Kitchen Garden Forum

My Cherokee cherry tree has a very heavy crop on it and the birds are just starting to realise it's there. It is too big for me to net now but I wondered how cherries are at ripening if picked before they are ready.
They are just turning to a pink/red. If I cut them with stalks will they ripen sucessfully?

Beryl.

We put fleece over a couple of trees in the hope of getting some cherries. Nets don't work because the birds just use the links to peck through the holes!

Nice idea Tiger - thanks but short of standing on a ladder I don't think I could reach.

Beryl.

Large orchards use noise to scare the birds off, a few pan lids that would clatter in the breeze perhaps! Are you and the neighbours on good terms !

Modern production is generally in forms of polytunnel which excludes birds and rain, which splits the fruits.
When the crop is picked the tunnels are taken down hereabouts as part of LA planning rules.
JB.

I'm on the lottie NB and there are houses on 2 sides. I don't think they would appreciate the noise at night.

My question really was will they ripen sucessfully at home if picked under-ripe?

Perhaps I will find out for myself. I did take about a good bowlful off this morning before the rain came again so will let you know.

Thanks
Beryl.

PS I think JB is right about the commercial growers now using poly tunnels. I am sure that is what is happening to any that are left on the Kent orchards. Makes for easier harvesting to.

Last year I made some pillowcase sized bags from fleece (so it wasn't too heavy and let the air get to them) with a drawstring neck and tied these over individual branches that I could reach. I got a good share of the cherries and the birds got the rest.

I don't know but assuming the cherries in supermarkets at times come from all over the world I'm assuming they wouldn't pick ripe or they wouldn't make the journey, so they must take them off the trees just below ripe. I don't know what conditions they would need to keep them stable and eventually ripen and whether you could replicate this at home.

Maybe google from this importing angle rather than a garden angle and you might get your answer Beryl - I was going to add it would be good to get some before the birds but I haven't got any. They got frosted and I lost the lot but the whole tree looks a bit sick as well so might be a replacement for next year.

Westi

You are probably right Westi. I'm not doing very well with mine. I have eaten a few but the flavour just isn't the same as a ripe one from the tree and more are rotting first so I don't think my experiment is very successful. Worth a try. I think we just have to accept it is not going to be much year for the fruit.

Beryl.

Herefordshire cherries are £3.50 a pound in our local greengrocers.