Alright, alright, let’s talk about them cherry trees, the best ones for down here in Southern California, you know, where it don’t get too cold. I ain’t no fancy expert or nothin’, but I know a thing or two about growin’ stuff. My old man, he used to have a couple of cherry trees, so I picked up a thing or two.
Now, some folks say you can’t grow good cherries down here. They say it ain’t cold enough. But that ain’t the whole truth, see? You just gotta know which ones to plant. There’s a couple that do real good, even when it stays kinda warm.
The Real Good Ones
First off, there’s these two called Royal Lee and Minnie Royal. They say these are just as good as that Bing cherry everybody talks about, maybe even better. And let me tell you, these trees, they go crazy with the cherries! They’re the first ones to give you a good crop down here, so that’s somethin’. And get this, they pollinate each other, so you gotta plant both of ’em. That’s how it works, see?
Then there’s this other one, Pink Cloud, they call it. This one gets pretty big, like 15 or 20 feet tall and just as wide, kinda round and bushy lookin’. It’s got them little flowers with five petals, and they come out before the leaves do, sometime in March or April. Pretty, I guess.
- Royal Lee – Good cherries, lots of ’em. Needs Minnie Royal to make cherries.
- Minnie Royal – Just like Royal Lee, good and plenty. Gotta have Royal Lee around.
- Pink Cloud – Gets big, real pretty flowers, good for down here.
Now, I heard tell of this Bing cherry. Folks say it’s real tasty, sweet and juicy and all that. But from what I hear, it ain’t the best for growin’ down here. Needs more cold, I reckon. So, stick with them Royal Lee, Minnie Royal, and Pink Cloud, that’s what I say.
Other Stuff to Think About
Cherry trees, they’re what they call “stone fruit” trees. That just means they got a hard pit in the middle, like a peach or a plum. Don’t mean nothin’ special, just a fancy word for it.
And I heard some fella talkin’ about a whole bunch of other trees that do good down here, 21 of ’em he said. But I ain’t gonna get into all that. Too much for my old brain to handle. Apples, he mentioned apples too. Honeycrisp and Red Delicious, those were the names. But we’re talkin’ cherries here, so let’s stick to that.
Plannin’ and Plantin’
If you’re gonna plant a cherry tree, make sure you got a good spot for it. Needs lots of sun, you know, and good dirt. And don’t forget to water it, especially when it’s young. Ain’t nothin’ worse than a thirsty tree.
And you gotta be patient, too. Them cherry trees, they take a few years to start givin’ you a good crop. But once they do, it’s worth the wait, let me tell you. Nothin’ like a bowl of fresh cherries in the summertime.
So there you have it, my two cents on cherry trees for Southern California. Royal Lee, Minnie Royal, and Pink Cloud, those are the ones to go for. Don’t let nobody tell you you can’t grow good cherries down here. You just gotta know what you’re doin’, that’s all.
And remember, this ain’t no guarantee, plants can be finicky, just like people. But give it a shot, what’s the worst that can happen?
That’s all I got to say about that. Now go on and plant yourself some cherry trees. And don’t forget, this advice is worth what you paid for it, nothin!
Tags: [Cherry Trees, Southern California, Fruit Trees, Royal Lee, Minnie Royal, Pink Cloud, Gardening, Best Cherries]
