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Cherry Tree (Bing) is the premier sweet cherry variety for home orchards, producing large, deep mahogany-red fruits with firm, juicy, intensely sweet flesh and exceptional flavor. Growing 15–20 feet on standard rootstock (or 8–12 feet semi-dwarf) in zones 5–7, Bing requires a compatible pollinator — Rainier, Van, or Stella work well — and 700–900 hours of winter chilling. The tree is ornamentally beautiful, covered in white blossom clusters in spring and glossy dark-green leaves in summer. Bing cherries ripen in June and must be picked promptly — they can crack and spoil within days of peak ripeness if rain follows. On the right rootstock in the right climate, a single Bing tree can produce 30–50 lbs of premium cherries annually.
Plant Bing on well-drained, deep loam in full sun. Space standard trees 25 feet apart; semi-dwarfs 12–15 feet. Plant two compatible pollinators (Rainier, Van, Stella) nearby for heavy fruit set. Prune to a modified central leader, keeping the canopy open for light penetration and air circulation — critical for disease prevention. Apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring only; excess nitrogen delays fruiting and increases disease susceptibility. Water deeply during fruit development. Net the entire canopy before fruits color up — birds will empty a tree overnight. Treat for brown rot (a major cherry disease) with a sulfur fungicide at pink bud and petal fall. Harvest promptly at peak ripeness; cherries don't store long on the tree. In zones 5–7, select a sheltered planting site to protect spring blossoms from late frost.
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