Sweet cherry Prunus avium "Drogani kollane"

• Type: sweet cherry, yellow-fruited
• Botanical name: Prunus avium "Drogani kollane" ('Drogans Gelbe Knorpelkirsche')
• Height and spread: vigorous, 4–6 m (depends on rootstock), broad pyramidal crown
• Fruit: pale yellow, 6–7 g, firm, sweet; ripens late July – early August
• Light: full sun, sheltered from wind
• Soil: warm, light, well-drained, neutral
• Hardiness: moderate – needs a sheltered spot
• Use: fresh eating, compote, jam; needs a pollinator (another sweet cherry)
• Size: potted tree

Planting. Plant in spring in a warm, south-facing spot sheltered from wind, where cold air and water do not collect. Dig a hole 60–80 cm wide and add compost; keep the graft union above soil and stake the tree. Plant another sweet cherry that flowers at the same time nearby.

Watering and feeding. Water deeply in dry spells in the first summers. Feed with a fruit-tree fertiliser in spring and stop nitrogen from July so the shoots ripen before winter. Avoid sudden heavy watering as the fruit ripens to prevent splitting.

Care. Prune cherries in summer after harvest, when wounds heal fastest. Keep a low, open crown, removing competing leaders and inward-growing branches. In autumn whitewash the trunk and protect it from rodents.

Gardener's tip. Birds take yellow cherries less than red ones, but a net is the surest protection. Pick the fruit with the stalks on – it stays fresh longer.