Plant one tree in garden now to ‘gain 5kg of fruit every year’

If you have the space in your garden, one horticultural expert has identified the perfect tree to plant now that will yield 5kg of fruit on an annual basis. 

Gardening expert, Bex Edwards from You Garden recommends the Cherry Stella – a tree that will produce “gorgeous sweet cherries” and stay “beautifully compact” within your patch. Taking to TikTok, she suggested purchasing one that has already been grafted.

Showcasing the “knobbly bit” of her example, she Bex elaborated in a video: “So you can see the graft point – the tree has stuck onto grafting rootstock, a very skilled process – but that’s what keeps it nice and compact.”

Bex advised that fully grown, the tree will only reach around two and a half metres in height. However, despite this, it still be “very, very fruitful”. She continued: “Once it is in and established, this can be producing up to 5kg of fruit every single year and

The expert also pointed out that because it is a bare root plant, it is really cost effective as you don’t need to pay for a pot or compost. Indtead, she advised: “All you need to do is soak those bare roots overnight and get planting.”

Bex also enthused of the Cherry Stella: “It is completely winter hardy and we are in bare root planting season now – October right the way through to early April.”

In terms of timeframe for your crop, Bex said the tree will establish over the first year or two. “Then it will star producing white blossom in the springtime and then those gorgeous cherries later on in the summer for you to pick and eat,” she added. 

Due to it’s small stature, “you can always pick from standing height” and because it is a compact tree, “you can protect easily from the birds nicking your cherries”, Bex said of it’s further benefits. 

Writing in response to the clip, one TikTok user asked: “Silly question but can you just plant it outside and leave it or in a greenhouse?” To which Bex confirmed: “It’s winter hardy. Can stay out in a garden all year around.”

Whilst a second person queried: “Does it have to go in a pot or can I put in the ground and will it remain around 2 metres tall?” Bex clarified: ” Yes. The root stock limits the size. Not the pot. It will stay small when planted anywhere.”

The RHS has further cherry tree advice online, stating: ” Cherries grow well in fertile soil that doesn’t get waterlogged or dry out for long spells. For the sweetest fruits, plant in a sunny spot, although acid cherries will also crop well in partial shade.

“Many modern varieties are self-fertile, which means you only need one tree for a good crop. Just bear in mind that birds love cherries, so it’s best to net the tree or grow it in a fruit cage if you want the whole crop for yourself.”