It’s getting close to that time when cherries start to blossom once again.
Cherry blossoms symbolizes both life and death. As the coming of spring promises new life, so the blooming of cherry blossoms brings a sense of vitality and vibrancy. At the same time, their short lifespan is a reminder that life is fleeting.
Nikki Rothwell, director of the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center (NWMHRC), is paying close attention to the weather the past few days with a cold front moving on Tuesday and Wednesday that could threaten a fast-track cherry blooming cycle by dropping below 30 degrees.
“Don’t know what’s going to happen. Northwest Michigan is most of a concern (for this cold front),” Rothwell said.
If the weather holds up, Rothwell says sweets and some tarts could be 50% blooming as of this weekend, which is prompting the research station to fast track research projects to be ready.
Rothwell says black pearl cherries are beginning to bloom at the research station in Bingham Township.
Emily Grant of Cherry Bay Orchards has been following the growing degree days carefully.
“Cherry trees are going to start coming out. It’s going to be cold (Tuesday and Wednesday, April 23-24) which slows things down. Next week is looking good,” Grant said. “Once cherries blossom it’s go time and you can start to get a bit of an idea what size the crop is because of the reproductive structure of the flowers are still living.”
Blossom time reminds Grant of the beauty of the area and why they are in the cherry industry in the first place.
“There’s not much better than blossom time in Leelanau County,” she said.
Jim Nugent, an iconic cherry grower and former NWMHRC center director, says sweets will be blooming by this weekend and tarts will be coming along next week.
“We are getting pretty close for sweet cherries to bloom,” Nugent said. “This is early compared to most years.”
Historically, cherry blooms around the second week of May, and lately it has been during the first week.
“My guess by the 12th (tart cherry) bloom will probably be pretty well over and it really is quite early this year ... That color is always driven by temperature, that’s what influences tree development,” Nugent said. “I love bloom time. They are beautiful from a distance but I love to go out in the orchard during bloom on a sunny day when it’s not too windy. You will hear a hum of bees and smell an aroma of flowers. Its a wonderful time to get out in orchard.”
Nugent says that the cherry blossom will happen faster throughout Suttons Bay and southernly cherry orchards of the county before traversing north to Gills Pier, Northport, and even farther until the tip of the peninsula.
“There can be a week difference in bloom to the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula,” Nugent said.
Robert Herman, co-owner of Jelinek Apiaries in Suttons Bay, has bees already placed in orchards to take advantage of the food source that is cherry blossoms.
Herman and the crew have been transporting bees from Georgia back to Michigan over the past few weeks to put them in local cherry and apple orchards.
“Cherries are a pretty good crop for bees as they give them a good boost to start the spring,” Herman said.
