You should avoid planting near cherry trees anything that spreads disease or competes for resources. Black walnut, nightshade family plants, and grass rank as the worst offenders. Keeping these away from your cherry tree prevents problems that can take years to fix.
Good cherry tree companion planting uses plants that help rather than harm your tree. Alliums like chives and garlic repel aphids when planted around the drip line. Clover fixes nitrogen in the soil and draws bees during bloom time. Comfrey pulls up deep nutrients and makes excellent mulch when cut.
I learned about bad neighbors the hard way when my cherry tree got sick three years after I planted tomatoes nearby. The tree developed yellowing leaves and weak growth that turned out to be verticillium wilt. That fungus came from my tomato patch and lives in the soil for years. The cherry never recovered and I had to remove it.
Black walnut trees make a chemical called juglone that poisons many plants including cherries. The roots spread wide and juglone moves through soil for 50-80 feet (15-24 meters) from the trunk. Even after a walnut tree is cut down, the roots keep releasing toxin for years. Bad neighbors cherry trees face don't get worse than black walnut.
Tomatoes and peppers carry verticillium wilt fungus that harms cherry trees. Potatoes spread it too. This disease attacks cherry roots and blocks water flow through the tree. Keep these plants at least 25 feet (8 meters) away from your cherry.
Grass competes hard with young cherry trees for water and nutrients. A ring of turf right up to the trunk steals resources the tree needs to grow. Keep a 3-4 foot (1-1.2 meter) grass-free zone around young trees. Mulch this area with wood chips or plant beneficial groundcovers instead.
Other stone fruits like peaches, plums, and apricots share many diseases with cherries. A sick peach tree can spread brown rot or bacterial canker to your cherry. This matters most if you buy an infected tree from a nursery. Space stone fruits apart and check new plants before adding them to your yard.
Knowing what not to plant by cherry trees saves you grief down the road. Move your vegetable garden away from fruit trees. Check for walnut trees on your property and your neighbors' land. Give stone fruits some distance from each other when planning your orchard.
Fill the space around your cherry with plants that help it thrive instead of ones that hurt it. Chives, nasturtiums, and marigolds deter pests while looking good. Crimson clover makes a living mulch that feeds the soil. These companions work with your tree instead of against it. Plan your planting with both good and bad neighbors in mind.
Read the full article: Growing Cherry Trees From Seed or Sapling
