Benton® Cherry

BENTON® CHERRY Benton® cherry is a medium to large sweet cherry that turns dark red as it ripens, with excellent flavor. This cherry tree ripens before Stardust™, giving you an extended time for cherry picking when planting both. Benton is self-fruitful, late-blooming, and has resistance to cracking. The tree is suitable for plant hardiness zones 5-8 and will have a mature height of 20′. The Benton® Cherry tree is made using plant tissue from the original tree and grafted onto new roots. This process essentially provides you with an identical tree to the one depicted in the picture and description. TREE SIZE 2-yr 4-6′ (select): The largest size available in cherrys. They will be feathered and have our greatest diameter + 3/4”. We will prune the trees back to a shipping height of 66″ with the roots, as our largest box is 66 “x 14″ x 14” and will hold 13 select cherry trees. Free local pick-up is available in the surrounding states of Pennsylvania.   POLLINATION FOR BENTON® CHERRY The Benton® Cherry is self-fruitful and doesn’t require other cherry trees to produce. PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR BENTON® CHERRY Plant all cherries in moist, well-drained soil with a pH between 5.8 and 7. This soil should have adequate nutrient levels for optimal growth and fruit production. If you have not completed a soil test, click here to improve your soil. Many products can supply your tree with the two most essential nutrients: phosphorus and potassium. However, adjust these nutrients when planting your tree or the prior year, as the soil two feet into the earth has never had any amendments, and these two nutrients are not very mobile. Per a soil test, if your soil pH is lower than recommended, you can adjust it by mixing a few handfuls of pelletized lime into your soil when planting. Benton® Cherry requires 6 hours of direct sunlight for growth and fruit production. Space trees 20′ apart and use cages of at least 5′ cut to 7′ 8′ to protect your trees. This process will ensure your deer eat your fruit in a few years, not your trees this year. We also recommend wrapping an aluminum window screen around the base of your tree, using a 2’x 2′ breathable weed mat, and adding 10 gallons of stone to that weed mat. SHIPPING/PICK UP Shipping to Plant Hardiness zones 2 – 8 will begin in early March (you select your ship date) and continue until the last Monday in April. Dormant bare-root trees must be planted in the spring, while trees in your area remain dormant. You can select your ship/pickup date when you check out on the website. If you are looking for winter shipping, write me at ryan@bluehillwildlifenursery.com The last week of March or the first week of April is ideal for planting in Pennsylvania. Free local pick-up is also available in the surrounding states. When you check out on the website, you can select your pick-up date. However, if you are unable to make the selected date, please call or message us to arrange an alternative appointment.  We are open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, for tree pick-up. For More Information Visit: Join us on FaceBook