Last Updated on August 9, 2022 by Real Men Sow
Morello Cherries, also known as sour cherries, are smaller than sweet cherries. They have darker skin and a bitter, sour flavor. You can use these cherries in cooking, especially for tarts, jams, and pies.
Sweet vs Morello Cherries
Sweet cherries usually ripen earlier than Morello cherries, and they usually ripen in July. They are self-fertile and produce large crops. You can grow cherries in dwarf fruit trees, either in pots or on the ground. Or you can fan-train them against a wall to conserve space.
How To Grow Morello Cherries
Grow them in moist, fertile soil that is well-drained and has good drainage. To remove any damaged or crossed branches and to make the soil more open so that light and air can reach the fruits, prune after flowering. Fan-trained trees require a different pruning method. In autumn, mulch with compost or well-rotted manure.
Where To Grow Cherries
Grow them in the open or fan-trained against fences or walls, much like sweet cherries. Morello cherries are not like sweet cherries. They grow on one-year-old wood. After flowering, prune standard trees, take out dead or crossing branches, and create an open bowl shape.
Prune Morello Cherry Trees
Fan-trained trees can be pruned to maintain their fan shape by cutting the old, fruited wood to make way for a new shoot, and then attaching the young shoot to the frame to replace the older wood. The new shoots should ripen and bear fruits next year.
Take outshoots that are growing in an unfavorable direction, such as towards the wall. Reduce the number of shoots that cannot be tied to the framework to only two leaves. Winter pruning of morello cherries is not recommended. This puts the tree at high risk for developing silver leaf disease and canker.
How To Harvest Morello Cherries
Take bunches of cherries off the tree. Keep the stalks intact.
Storing Morello Cherries
Freeze Morello cherries, just simply rinse the fruits and dry them. Next, remove stalks and stones from the fruit and place it in an airtight container. The cherries can be stored in a freezer until they ripen. You can then use them for cooking whenever you like. Morello cherries can be used to make pies, jams, and tarts.
Growing Morello Cherries: Problem Solving
Morello cherries are not as popular with birds as sweet cherries. Canker, bloom wilt, and brown rot are all diseases you should be aware of. These diseases do not threaten the tree’s life, but they can affect the harvest. Pruning in spring or summer can manage silver leaves.
Advice On Buying Morello Cherry
- Although you can find Morello cherries in garden centers, you will find more varieties online and at specialist nurseries.
- Before you buy or plant, be sure to inspect for any signs of disease or damage.
- You must ensure that you have the right conditions to grow morello cherries, especially if you are growing fan-trained trees.
