. Unlike pears, cherries won't continue to ripen properly once they've been removed from the tree, so it's worth letting them develop their full colour and flavour before harvesting.

How to Pick
Handle ripe cherries gently to avoid bruising. Pick the fruit carefully with its stalk attached if you're not planning to eat it immediately, taking care not to damage the fruiting branches or buds.

Storing Your Harvest
Cherries are at their best soon after picking. Keep freshly harvested fruit cool and refrigerate any you aren't eating straight away.

Top Tip:
Check your tree regularly as the cherries begin to colour. Pick ripe fruits as they're ready rather than waiting for every cherry on the tree to reach the same stage.

Fresh from the Tree
There's little that beats a ripe cherry picked straight from your own tree. 'Stella' produces large, dark-red cherries with rich, sweet and juicy flesh, making them particularly good for eating fresh.

In the Kitchen
If you can resist eating them straight away, use your cherries in pies, tarts, crumbles and cakes, spoon them over desserts or gently cook them into a compote.

Preserving Your Harvest
A generous crop can also be turned into jams, preserves and sauces, or the cherries can be pitted and frozen so you can enjoy some of your summer harvest later in the year.

Top Tip:
Cherries stain, so remove the stones over a chopping board or bowl rather than directly over your worktop. A cherry pitter makes quick work of larger harvests.

Bare-Root Trees
Your tree is supplied bare root while dormant, without a pot or compost around its roots. It will usually arrive with a woody stem and branches but little or no foliage. This is completely normal and fresh growth will begin as the tree comes out of dormancy in spring.

On Arrival
Unpack your tree promptly and don't allow the roots to dry out. If you can't plant immediately, keep the roots moist and the tree somewhere cool and sheltered until you're ready to plant.

Grafted Fruit Trees
Cherry 'Stella' is grafted, combining the fruiting variety with a rootstock that helps determine how strongly the tree grows. You'll usually be able to see the graft union towards the base of the stem. Keep this above soil level when planting.

Colt Rootstock
'Stella' is grafted onto Colt rootstock, a semi-vigorous cherry rootstock. This produces a substantially larger tree than one grown on a dwarfing rootstock, so allow plenty of room for your tree to develop and bear in mind that its eventual size will also depend on growing conditions and how it is trained and pruned.

What to Expect After Planting
Your young tree won't look like a mature fruit tree straight away. During its first few years it will establish its roots and develop its framework of branches, with cropping increasing as the tree matures.