Cherry Bing

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/* This targets the table and the cells inside it */ table, td { border: 1px solid #444444; /* Dark gray border */ border-collapse: collapse; /* This merges the double lines into o ne clean line */ } /* Adding some padding so the text isn't touching the borders */ td { padding: 10px; } The Bing Cherry is the quintessential dark sweet cherry and the standard by which all other fresh-market cherries are measured. Developed in Oregon in the late 19th century by horticulturist Seth Lewelling and his Manchurian orchard foreman Ah Bing, it remains the most widely grown commercial sweet cherry variety in North America. The Bing Cherry tree produces large, heart-shaped cherries with deep garnet-to-black skin and exceptionally firm, juicy dark-red flesh. It is famous for its rich, concentrated sweetness and intense flavor. The tree is a vigorous and upright-spreading deciduous tree that blooms in mid-spring with fragrant white blossoms. Unlike many other fruit trees, Bing is self-incompatible and cannot pollinate itself. It requires a compatible cross-pollinating sweet cherry nearby that blooms at the same time. Overall, the fruit is prized for fresh eating, preserving, and baking, though it requires careful moisture management near harvest as the thin skins are prone to splitting after heavy rains. Scientific Name Prunus avium 'Bing' Foliage: Deciduous Leaves: Deciduous, dark green; turns yellow to orange-red in autumn. Leaves alternate and are simple, ovate to obovate with serrated edges; 3–6 inches long. Flowers: Showy, fragrant white 5-petaled blossoms in clusters (late spring) Fruit: Large, firm, heart-shaped drupe; deep burgundy-black skin and sweet reddish flesh Seeds: Single hard, smooth inner pit (endocarp) enclosing a seed Bark: Smooth and reddish-brown with prominent horizontal lenticels when young; rougher with age Life Span: Perennial 30–50 years Mature Height Standard: 20–30 ft; Semi-dwarf: 12–15 ft; Dwarf: 8–10 ft Mature Width (Spread) 15–20 ft (standard layout) Growth Rate Medium to Fast (13–24 inches per year) USDA Zone/Chill Hours Zones 5–8; Requires 700–800+ winter chill hours (< 45°F) PLANT CARE & CHARACTERISTICS Light Requirements: Full sun (minimum 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily) Water Requirements: Moderate; regular deep watering (approx. 1 inch/week), reduced once established Drought Resistance: Low; sensitive to drought stress during fruit development Soil Type: Moist, fertile, well-draining sandy loam or silt loam; pH 6.0–7.0 Deer Resistance: Low to Moderate (deer frequently browse young shoots and foliage) Pest/Disease Resistance: Low. Susceptible to bacterial canker, brown rot, leaf spot, aphids, and fruit flies. Pollination: Self-incompatible (requires a cross-pollinator flowering at the same time, such as 'Black Tartarian', 'Rainier', or 'Van'). HARVEST Mid-season (typically mid-June to early July depending on region) 1. Timing: Pick when the skin turns deep burgundy-black, flesh is firm, and soluble solids (sugar) reach 18–20% Brix. 2. Harvest Technique: Keep the stems attached. Pulling the fruit off the stem tears the skin at the stem cavity, providing an entry point for fungal decay (Botrytis brown rot). 3. Temperature Management: Harvest early in the morning when the fruit is cool. Warm fruit bruises easily. YIELD Tree Size Time to First Yield Yield at Maturity (Age 6–8+) Standard 4–6 years 100–150 lbs (~3–4 bushels) Semi-Dwarf 3–4 years 30–60 lbs (~1.5–2 bushels) Dwarf 2–3 years 15–25 lbs (~1 bushel) Factors Directly Influencing Yield 1. Pollination Ratio: Yield depends on a compatible cross-pollinator (e.g., Rainier, Van, Black Tartarian) within 50 feet. 2. Spring Frost Vulnerability: Bing flowers early. A late freeze during bloom can reduce annual yield by 50–100%. 3. Fruit Thinning: Sweet cherries rarely require manual fruit thinning unless set is exceptionally heavy. However, over-cropping weakens spur development for the following season. STORAGE/SHELF LIFE Storage Method Shelf Life Notes Countertop 1–2 days Rapid softening, stem browning, sugar loss. Refrigerator (35–38°F) 5–7 days Stems turn brown and shrivel without high humidity. Optimal Cold Storage (30–32°F) 14–21 days Store unwashed in perforated bags to maintain moisture. Freezing (Preserved) 10–12 months Pit and freeze flat on a baking sheet before bagging. PRUNING Sweet cherries like Bing exhibit strong apical dominance, meaning they naturally try to grow straight up like a timber tree rather than spreading outwards. Disease Warning: Winter vs. Summer Pruning. Unlike most fruit trees that are pruned heavily in mid-winter, sweet cherries are highly susceptible to Bacterial Canker (Pseudomonas syringae). Major Structural Pruning: Perform in late spring to mid-summer (right after harvest). Warm, dry summer weather allows cuts to heal rapidly without fungal or bacterial spores entering the wounds. Light Dormant Pruning: Perform in late winter (just before bud swell) ONLY on sunny, dry days. Avoid late fall/early winter pruning. Step-by-Step Training Methods Method A: Modified Central Leader System (Best for Standard & Semi-Dwarf). This system utilizes a main vertical trunk with tiers of horizontal branches spaced vertically. 1. Establish Trunk Height: At planting (Year 1). Head the main whip (leader) back to 30–36 inches above the ground. This forces buds below the cut to break and form lateral branches. 2. Select First Tier Scaffolds: First Summer (Year 1). Choose 3–4 lateral shoots evenly spaced around the trunk (pointing in different directions) with wide crotch angles (> 45°). Remove upright competing leaders. 3. Establish Second Tier Scaffolds: Year 2–3 Summer. Allow the central leader to grow 24–30 inches above the first tier of branches. Select a second tier of 3–4 wide-angled branches. 4. Cap the Central Leader: Year 4+ (Maturity).Once the tree reaches its target height (12–15 ft for semi-dwarf), cut the central leader back to a weak lateral branch to stop further vertical growth. Method B: Open Center / Vase System (Best for Dwarf Trees). Removes the central trunk entirely to create a bowl shape, allowing maximum sunlight into the interior to ripen fruit. 1. Cut Leader: Remove the main leader above 3–5 primary scaffold branches at 24–30 inches off the ground. 2. Maintain Interior: Cut out all inward-growing shoots, vertical water sprouts, and crossing branches every summer to keep the middle completely open to sunlight and airflow. Annual Maintenance Pruning Checklist (Post-Harvest Summer) 1. Remove Water Sprouts: Cut fast-growing, vertical shoots coming off main limbs back to the branch collar. 2. Protect Fruiting Spurs: Do NOT remove short, stubby 2- to 4-inch twigs on 2-year-old wood—these are the fruiting spurs that will bear next year's crop. 3. Heading Back Scaffolds: Trim the ends of main scaffold branches back by 15–20% annually to prevent them from becoming leggy and breaking under heavy fruit loads. Show more