Semi-hardwood cutting
Semi-hardwood cuttings are best taken from juvenile wood in June. The cuttings should be treated with IBA and rooted under mist, but the success rate is still fairly low.

Root cuttings
Root cuttings should be taken in the spring. The cuttings are then incubated under greenhouse conditions with 18/16C day/night temperatures, with 12 hour day length. No hormone treatment should be used. This method is more effective.

Suckers
Propagation using suckers are more labour intensive and is usually avoided for planting large stands. The suckers should be dug up in early spring or late fall and transplanted before they dry out. Be careful to get a large root ball when propagating this way or the transplant will not survive.

Pincherry shrubs are very tolerant of many soil and climate types. The plant can be found in native stands ranging from heavy clay to sand to loam, with varying amounts of rainfall and large pH ranges.  Various factors should be taken into account when selecting a site and care regime for a pincherry orchard.

Slope and Wind Breaks
A slight slope is recommended (1-2%), for drainage of water and cold air. This slope should lead to a break in the windbreak at the lower end to allow for air flow. Persistent winds can damage the trees leading to yield loss, fruit size reduction, and delay of and amount of flowering. Try to avoid south facing slopes, as this will delay soil warm up and consequently flowering. A north or east facing slope is best. Make sure the plants receive full sun, however, as it is shade intolerant.

Prior crops and weed control
You should find out what has been on the land prior to seeding or transplanting the pincherries, as they are susceptible to dichloroprop, ammonium sulphate, and 2,4,5-T. Pincherry has intermediate susceptibility to 2,4-D, hexaninone, and glyphosate, although  glyphosate is recommended for weed control in this crop (hand weeding is preferred).
In ideal situations, a green manure crop would be grown 2 years before orchard establishment to eliminate all perennial weeds.

Irrigation
A water source should be close to the orchard, as irrigation will help the establishment of the trees. Trickle irrigation seems to be most efficient. Overhead irrigation can be used as well. Irrigation rates differ for each area and monitoring of soil moisture is crucial.

Plant Spacing
This is different for each grower. A recommended distance between plants is 2m, with rows 4.5-6 m apart. This will vary according to equipment and operation type. ( You may want more space if you are a U-Pick operation)

Between Row Maintenance
Grasses can be planted between rows of trees for easy of movement and fewer problems with wet times of the year. Do not select a weedy grass such as quack grass. The grass selected should be hardy and easy to maintain. Selection ideas can be obtained from university native fruit programs or other growers.

Fertilization
Nitrogen is most often required as a supplement, while iron may need to be supplied on alkaline soils, as the pincherry is very susceptible to iron chlorosis due to lack of iron. Nitrogen is recommended at a rate of 5g of actual N per bush in the first year, and 10g per bush the second year, and 20g per bush every year after that. A soil sample should be analyzed for proper fertilization requirements. This needs to be monitored regularly, as if the plants are beginning to show signs of a deficiency, it is already very serious. The nutrient requirements are highest during rapid growth before maturity. Leaf analysis can be used as well. Do not fertilize or irrigate after harvest, as this encourages growth which will not be ready for winter.

Pruning
This plant is prone to suckering, so pruning is necessary for healthy orchard upkeep. This does not become a problem until the orchard is 8-10 years old.  Removal of weak, damaged, or diseased shoots should be done in late winter or early spring. This will allow for proper healing of the wound and prevent winter damage to the site. Shrubs should be maintained at 2-3m high for ease of harvesting.

Mulching
This is an important concept that many growers neglect. Mulches suppress weeds (which reduce the number of tillage passes and subsequent root damage that leads to suckers), keep in moisture, and reduce temperature fluctuations. Wood chips, bark, straw, waste hay (free of weed seeds), and gravel can be used. Do not allow the mulch (especially if you are using hay or sawdust) to go directly to the trunk of the tree, as this is a great place for mice to live.

'Mary Liss'
This cultivar is one of the older and more reliable selections available. It has large fruit with a pleasant flavour. The plant grows in an upright manner with sturdy trunk and little suckering.

'Mr. Lee' or 'Lee #4'
This is a plant well suited to a U-Pick operation as the fruit is large, on long racemes, and located on the outside of the tree.

'Jumping Pound'
This tree is sold to home gardeners as an ornamental due to its weeping form and profuse flowering. It is self-sterile, suckers and is susceptible to cherry leaf spot disease. It is acceptable, however, for commercial use as well.

'Stockton Double'
This cultivar is primarily for ornamental use. The tree produces double flowers and red leaves.

An inter planting of different cultivars encourages pollination and good fruit set. Bees may be used to help this process.

Diseases

Black Knot (Apiosorina morbosa)
This is a fungal disease that is also common to chokecherries. Symptoms include the development of galls in the second year of infection. Olive-coloured fungal tissue forms over the gall, and spores are produced in the spring of the second year. There is no chemical control available for this disease. Removing and destroying the branches soon after symptoms show up is the best control.

Brown Rot (Monilinia fructicola)
Also a fungal disease with no means of chemical control, this disease first appears as brown spots on flower petal, stamens, or pistils. The spots rapidly get larger, covering the whole flower and spreading to the stem and twigs. Brown spots then occur on the fruit, followed by a fuzzy ash-coloured coating. High humidity and rainfall increase the rate of disease spread.

Insects

Aphids
These are small insects that vary from pale green to red to black. They can over winter as eggs or migrate in on wind currants from warmer areas. Infestations are usually only a problem when the temperature  and humidity are high. Control is needed only after harvest if the populations are very high.

Ugly Nest Caterpillar and Tent Caterpillars
Both of these bugs have only one generation per year. The eggs are laid in the fall ad the larvae hatch in early spring to feed on foliage in the growing season. Infestations are controlled by removing and destroying the branches with the web-like nests. Neither rarely produce any significant damage.

Leafrollers
This is an easy pest to spot as it causes the leaves to roll an be covered in a web. The rolled leaves should be inspected for larvae, and if none are present, control measures are too late. Control measures are rarely required on the prairies.

Sawfly
These bugs emerge from leaf litter in early May and feed on pollen and nectar. The larvae feed within developing fruit, causing it to dry up and blacken.  Chemical control is not available, but removal of fruit drops and regular cultivation reduce populations.

Cherry Fruit Maggot
Eggs are laid in July when the fruit begins to ripen. The fruit then begins to become misshapen, undersized and decayed. Once the larvae hatch, they fall to the ground and over winter as pupae. Sticky cards (yellow) should be placed in the orchard at the end of April to determine numbers. Chemical control is not available, but good orchard sanitation should reduce the numbers in the following year.

Information on this page taken from:

The Pincherry. A Guide for Growers. Kevin Shiell, Brian Weir, and Richard St-Pierre. Native Fruit Development Program. Department of Plant Sciences. University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. 1996.

Fruit Guide.Manitoba Agriculture & Food. Soils and Crops Branch, Carmen, MB. 2000 $ 27.00 Note: This is a guide for commerical growers only, and does not make recommendations for the home garden.

University Programs
Native Fruit Development Program, University of Saskatchewan: http://www.ag.usask.ca/departments/plsc/nfdp/index.html

Fruit Growers' Associations
Saskatchewan Fruit Growers' Association:http://www.saskfruit.com/
Prairie Fruit Growers' Assocation: http://www.pfga.com/index.html
Alberta Fruit:  www.albertafruit.com/