How to Prepare the Ground for a Cherry Tree

• 1
  Choke cherry, a wild plant, can overrun a young cherry tree in no time.
  
  Clear out the underbrush. Cherry trees do not handle competition very well and are easily choked out by other shrubs, bushes, small trees and even weeds. Make sure that the area around your tree is clear of all types of underbrush that might steal nutrients from your cherry tree. This area should have a radius of at least 20 feet starting from the spot where your tree will be planted. You can use manual pruning shears or a weed whacker to do a preliminary clearing of the area.
  
  
• 2). Make sure that there are no weeds or small shrubs. Once you have cleared out the big stuff, uproot the smaller interlopers. Weeds need to be pulled up by their roots so that they cannot grow back, while smaller shrubbery can usually just be cut off at the level of the ground with the blade of a hoe.
  
  
• 3). Rake the soil and the fertilizer together. Spread a layer of fertilizer over the ground. Work with your local gardening center to select a fertilizer that will keep the pH of the soil between 6.0 and 6.8. Use the rake to mix the fertilizer into the soil.
  
  
• 4). Spread a layer of mulch over the ground. The mulch helps insulate the soil and protect the tree's roots from frost damage during the winter, as well as providing a "shield" that will prevent weeds from reaching the sun and starting to interfere with your cherry seedling's growth. Leave a small circle in the center of the circle of mulch. It should be about 12 inches across. This is where you will plant your cherry tree.