Critical Spring Temperatures

The critical control temperatures for tart cherries and sweet cherries are given in the tables below.

  • Old standard temperatures is the lowest temperature that can be endured for 30 minutes without damage.
  • These tables also shows the temperature that will kill 10% and 90% of normal fruit buds.

Tart cherries

Critical spring temperatures for tart cherries

Cherry Stages

Critical Control Temperatures

Swollen bud

TCswollenbud

  • 10% kill: 15
  • 90% kill: 0

Side green

TCsidegreen

  • 10% kill: 24
  • 90% kill: 10

Green tip

TCgreentip

  • 10% kill: 26
  • 90% kill: 22

Tight cluster

TCtightcluster

  • 10% kill: 26
  • 90% kill: 24

Open cluster

TCopencluster

  • 10% kill: 28
  • 90% kill: 24

First white

TCfirstwhite

  • 10% kill: 28
  • 90% kill: 24

First bloom

TCfirstbloom

  • 10% kill: 28
  • 90% kill: 24

Full bloom

TCfullbloom

  • 10% kill: 28
  • 90% kill: 24

Sweet cherries

Critical spring temperatures for sweet cherries

Cherry Stages

Critical Control Temperatures

Swollen bud

SCswollenbud

  • Old temp: 23
  • 10% kill: 17
  • 90% kill: 5

Side green

SCsidegreen

  • Old temp: 23
  • 10% kill: 22
  • 90% kill: 9

Green tip

  • Old temp: 25
  • 10% kill: 25
  • 90% kill: 14

Tight cluster

SCtightcluster

  • Old temp: 28
  • 10% kill: 26
  • 90% kill: 17
Open cluster
  • Old temp: 28
  • 10% kill: 27
  • 90% kill: 21

First white

SCfirstwhite

  • Old temp: 29
  • 10% kill: 27
  • 90% kill: 24

First bloom

SCfirstbloom

  • Old temp: 29
  • 10% kill: 28
  • 90% kill: 25

Full bloom

SCfullbloom

  • Old temp: 29
  • 10% kill: 28
  • 90% kill: 25

Post bloom

TCshuck

  • Old temp: 30
  • 10% kill: 28
  • 90% kill: 25

These numbers were taken from WSU and MSU Extension Bulletins. Sweet cherries - WSU EB 1128, Tart cherries - MSU Research. Rpt. 220. Portions of these bulletins are posted at Greg Lang's Fruit Bud Hardiness page at the MSU Horticulture Department.