Growing Cherries – Crop Nutrition 101

Key Nutrients:

While macronutrients (P, K, N) play an important role, Calcium is an essential micronutrient and key for high quality yields 

Nutrient Requirements:  

Nutrient balance is key to quality yields.  

N = 3 to 14.4 lbs per ton of fruit  

P = 1.5 lbs per ton of fruit  

K = 4.2 to 6 lbs per ton of fruit  

Mg = 0.2 to 0.4 lbs per ton of fruit  

Ca = 0.3 to 0.4 lbs per ton of fruit  

• N demand in sweet cherry ranges between 10 to 14.4 lbs of N per ton of fruit (Geisseler, 2016, adapted from Fallahi et al. 1993, Silva and Rodriguez, 1995). 
• Calcium uptake is maximized in the spring after full bloom, so Granular Polysulphate in the spring would be a good dry fertilizer choice along tree lines for yield and quality benefits.  
• Calcium is part of the cell wall and key to cell wall strength. 
• Calcium deficiency has been associated to fruit cracking and firmness in sweet cherry (Demarty et al., 1984, Christensen, 1996).  
• Fruit with higher levels of Ca have reduced cuticle permeability (Christensen, 1996) and greater cell wall strength (Glenn and Poovaiah, 1989). 
• Excess N and vegetative growth, shade, stress, etc can influence calcium movement into the fruit. 
• If Ca levels in the leaf are deficient, fruit Ca will likely be deficient, but adequate Ca levels in the leaves, do not always imply adequate levels in the fruit (B. Sallato, WSU). 

Role of Nutrients:  

Cherry size, firmness, color, stem retention, brix (sugar) and shelf life/resistance to mechanical damage are important quality parameters that nutrition and irrigation influence. 

 See how different nutrients can influence your harvest. 

+ = improving 

– = decreasing 

+/- = different results, depending on the rate of nutrient applied 

Yield and Quality for nutrients at right rate: N++, P+, K++, Mg+, Ca++, S+