How to Grow Cherry Blossom Trees

Read our tips on how to grow beautiful Cherry Blossom Trees at home.

With winter almost at an end in the Southern Hemisphere we are eagerly awaiting cherry blossom season. In the slightly milder areas the first blossoms have already made an appearance, reminding us that it is almost time to start thinking about planting some new trees to be enjoyed in the coming years. Here are some of our top tips for growing these beautiful flowering trees.

How to Grow Cherry Blossom Trees at Home

1. Plant your trees in full sun to partial shade

As cherry blossoms need a lot of sun to really thrive, make sure you choose somewhere with a minimum of four hours sunlight each day. Elevated positions work great, and choose a spot with well draining and fertile acidic soil.

2. Wait until the last frost has past to plant trees

If you live in a frost prone area wait until after the last frost of the season before you plant young trees to give them the best chance of thriving. The best time to buy cherry blossom trees is when the are bare-rooted over winter, they will be much more affordable when they are bare-rooted.

3. Don’t overwater cherry blossom trees

Cherry blossoms do not need a lot of water, the exception being periods of drought or long, hot summers. Once established you should rarely need to water cherry blossoms through spring and autumn if you enough rain. In winter, trees are dormant and won’t require water.

4. Get on top of pests straight away

Keep an eye of your trees for any sign of aphids, disease or stress and take care of any problems immediately. Unfortunately cherry trees can be prone to pests like cherry slugs (cherry sawfly), Japanese beetles, leaf miners, black cherry aphids and spider mites which can all wreak havoc on young and established trees.

To deter pests, keep trees well fertilised and watered – the healthier your tree the less likely they will be susceptible to pests. For cherry slugs sprinkle around your tree base with lime and pick off any slugs as soon as they appear. Try dusting leaves with wood ash to prevent the slugs reoccurring.

The best way to deter most pests is to introduce natural, healthy insects like ladybugs who will get rid of aphids and other troublesome pests. If you are lucky enough to have ducks and chickens let them loose occasionally near your cherry tree as they will also pick off insects and slugs.

5. Plant trees together

Cherry blossoms self-pollinate and will blossom best when planted in areas together. Make sure you give each tree enough space to grow. We love cherry blossom trees lining a drive way or entrance or as a feature in the front garden,

A visit your local nursery to determine the most suitable tree for your climate and region, to ensure you give it every chance to grow beautifully.

Lastly, enjoy the blooms each spring, there is something truly beautiful about the arrival of the first delicate blooms of these wonderful trees.

Love to garden? Click here for five of our favourite gardening books and here for How to Grow Lemon Trees at Home.