Cherry - Double Dawson\Lapin

Cherry - Double Dawson\Lapin is best suited in a position that gets

• Full sun

Cherry - Double Dawson\Lapin is

• Self-fertile
• Wind Tolerant
• Frost Tolerant
• Deciduous
• Edible
• Flowering
• Attracts pollinators
• Cold hardy

Cherry - Double Dawson\Lapin will thrive in soil that is

• Free draining
• Nutrient rich

Plant your Dawson / Lapins Cherry in full sun.

Good sunlight is essential for:

Strong flowering
Fruit development
Ripening
Fruit sweetness
Healthy growth

Aim for at least six hours of direct sunlight each day, preferably more.

Choose a reasonably open position with good airflow but some protection from Canterbury's strongest winds.

Plant your Dawson / Lapins Cherry in full sun.

Good sunlight is essential for:

Strong flowering
Fruit development
Ripening
Fruit sweetness
Healthy growth

Aim for at least six hours of direct sunlight each day, preferably more.

Choose a reasonably open position with good airflow but some protection from Canterbury's strongest winds.

Soil Requirements

Sweet cherries perform best in fertile, free-draining soil.

Aim for soil that is:

Fertile
Rich in organic matter
Moisture retentive
Free draining
Not permanently saturated

Good drainage is particularly important.

If you're planting into heavier Canterbury soil, improve the planting area where necessary and avoid locations where water sits around the roots for extended periods.

Newly Planted Trees

Water deeply and regularly during the first couple of growing seasons.

Deep watering encourages the root system to establish into the surrounding soil.

Established Trees

Once established, water during prolonged dry periods.

Consistent moisture is particularly important during:

Flowering
Fruit set
Fruit development
Hot summer weather

Avoid repeatedly allowing the tree to become severely dry and then saturating it.

Apply organic mulch around the root zone to:

Retain moisture
Reduce weed competition
Moderate soil temperatures
Improve soil structure
Protect the root zone

Keep mulch slightly away from the trunk.

Mulching is particularly useful through Canterbury's hot, dry summers and nor'west conditions.

Feed in spring with a balanced fertiliser suitable for fruit trees.

Compost or well-rotted organic matter can also be applied around the root zone.

Avoid excessive nitrogen.

Lots of soft green growth may look impressive, but the reason we're growing this particular tree is hanging on the branches and hopefully turning dark red.

Pruning a Double-Worked Cherry

This is where double-worked trees require slightly more attention than a standard single-variety fruit tree.

You need to maintain a reasonable balance between the Dawson and Lapins grafts.

One variety may naturally grow more vigorously than the other.

If one side is allowed to completely dominate, the weaker variety can eventually become shaded or crowded.

When pruning:

Identify which branches belong to each variety
Maintain both grafted varieties
Remove dead or damaged wood
Remove crossing branches
Improve airflow
Control excessive vigorous growth
Maintain an open, balanced framework
Prevent one variety from completely dominating the canopy

If one graft is noticeably more vigorous, prune that section a little harder while allowing the weaker variety more room to develop.

Never accidentally prune an entire variety off the tree.

That rather defeats the point.

When to Prune

Where possible, carry out significant cherry pruning during dry summer weather or shortly after harvest.

Avoid unnecessary large pruning cuts during cold, wet winter conditions.

Regular light pruning is preferable to allowing the tree to become enormous and then attempting major corrective pruning later.

Watch for Growth Below the Grafts

Remove any vigorous shoots emerging from the rootstock below the graft unions.

These shoots aren't Dawson or Lapins and can compete with the fruiting varieties if allowed to develop.

Remove them cleanly when they appear.

Sweet cherries are cold-hardy deciduous fruit trees and benefit from winter dormancy.

Canterbury's cold winters generally suit them well.

The more vulnerable period is spring, when flower buds begin opening.

Late frost can damage:

Open blossom
Developing fruit
Tender new growth

If your garden has obvious frost pockets, plant on slightly higher ground where cold air can drain away if possible.

There is one small issue with growing delicious cherries.

You aren't the only creature who knows they're delicious.

Birds can strip a cherry crop remarkably quickly as the fruit approaches maturity.

Bird netting is one of the most effective forms of protection.

Keep netting securely fitted and taut so wildlife cannot become tangled or trapped.

Maintaining the tree at a manageable height through pruning makes netting considerably easier.

Sweet cherries can sometimes split when heavy rainfall occurs close to harvest, particularly after a period of dry weather.

The fruit rapidly absorbs moisture and the skin can crack.

Maintaining reasonably consistent soil moisture during fruit development can help reduce extreme fluctuations.

If you've got ripe cherries and several days of heavy summer rain are forecast, we'd be inclined to start picking.

Pests and Diseases

Maintain good airflow and garden hygiene around your cherry tree.

Keep an eye out for common problems including:

Aphids
Scale insects
Caterpillars
Bacterial diseases
Fungal diseases during prolonged wet conditions

Remove damaged or diseased material promptly and avoid unnecessary damage to the trunk and branches.