Frank,

Nice photo, look like you wrapped it up pretty well with the net. The birds will have to search food else where.

Tony

Happy with White Gold this year, too.

I'm always a bit boggled by the same people who plot various lethal schemes to kill rodents, trying to preserve the fruit-eating birds who get caught in flagrante. I'm almost wishing one of the cats would take up bird hunting, at least if it could be confined to robins.

I really want to kill all of the robins. An old lady I use to work with hated them (along with sparrows). Both I believe are not native to the US (England?). All I know is they LOVE cherries. They are constantly coming at the tree from various angles, trying to get my precious babies.

Good for you. It boggles my mind, though, to think that they're ripe by June 1st. That won't happen again in 100 years, well, maybe it will, perhaps all of this weather weirdness is the "new normal". March is the new May, that sort of thing.

Freezes, alas, are the same old freezes.

English robins are a completely different bird with the same name. American robins are Turdus americanus - a very apt name!

Frank that's hysterical looking. Okay, probably you're not laughing, but poor tree!! Honestly. You and the robins and it's me and the bloody damned ground squirrels and rats. 1/2 my stone fruits are eaten away. I am putting down pounds of poison bait, now. Wish netting would protect my trees, sigh. Glad you have a stellar cherry year. My two lone cherries were delicious. Hoping for more next year.

Patty S.

My 2 year old daughter eats them pit and all. Doesn't seem to bother her.

Way to go Frank...

Sweet cherries in Wisconsin is no cake walk. I wouldn't stand a chance with them in northern MN. I do have 8 sour cherry trees and bushes though.

You have paid lot of dues to get those cherries. Glad you are fighting the robins tooth and nail for your hard won prize !

Always glad to hear things working for folks, especially when I know it's been hard won...helps keep jealousy at bay. The Kids get SUCH a kick from fruit off the property don't they. Enjoy.

I am convinced resident hawks(preferably with hungry chicks) are the solution to bird pressure, but I don't know how you can really get them other than luck. Netting would be the only other dependable choice.
Although the blueberry farm down the road claims good success with 3 fold attack: mylar tape, recorded bird alarm calls, and the periodic propane cannon shots....it makes for a rather jarring pick your own experience, and wouldn't go over real well with close neighbors I suspect.

Frank, in another thread you stated that these dwarf cherries fruit regularly around now. I can see from the pic that it is quite a small tree. Do you really get them in early June year after year?

Congrats for you hard earned cherries! You must have native American Robins,..don't you?

Did you read the article on this years cherry crop in Michigan in the Wall Street Journal? Not a good year. Lucky you!

Glib-

This year is running a good 2 weeks early, so my guess (I'd have to look at old pictures for dates from previous) is that this year is very early for sweets. Here is a Kristin. Most are this size.

{{gwi:111619}}

That's an apple!

Really, WOW!

I just finished my White Golds, they were excellent and had zero cracking. Cherries in general are looking up for me this year as well, having finally started to spray them for moths and curculio I am getting a very nice crop.

Scott