Cayenne cherry: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
How to plant a Cayenne cherry tree?
Before planting your Surinam cherry, check that it is Eugenia uniflora. This mild-climate plant does not have the hardiness of a European cherry tree. In a garden with cold winters, favour a container that you can move into a bright, frost-protected place. Do not plan an autumn planting outdoors without considering that need.
Choose a sunny, sheltered position with soil that drains freely. Light shade is possible, but avoid a dark site. Allow space for the intended form, whether a bush or small tree; one fixed spacing of four to five metres cannot suit every planting style.
Where the climate is mild enough for outdoor planting, establish the plant when temperatures favour rooting and frost risk has passed. Moisten the rootball and dig a wide hole, but no deeper than the rootball. Keep the root collar at soil level, backfill and water.
For pot growing, use a container with drainage holes and free-draining compost. Allow water to escape after watering and do not leave it in the saucer. A light mulch can help retain moisture without covering the stem bases. Check the rootball during establishment to avoid both drying out and excess water.
How do you prune a Surinam cherry?
When and how do you harvest Surinam cherries?
