What to plant next to cherries?

It is difficult to find a person who would not like ripe sweet cherry fruits. That is why such a tree can very often be found in gardeners' plots. But in order for a culture to stably bear fruit, it is necessary not only to properly care for it, but also to take into account the peculiarities of the neighborhood with other plants. Let's consider this moment in more detail.

Plants that are in the same area must be compatible with each other. Otherwise, there will be a lot of problems. Primarily incompatible plants will compete with each other for nutrients from the soil. One culture can oppress another, taking nutrients from it.

Neighborhood with other crops is very important for sweet cherries. If the plot is large, these trees are best planted in groups, using different varieties. This approach will encourage cross-pollination of the trees, which will give the grower a bountiful harvest. However, cherries get along no less well with other types of crops.

• Cherry. It is a wonderful neighbor for cherries. Stone fruits interact well with each other without competing for food. Such plants should be located at a distance of at least 5 meters. In addition, cherries pollinate cherries, and cherries pollinate cherries. However, when planting seedlings, it is worth considering the height of the future tree. Taller plants should not create shade for undersized varieties.
• Plum. A stone tree like plum also does not compete with cherries for nutrition. To prevent the plants from clinging to each other with branches, you need to maintain a distance of 5 meters between them. It should also be noted that the plum serves as an excellent protector for cherries, preventing fungi and pests from spreading.
• Cherry plum. Cherry grows well next to cherry plum, but the latter is better to choose undersized varieties.
• Elder. A low-growing elderberry not only looks spectacular, matching in color with some varieties of cherries, but also protects the tree from all sorts of pests. For example, it perfectly scares away cherry aphids.
• Honeysuckle. The tender blue honeysuckle will create a beautiful contrast to the cherry fruit. It is customary to grow this plant in shaded places, so it will be very good under the cherry crown.
• Grape. This plant makes almost no demands on the soil and neighbors. Therefore, in the country next to it, you can plant any sort of sweet cherry. You just need to take into account that the grapes have a tendency to grow rapidly, so you have to make sure that its vine does not begin to twine around the cherry trunk.

Seeds of some flowers and herbs can be sown nearby. It is worth choosing those varieties that love partial shade. For example, it can be:

• snowdrops;
• periwinkle;
• violets;
• primroses;
• mint;
• lilies of the valley;
• Melissa.

There are not so many plants that cherries are compatible with. Basically, the list is limited to the above crops. Neighborhood with other plants can not only reduce the yield, but also destroy the tree.In other cases, it is not the sweet cherry that will suffer, but the culture that the gardener inadvertently planted nearby.

The most unsuccessful plants for compatibility will be considered below.

• Solanaceae. All plants belonging to this family are strictly prohibited. Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and bell peppers do not like shade. Without the sun, vegetables cannot be harvested, and the fungus will not keep itself waiting long. But this is not the only problem. Solanaceous crops can cause verticillium wilt. This is a very dangerous disease that can quickly destroy a cherry tree.
• Raspberries. A plant like raspberry is absolutely incompatible with sweet cherry. Crops have different types of root systems, so they will need different amounts of water. In addition, raspberries will actively pull food from the ground. However, the overgrown cherries will begin to oppress the undersized bushes, and they can wither away. Raspberries are also often sick, and pathogens can easily find their way to the cherry tree. Gooseberries are similar to raspberries, so you can't plant them nearby either.
• Apple tree. Such fruit trees must be at least 10 meters apart. The fact is that apple trees have a large crown and very developed deep roots. They will shade the cherries and prevent them from getting food from the soil.
• Pear. The crown size of a pear does not allow other trees to grow comfortably next to it. In addition, pears are demanding on soil and planting, and cherries are not too demanding. What works for one tree will not work for another.
• Black currant. A shrub like currant has a superficial root system that quickly takes away all the nutrients from the topsoil. Cherry will be difficult to compete with such a neighbor. Such plants also need a completely different soil composition. Shaded by a large tree, currants quickly die from lack of sun. Therefore, it must be planted as far as possible.
• Peach. This is a capricious culture that is very demanding on conditions. If it is planted next to a cherry, the peach will wither, constantly hurt, and bear poor fruit.
• Apricot. Such a tree does not like neighbors in general. It prefers to grow apart. In addition, he needs a completely different soil.

Most of these trees grow rapidly, covering large areas with their crown. Cherry, on the other hand, will not take root in the shade, it will quickly wither away. Therefore, if there is one of the above trees in the garden or it grows very close to it, then the cherry crop should be placed at a distance of at least 10 meters.