Cherry trees are sold commercially as standard or half-trunk trees and as bush trees. A half-trunk is best suited for growing in the home garden due to its size. Numerous sweet and sour cherry varieties are available as half trunks.
What is a half-trunk cherry tree and what advantages does it offer?
A cherry tree half trunk is characterized by a trunk length of 100-150 cm and offers advantages such as easier crown care, harvest, underplanting options and longevity. For sweet cherries, rootstocks such as Weiroot 158, GiSelA 5 or bird cherry are recommended.
Cherry tree shapes
The shape of the tree is determined by the height of the trunk. Traditionally, a distinction is made between half-trunks, standard trunks and bush trees. Many types of fruit are now available in specialist shops as columnar fruit or as dwarf trees for small gardens and terrace planting. Choosing one of the above tree shapes depends on how much space you have available, how long you have to wait for the harvest and how high you want to climb for cutting and harvesting.
Special features and advantages of a half-trunk
The term half-trunk refers to a trunk length of around 100-150 cm plus the crown. The commercially available half-stems are grafted onto strong or medium-growing rootstocks. When it comes to sweet cherries, pay attention to the rootstocks that slow down growth, such as: B. Weiroot 158, GiSelA 5 or bird cherry. For sour cherries, bird cherry can be used as a rootstock if the soil conditions are good, and sour cherry can be used as a rootstock for lighter soils.
In terms of location, soil, planting and care, there are basically no special features to consider with a half-trunk cherry tree compared to other tree forms. If you buy your cherry tree as a half-trunk that is around two years old, it will take another 2-3 years, depending on the variety, until it bears fruit. Especially with sweet cherries, it can be important to have another cherry tree in the neighborhood as a pollinator for a good yield.
A cherry tree as a half trunk in the garden offers many advantages:
- Crown care and pruning as well as harvesting are easy to carry out,
- With the moderate trunk length, you may not need a tree post or support,
- Underplanting in the trunk area is possible and lawn care underneath is unproblematic,
- The cherry trees as half trunks can live up to 100 years.
Tips & Tricks
Since the half trunks (especially sweet cherries) grow to a height of several meters, it must be taken into account that they will shade a larger area when fully grown. Depending on whether more or less shade is desired on the terrace, plant closer or further from the house.
