Cherry Bush 'Porthos'

Pot-grown shrubs can be planted at any time of the year as long as the soil is not waterlogged or frozen. If in doubt, err towards spring but remember to keep pots well-watered so that the soil does not dry out.

Birds will quickly strip the ripening cherries from the tree - drape netting over cherry trees to protect the fruit from birds.

• Best grown in moderately fertile soil in full sun. Also perfect in large pots on a patio - 30cm diameter or larger and keep well watered.
• Shrub roots generally tend to spread out rather than down, so dig a planting hole 3 x wider than the roots of the shrub you're planting, and mix some well rotted compost or manure with the soil from the hole and use this to re-fill one the shrub is in place.
• We've found that a square hole is better than a round one as the new roots, once they reach the edges tend to grow in a circle round the circumference of the hole whereas when they reach the corners of a square hole, they find it easier to grow through.
• Before planting soak container-grown shrubs thoroughly and allow to drain.
• Remove the plant from its pot and tease out a few of the roots
• Add Mycorrhizal fungi to the roots when planting to help plants establish quicker.
• Place your shrub in the hole at the same level at the pot
• Refill the hole with the earth removed (backfilling)
• Firm in the soil with your heel, avoiding the root ball
• Water well
• Mulch around the base of the plant with a collar, compost, gravel, bark etc
• Apply a slow-release fertiliser such as blood fish and bone in early spring, and mulch to retain moisture, about a month before flowering.
• Established trees don't require radical pruning to keep them fruiting, just take off any diseased, dying and damaged branches, (the three Ds) in spring. Look at the overall shape and aim for an open structure of branches and remove any that cross over so they don't damage each other. Trim longer new shoots back mid-summer for better shaped trees.
• Harvest crops as soon as they ripen. Avoid leaving windfalls or over-ripe fruit on the ground.
• Don't forget the tree guards as rabbits can strip the bark overnight.
  

Our experienced team at the nursery will always carefully package and send your plants nursery fresh in the perfect condition to thrive once you receive and plant them. Although most plants are extremely tough and will not be affected by all but the most extreme of weather conditions, we always avoid dispatching the most perishable plants if extreme frosts or heat is forecast. We also avoid dispatching orders over Bank Holiday weekends.

Please allow us 3-5 working days to dispatch your order. If you have ordered a 'pre-order' item, these will be sent out as soon as possible after the quoted dispatch date and we generally ship your entire order with any pre-ordered items. Once your order has been dispatched, we will send you an email with details on how you can track it.

We send most of our orders via a fully tracked courier service with Yodel. We will send you a tracking link as soon as your order has been dispatched. To avoid perishable items being stuck at depots and deteriorating, we will not require a signature on delivery, and we ask out couriers to leave your item in a safe place ad your delivery address.

*Please note, once your item has been delivered, we cannot be held responsible for loss or theft from your delivery address. If you have delivery instruction and require our courier to leave your item in a specific place, please let us know - there is an option to leave a message for the courier at the checkout.

For smaller and single-item orders, we may send these via the post with Royal Mail - Tracking will not be available for orders sent via this method.

**Please note, we cannot guarantee delivery on a certain day or time. Delivery to outlying postcode areas may take 1-2 days longer, dependent on your location.

For all orders, a small delivery fee of £4.99 will be charged or spend over £49.99 for FREE Delivery!