This year my cherry tree dropped 90% of its fruit. What happened?
Last summer cherry crops in BC suffered a lot from fruit drop. The main cause was the effect of cold weather during January (2024) when ice crystals formed quickly on the swollen buds in the spaces between the cells. If cooling is gradual the tree has a chance to harden off. In rapidly freezing temperatures the cells die from frost damage. The BC Cherry Association (BCCA) issued a press release on Feb. 12, 2024 stating the 2024 cherry crop will be dramatically reduced due to weather related damage. It said that because of the mild start to winter followed by an unusually cold polar vortex in January, cherry trees had no time to develop winter hardiness and fruit buds could not cope with the sudden temperature drop. The BCCA stated the extreme cold may affect long lasting damage in the worst hit areas.
Apart from the effect of extreme cold weather, cherry fruit drop can occur from poor pollination, insufficient watering in dry periods, poor soil drainage, and incorrect tree pruning for maximum light and air circulation. Some cherry trees need an additional pollinator tree to produce fruit. The fruit drop occurs in early summer when blooms begin to fade. Those that have not been pollinated will be shed by the tree as unviable growth which will allow the tree to dedicate more resources to healthy pollinated cherries.
Sources
https://www.mapleridgenews.com/news/2024-bc-cherry-season-the-pits-after-devastating-cold-snap-7317248 https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/cherry/cherry-fruit-drop-problems.htm
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