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Cherry Tree Help needed!

CrazybeeladyCrazybeelady Posts: 778
in Garden design
Hello  :)  Newbie here.  You're probably all going to laugh at my stupidity here, but four years ago I got my first garden (and gradually found out that I'm mad for gardening!) and thought it would be a great idea to plant what I thought was a small cherry tree in the ground.  The label called it a patio tree so I figured it would stay small...ha ha ha how silly I was.  See below for then and now!  My issue is its proximity to that wall behind it - it's a garage and I'm scared the foundations may be getting compromised, so I want it out of the ground and I am going to dig it up once the leaves are gone.  I've got nowhere else to put it but can't bear to just throw it out, it's a happy tree!  Any suggestions on what I should do with it??


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  • batwood14batwood14 Posts: 193
    hi - conventional wisdom says to keep it at a managed height and not let it grow further. There's more info here https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=225
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    Hello, @Crazybeelady !  :)

    Certainly not laughing at your stupidity - just sighing at the way plants are so poorly labelled.  They should have given an idea of the eventual height on that label - you'd need a big patio for a tree of that size!

    I suspect that though it's a happy tree now, it may not be so happy once it's dug up... but if you can dig out a reasonable root ball, it may survive in a new position.  Do you know a neighbour who'd welcome a free tree?  Could you advertise it on Freecycle?  Is there a community garden or woodland with room for it?
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
    I would leave it where it is and prune it to control future size. Next spring you could reduce the height to the gutter level behind it. Has it fruited yet?
  • CrazybeeladyCrazybeelady Posts: 778
    Thanks everyone for your suggestions, I didnt know there was an option of preventing growth so I'll look at that @batwood14 . It's not so much the height that's worrying me as what's going on underground with the roots. It has been merrily fruiting and looks lovely with its blossom @steephill . I thought about Gumtree but no one else was listing such a thing but hadn't thought of Freecycle so thanks @Liriodendron. Not sure about community gardens but I'll look into that too!
    Thanks 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'd leave it as well. Looks good, and you can maintain it as @steephill says. It's clearly been happy, and it's unlikely to cause a problem with the garage if it's kept steady from now on.
    It's grown in a really good shape, so if you can keep it like that, it will be an asset, not a problem  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    I'd leave it as well and just keep it pruned. You could check the label if you still have it to see what height was noted on it. It's grown bigger because it's in the ground and obviously is liking it, rather than in a pot where it's roots are restricted and therefore doesn't grow as big.

    If you haven't got the label, do you remember what variety cherry it is? You could always check on line.
    The foundations for most modern garages are surprisingly robust - or should be. Ours are a metre thick. 
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • CrazybeeladyCrazybeelady Posts: 778
    Annoyingly @Lizzie27 I've not kept the label and don't know the variety, I've regretted this many times and always keep them now! I got it from Homebase and have even been there to see if they have identical ones but no joy. I spoke to a tree surgeon (just over the phone, he didn't see it) and he said the garage would be fine if attached to a house as the foundations would be deep (2015 house) but it's free standing so there's no guarantee. 
  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    It doesn’t look to me as if it will cause problems. You probably have it on one of the dwarfing rootstocks, and it will not be likely to turn into a monster. I’d just keep an eye on it as people are suggesting. Tree roots cause problems in different ways but one issue is getting into drains (probably less of a problem with a garage), while another is subsidence on clay soil caused by the tree sucking up lots of moisture during dry weather. This tree is too small to do that and I would only worry if you’re in a really bad area for subsidence. They don’t literally ‘undermine the foundations’ as in common parlance.
  • CrazybeeladyCrazybeelady Posts: 778
    Thanks @Cambridgerose12, I think I will leave it alone, get it a prune next year. It occured to me also that to the left in the picture where the bins are, is paving slabs - and if they're not moving then the garage isn't likely to!
  • roshnimistry1roshnimistry1 Posts: 17
    @Crazybeelady a little off topic, but has your cherry tree fruited in the four years? we're after a cherry tree with lots of blossom but if we can get one with lovely fruit then even better! 
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