USask Sour Cherries: Complete Growing Guide for Canadian Gardeners
We are thrilled to offer the newest Sour Cherry cultivars from the University of Saskatchewan, the result of incredible dedication and hard work spanning decades. Cherries are a must-have in any food forest or orchard, and we're proud to bring these hardy plants to Canadian growers. While we only started our testing plot at the nursery several years ago and don't yet have years of lived experience, we have tasted each cultivar, photographed them ourselves, and gathered first-hand stories and insights from the growers and breeders.
At Prairie Hardy Nursery, we're big fans of the USask fruit breeding program and offer these cultivars with genuine pride. The historic work led by Rick Sawatzky and Bob Bors, respectively, and all the folks involved over the years, is truly remarkable. Their patient, methodical breeding specifically for Prairie conditions has given us something we've long needed: cherries that don't just survive our winters, they thrive in them. These cherries are all genuinely delicious! We ate lots and could not get enough, and made a delicious jam with the leftovers.
The term "sour cherry" refers to their botanical classification; these varieties feature the bright, complex acidity characteristic of Prunus cerasus, balanced with genuine sweetness that makes many of them excellent for fresh eating, not just preserving. The advantage of growing these in bush form is profound: no trunk to winterkill, just tough, productive shrubs that fruit reliably year after year.
The Quick and Dirty: Pick What and Why?
Porthos (Zone 2) - Delicious sweetness for fresh eating, upright compact form.
Athos (Zone 2) - Balanced sweet-tart cherry flavour, graceful spreading habit.
D'Artagnan (Zone 2) - Purpose-bred for hedging with vigorous suckering, minimal pruning needed.
Big Red (Zone 2) - Largest fruit, experimental and less productive, but ultra-hardy.
Cutie Pie (Zone 3) - Dwarf growing form, ideal for small spaces, sweet for fresh eating, vigorous suckering.
Sweet Thing (Zone 3b/4) - Many’s favourite and large fruit, best for sheltered locations/warmer zones.
Plant multiple varieties to enjoy different characteristics and extend your harvest window. These are long-lived investment plants that produce reliably for decades with minimal care.
Understanding Hardiness Zones
Not sure about your hardiness zone? Learn more here.
Our zone 2 varieties (Porthos, Athos, D'Artagnan, and Big Red) have been tested to -40°C or colder and thrive in cold Prairie conditions without special protection. Cutie Pie (zone 3) is slightly more tender but still reliable with basic shelter. Sweet Thing (zone 3b/4) is best suited for zone 4 and warmer areas like Calgary, Edmonton, and milder regions, or for gardeners willing to experiment with sheltered microclimates, good snow cover, and protection from harsh northwest winds. If you're gardening in zone 2, stick with zone 2 varieties or treat the others as experiments in your warmest spots. Adding snow to your plants will help them insulate. Check out our winterizing guide here.
Harvest Time!
All of our cherry varieties generally ripen between late July and mid-August, though exact timing varies each year depending on growing conditions: early springs, abundant rainfall, or drought all influence when fruit reaches peak ripeness. Rather than relying solely on calendar dates, taste testing is your most reliable indicator. Most cherries deepen from their initial colour to a rich burgundy at full maturity, though this varies by cultivar.
Our photographs were taken in late July and don't reflect the deep burgundy colour some varieties develop at ultimate ripeness, but even at that stage, these cherries were all delicious! The sweetest sour cherries we've tasted on the Prairies, with slight variations in sweet-tart ratios between varieties.
Planting multiple varieties still provides value beyond staggered ripening: each cultivar offers unique fruit characteristics, growth habits, and slight differences in timing. The overlapping harvest window means you'll enjoy fresh cherries and process preserves over several weeks rather than all at once, making the work manageable and the season longer.
Growth Habits
Understanding how each variety grows helps you plant them in the right spot. Porthos grows in a tidy, upright form, rather compact and well-behaved. Athos spreads outward with graceful arching branches, creating a relaxed, open form. D'Artagnan was bred for hedging with thin, flexible branches and vigorous suckering; plant them a metre apart in rows and within a few years, individual plants become a continuous, productive hedge. Cutie Pie's dwarf form makes it ideal for borders or the food forest spreading lower shrub layer, the size and spreading reminds me of a raspberry bush. Sweet Thing and Big Red, both reaching the taller end of the range, work well as a single specimen or in the taller shrub layer of your food forest.
Most varieties produce fruit within two to four years of planting, which is remarkably fast compared to traditional fruit trees. During the first year of planting your bare root cherry bush, focus on root establishment: consistent watering during spring and summer and maintaining a good mulch layer. Please follow our planting and winterizing guides for support and tips.
Years two and three bring increasing growth as plants establish. By years four through seven, you're at or approaching peak production. Year eight and beyond is about maintenance and enjoyment: remove the oldest stems occasionally to encourage new growth, though D'Artagnan might not need attention until year 12. With minimal care, these bushes may produce for decades.
Complete Care: One Approach Works for All
The beauty of the University of Saskatchewan sour cherries is their shared adaptability, whether you're growing zone 2 or zone 3 varieties, compact or standard sizes, basic care remains remarkably similar. Choose full sun locations for maximum fruit production (they'll tolerate partial shade, but yields decrease), and ensure adequate drainage.
These cherries adapt to clay, loam, sand, and varying pH levels, though heavy clay benefits from compost amendments. Once established, they tolerate drought but produce better with consistent moisture; please water regularly during establishment, then weekly during dry periods. As fruit ripens, reduce watering to concentrate sugars. Annual compost and mulch topping in spring provides sufficient nutrients for these light feeders. Pruning is minimal: remove the "three Ds" (dead, damaged, diseased wood) in early spring or after harvest, shape lightly if desired in mid-summer, and never prune heavily. Disease resistance is strong across all varieties, making these genuinely low-maintenance producers.
All University of Saskatchewan sour cherry varieties at Prairie Hardy Nursery are grown on their own roots from authentic genetics, ensuring true-to-type plants with maximum cold hardiness for Canadian conditions. This article is written to the best of our research and knowledge and will be updated as more pertinent information becomes available to us.