I've heard some say Rainiers aren't as easy to grow. But considering that Lady Luck can be a fickle w#ore, should I take my chances and try growing them next year, or would I be wasting moments of my life, moments I may never get back. [wink]
What do you say - have you tried?

Sol

Raniers (like most cherries) need another variety as a pollinator. Bing is a good pollinator for Raniers and seem to attract the birds, who eat the Bings and leave the Raniers for you!

Raniers are "delicate", but that mostly refers to picking, shipping and storing, mostly done by hand. They are sensitve to wind and temperature, though, so I'd plant them in a protected place.

So, your garden is growing like crazy, is it? Congratulations!

Annie

Go for it - you can do it.....you can do it.....
DONNA

Ann

The photo is a ten:)!

I say grow 'em Sol. If you are as good a gardener as a photographer you'll be covered in cherries.

I am speechless! (Allright, no comments from any of you...)

If I had the sun, I would be putting in several cherry trees. LOVE them!

Not a gardener, my @$$. If you can get all those veggies to thrive in this drought, I've got a feeling you have inherited a green thumb from somewhere.

Linda

AB, you say Rainiers need a pollinator, no problem. How about pesticides, do you use that stuff at all? How about a scarecrow to chase away them birds?
Don't be too quick to pull the trigger, because I have a few more questions ... but I can wait.

Donna, I have no clue why my little garden is doing well. All I do is water them several times a week, and I don't even fertilize them like I'm supposed to. The cherry tomatoes are my pride and joy though. This is how they looked last month, and here is how they look today. A little sparse because I've been eating them like candy. They're exceptionally sweet. Who knew I could grow anything other than weeds?

Ann, Rainier is my absolute favorite cherry. I'd rather go without chocolate just so I can splurge on them.
Ok, I didn't really mean that. Actually, it's more of a Sophie's Choice scenario, but you still might want to save the above information in a separate file, for posterity.

Merci mon ami, Monique. I really need to learn how to write "big smile" in French.

River, I pay just a little less for them around here, but they're in season for such a short amount of time that I can't pass them up.

Ellen, Thumper was the model who volunteered for this shot. He's easy to work with and his only demand is to get paid with Mint/Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. He was hired on the spot.

Linda, if I can do this, well, just take my word for it, you can too.

Thanks to my cheerleading squad for the support! And if I don't end up with a cherry tree within 6-7 years, we'll have to meet back here and have a talk.

Sol

Nope, cherries are one of the most carefree things I grow, all I have to do is smell the cherry blossoms, watch them grow, and when they get ripe, pick them. Removing the pits is the biggest chore involved!

Darn fine model you have there, BTW. Mint chocolate chip you say? A guy after my own heart, or at least my own ice cream! It's Ashley's and Makayla's favorite too.

Annie

I hope this isn't a dumb question, but I'm really curious (and envious). Would you start with a small tree from a nursery, or would you actually plant seeds to grow your cherry trees?
DONNA

Going off on a tangent - put me in with the Mint/Choc. Chip ice cream group. My favorite ice cream used to be Grasshopper Pie, a Homemade brand. But, like all good things, it came to an end.
They now make a Mint/Chocolate Chip which isn't bad, but their Grasshopper Pie Ice Cream took no prisoners, it was -as Thumper would say- "sick." I think it means: good.

Donna, I'm sorry to hear about your cherry tomatoes. You know, I'm not sure which tomato plants the experts prefer, but we chose Sweet 100s, four plants in all, and all I can say is, they've lived up to their name. I'll be getting the same, next year.
I don't know where you're at, but if you live close, I'd be glad to share, since I'm the only one around here who worships tomatoes. Btw, I'm about 20 miles north of Michigan's state capital.

Oh, and wouldn't you know it (getting back to the subject of growing Rainiers), our local nursery had cherry trees earlier this year, but I was too afraid to commit ;-Þ Man, that pisses me off.
I think I'll give myself a time-out.

Have a good weekend guys!

Sol

That picture has me craving cherries, Sol!

We've done well with the Sweet 100's, too! My plants always look pretty sad, but we get the little tomatoes. Did well with sungolds, too!

Carol, I swear I wouldn't care what the plant looked like, if it would make more than 2 tomatoes, once a month!!!
DONNA