cherry tree = falling fruits

[Ken the Chef]

I have asked this question for the past two years, lets hope I can find an answer this year.
I have pruned back to 3/5 leaves on all new growth. I have been told that is about right.
For the past two years I have pruned as as above and the tree has blossomed and the fruits have set, masses of blooms. As soon as the fruits begin to develop they turn a brownish colour and drop; leaving a couple of dozen fruits to ripen.
When the fruits begin to change colour the leaves change too and start change colour and soon become "Lacy" the structure of the leaf becomes visible - see through in some cases.
Recently I have been told it is down to the pollination. A lack of bees! My tree is a Stella cherry and self fertile which I thought meant it did not require bees etc. etc. to pollinate it.
Quite a few issues here! Can any one help this year???

[WendyC]

Have you just pruned it? Do you usually winter prune your cherry? I wondered whether it could be silver leaf disease, but the symptoms don't seem to match your description.

[rustylady]

Self fertile just means it doesn't need another tree to provide pollen. It will still need either bees or a paintbrush to move the pollen around between the flowers.

[Ken the Chef]

Ok so the pollen still needs to moved flower to flower.
Am I right to assume the fruits can only form if the flowers have been pollinated?

[Ken the Chef]

As for the pruning I down loaded a TRAIN AND PRUNE A FAN CHERRY TREE FROM RHS.
I can prune February and June!
If I remover correctly prune long in June and short in Feb
If anyone has preferences I will bi interested.

[Ken the Chef]

This is the first time silver leaf has been offered.
One solution without a reason was to spray with a Copper Fungicide. What would that achieve?

[Kristen]

Ok so the pollen still needs to moved flower to flower.
Am I right to assume the fruits can only form if the flowers have been pollinated?

Yes

If not a daft idea? how about you hand pollinate the flowers on a single branch, and tie e.g. some wool around it to remind you which one, and see if that holds its fruits better this year?

[Ken the Chef]

I will give the hand pollination a go - thanks 4 that!
The idea that the flowers had not been pollinated came from a so call expert even though the fruits had formed.
Another theory I was offered was that the tree was no old enough to support the amount of fruits that had formed - four years ago had a reasonable crop, even though a squirrel took a liking to more than a few. Time for a net if the fruits go beyond the dreaded drop.

[rustylady]

This looks quite a good site relating to problems with fruit trees, including cherries. Hope it may be some help to you Ken.

Fruit Tree Pests & Diseases

[ancee]

An old man I knew put a radio in his cherry tree to deter the birds and squirrels nicking his cherries.
His wife said they sat listening to it whilst the carried on nicking them!
She said he'd provided music for their restaurant hahaha

[Ken the Chef]

I have been to this site previously and have even spoken the Ken's son about the problem, it may have been him that gave me the copper spray info.
I will certainly be putting some fleece cover up when the fruits are set this year.
I will give the tree a spray to cover everything else