cut down cherry trees?

planetX

My garden has 2 rows of fruit trees at the bottom which were planted a few years before I moved in. None are doing very well (heavy clay soil), except for 2 cherries which have grown much bigger than the apples/pears. They've only ever produced about 3 cherries, too high up to pick and the birds take them anyway. From what I've read it's a waste of time growing cherries unless you have them on dwarf rootstock, as the trees will be monstrous. They're about 12ft high now, much higher and I won't be able to cut them down by myself - so I want opinions... are they worth keeping as ornamental trees. How big are they going to get, and are they likely to interfere with a polytunnel sited nearby.

Oldtree

would be able to advise better if you posted a few pictures

Northumbria

Cut 'em down and get a Stella sweet cherry on dwarf roots. They'll likely grow back from the stumps though, so do something about those unless you want them back.

planetX

there's nothing to show pictures of - polytunnel is just a pipe dream so far. I don't really want cherries as a crop, and I'm not a big fan of ornamental cherries in the garden... I think I've just talked myself into cutting them down, they will grow huge won't they? I don't like destroying trees though

Northumbria

planetX wrote: »

there's nothing to show pictures of - polytunnel is just a pipe dream so far. I don't really want cherries as a crop, and I'm not a big fan of ornamental cherries in the garden... I think I've just talked myself into cutting them down, they will grow huge won't they? I don't like destroying trees though

Cherry trees on dwarf rootstock won't grow huge, but cherry trees on their own roots will. You could always plant something smaller to replace them.